The following talk was given at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California.

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Okay, so we'll start with a guided meditation. taking a few few longer breaths than we normally would as a way to just help connect with the body. You're not going to see. and feeling what it feels like of these bigger breaths,

feeling what it feels like

of these bigger breaths,

feeling the stretch and the release of the stretch.

Maybe there's a little bit of ease and relaxation that comes with the exhale.

Allowing the breath to return to normal.

No need to control the breath.

Just trusting that the body knows how to breathe, then feeling connected to our sitting

and feeling connected to our sitting surface, we're here.

Feeling the pressure against the buttocks, pressure from the couch or the chair or the cushion. pressure on the back of the legs. And feeling and feeling whatever the feet are touching. You're not going to see. and be really helpful to establish this

the foundation of our sitting surface at the beginning of a sit.

Helps emphasize that we are here and now.

And there's a way in which the posture can rise out of that foundation.

In the spine, straight,

and upright.

Of course it's fine if you're using a backrest, feeling the pressure against the back and the pressure on the body. You're not going to see. and doing a gentle on body scan

tuning into the sensations on the face.

Around the eyes, around the jaw, maybe the face itself. You're not going to see. The shoulders, allowing them to be relaxed away from the ears. and a chest.

Is there a way there can be some softness in the chest. And the belly

letting it relax often often. You're not going to see. Now that we've settled in a little bit.

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