Zen : Your Way

Notes

Imported from zen-corpus design/skills-audio/skill-hourglass/skill-hourglass-full.md

Transcript

Hourglass — Full

This is Hourglass. For about three minutes, you move in three steps. First, a wide check-in — thoughts, feelings, body. Then the breath. Then the whole body again. Wide, then narrow, then wide — like an hourglass.

[Pause 3s]

Make yourself comfortable — sitting, standing, whatever works right now. Eyes closed is best, if that feels easy. A soft gaze is fine too.

[Pause 3s]

What this offers is a short reset with a clear shape. You do not have to fix anything. You just change the width of attention.

[Pause 3s]

This comes from a short breathing space used in mindfulness training. Wide check-in. Then the breath. Then the whole body. People sometimes call that shape an hourglass. That is our name for it here. It is not the same as Triple — Triple stacks Arrival, Breath, and Warmth. This one is check-in, breath, and body.

[Pause 3s]

A plain note. This is a small attention practice. It is not therapy, and it is not medical advice. If something feels too heavy, please reach out to someone who can help.

[Pause 3s]

Three Breath Loops can hold the time if you like — about a minute each. Optional. The guidance will pace each step.

[Pause 3s]

Here is the method.

[Pause 3s]

Step one — wide. Notice what is here. Thoughts. Feelings. Sensations in the body. No need to change them. Step two — narrow. Rest on one place where you feel the breath. Feel the in-breath. Feel the out-breath. Step three — expand again. Feel the whole body. Posture. Contact with the seat or the feet. Soften a little. Then you can leave it.

[Pause 4s]

Get ready. We start now. Follow along with me.

[Pause 2s]

Wide check-in. What is here right now? Thoughts. Feelings. The body.

[Pause 12s]

Let it be as it is. No need to fix.

[Pause 20s]

Still wide. Notice whatever stands out. Then let it rest in the field of awareness.

[Pause 20s]

Now narrow. Pick one place where you feel the breath — nostrils, chest, or belly.

[Pause 8s]

Breathe naturally. On the in-breath, feel. On the out-breath, feel.

[Pause 20s]

Again. In-breath. Feel. Out-breath. Feel. If the mind wanders, come back to the breath.

[Pause 22s]

Now expand. Feel the whole body. The posture. The contact with the seat, or the feet.

[Pause 12s]

Soften a little. Jaw. Shoulders. Hands. Let the whole body be here.

[Pause 20s]

Widen once more through the body. Soft. Present.

[Pause 12s]

Alright — that is your hourglass.

Follow along a couple of times, then you can run this shape on your own.

Thank you for this hourglass.