#106 Strong Back, Soft Front Guided Meditation

This month's practice features an embodied mediation to help you stay present with life's challenges without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down. 

Inspired by Roshi Joan Halifax's teachings, you'll cultivate a foundation of stability to underpin your capacity for openness and compassion.

This meditation includes several periods of silence of around 3-6 minutes. The guidance assumes you're sitting (chair or cushion are fine) so that you can experience the support of the spine. 

The practice starts at 2:43 after a brief talk. If your player supports chapter markers, you can skip ahead.

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Transcript

Speaker 1 0:07

You're listening to a guided practice from Skillful Meads podcast featuring Jennifer O'Sullivan. I hope you enjoy. This practice is inspired by the teachings of Roshi Joan Halifax. Halifax is a longtime Zen Buddhist teacher and founder of Upaya Zen Center in New Mexico. Her pastoral work centers on caring for those who are dying and supporting their caregivers, including hospital workers and family members, and it's from this experience that she came to appreciate the significance of cultivating what she calls a strong back and soft front.

Speaker 1 0:59

When facing difficulty. A strong back is more than a symbol of stability. It's also a direct experience of our physicality. In those times when we're pulled up into our head, worrying, ruminating, catastrophizing, catastrophizing dropping into our physical support structure can help us to regather and find our calm center. A strong back makes a soft front possible. With our heart at its center, soft front represents our inclusiveness and compassion. It allows us to connect meaningfully with others and enjoy their support.

Meditation Starts Here

Speaker 1 1:57

Without a strong back, we might collapse under the weight of suffering in the world the weight of suffering in the world. Without a soft front, we can become overly defended and rigid, even brittle. Together, a strong back and soft front allows us to be present with the full range of experiences we encounter in our lives. We don't have to be afraid of difficulty. With our strong backs and soft fronts, we can approach challenging situations with healthy boundaries, flexibility, curiosity and generosity of spirit. Before we begin, take a few moments to arrange yourself in a comfortable seated position, in a chair or on a meditation cushion. Find a posture that promotes an alert quality of mind. Posture that promotes an alert quality of mind. Once established, become more aware of your body, noticing the contact points that your body is making with the surface you're sitting on. If you're sitting in a chair, notice your feet on the ground.

Speaker 2 3:51

Notice the gentle pull of gravity on your body and a corresponding lift through your spine. Thank you.

Speaker 1 4:29

See if you can invite a sense of openness into the body and mind Without trying too hard. What might be willing to soften in this moment in order to allow more space? Perhaps there's room to relax the body. See if your inner commentators would be willing to step into the background for now, in the space you've created, expand your awareness to include your natural breath, feeling those sensations of breathing that you easily notice Tip of the nose, front of the nose, front of the chest, down and into the belly. You might also get a sense of the whole body breathing. See if you can stay with the experience of breath that feels most available right now, tracking the experience of breathing in and breathing out. You, you, you, you, you, you, you, you. Expanding your awareness to include your heart-mind, noticing how you're relating, checking in with your mood and quality of mind Not to get yourself in trouble just noticing how the different parts of you are experiencing this moment. Thank you. Now.

Speaker 1 10:38

Bring your attention to your back body sensing, into your long spine. Notice how your spine holds you up, providing structure and support for your whole body Without adding rigidity. What's it like to lengthen into the spine, to feel into the support of your strong back into your body stability, balance, support, support, equanimity, feeling yourself having the strength to meet whatever arises, staying present amidst difficulty, feeling into your strong back, back you. The stability of a strong back allows us to soften the front. So, bringing your attention now to the front body, noticing how the front body moves with the breath Flexible, soft front, spaciousness, openheartedness, receptivity, connection, kindness, compassion for yourself and for others, feeling into the interconnectivity of life.

Speaker 1 16:51

You, together with all beings, soft front, you, you, you, you, you, you, you, thank you. Strong back, soft front, you, you. If you find that your mind has wandered away, gently call it back into your body. Strong back, soft front, you, you, you, you, thank you. Without adding tension, take a moment to refresh your posture Breathing in, sitting up a little taller, breathing out, settling into your seat With the support of your strong back and soft front. Feel your torso moving gently with the breath. No-transcript no-transcript.