In all the programs you’ve seen so far, the meditations are guided. This guidance is an important part of the learning process. They ensure that you are accompanied throughout the meditation.
With a little experience, it can be useful to meditate sometimes without guidance, without there being a way to set the tempo.
So, in this program, I propose to experiment with moments of practice without any verbal guidance, just silence punctuated by a tinkling gong to begin and another tinkling gong to end the meditation.
Several durations are available: five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen, twenty, thirty and forty-five minutes. You can practice them progressively, alternating of course with guided meditations. For each of these silent meditations, you have about twenty seconds, before the gong strikes, to settle into the posture that suits you best, as best you can during the practice.
Be observant of the three C’s, mentioned in other programs and which I’ll remind you of here. The first C stands for “brain”, the seat of our thoughts; the second C for “heart”, the symbolic seat of our emotions; and the third C for “body”, our bodily sensations.
The three C’s are permanently linked, and paying attention to them helps us avoid being overwhelmed by an unpleasant thought, an intrusive emotion or a painful tension. Reharmonizing the three Cs also promotes our inner physiological balance, known as “homeostasis”. And, of course, keep in mind that you can connect to your breath at any time to stabilize yourself in the present moment and return to a larger, more serene vital space.
At the end of each silent meditation, take a moment to observe your state and how you feel. I wish you a wonderful practice.