Meditation Exercise:
Read through this once, and then go back and try it. Then decide how often you would like to practice this for the greatest benefit. If you are in your first or second trimester, I suggest doing the following for five minutes 3 times each week and gradually working up to the goal of twenty minutes 5 times per week. That may take you 6 weeks or more. If you are in your third trimester, I suggest starting this practice for twenty minutes once a week and working your way up to the goal of twenty minutes 5 times a week.
You are now ready to meditate for twenty minutes at a sitting five times per week. It is a good idea to sit in a comfortable chair with your back as straight as is comfortable for you.
Now let us begin. This is your Leclaire Method meditation:
1. Eyes: Become aware of your eyes, and become aware of what you see with your eyes. Become aware of the shadows, the light, the darkness, the colors, the shapes, the space, the objects. This awareness of what you see may bring up feelings. Feel the feelings, whatever they are. Gently close your eyes and move inward, into yourself.
2. Ears: Become aware of your ears. Listen to all the sounds around you and in the distance. Become fully aware of them. Feel whatever feelings may arise and move into your inner self.
3. Mouth: Become aware of your mouth, your lips, your tongue, the mucous membrane lining of your mouth, your saliva. Become aware of the taste in your mouth. Feel any feeling that may arise and move in you.
4. Skin: Become aware of your skin. Experience all that is touching you: the textures, the pressure. Again feel any feelings that may arise and move in you.
5. Nose: Become conscious of your nose and your nostrils. Become aware of any scents or fragrances, any smells. Feel the air as you inhale through your nostrils. Feel the feelings that may arise. Allow yourself to respond to the feelings, laughter, tears, a smile, a frown, a deep feeling. Experience what you are feeling. Don’t push the feelings away; just allow them. They will pass. Everything does. Everything changes.
6. Mind: Now become aware of your mind, your thoughts. Observe your thoughts, the objects of your mind. Let them come, and then let them go and let yourself feel the feeling that your thoughts may evoke.
7. Body: Now become aware of your body. Go wherever it takes you. Just follow it. Do this for about ten breaths (one breath equals one inhalation and one exhalation). Now deliberately turn your attention to your uterus and your uborn. Put your hands on your abdomen and just be with your uterus and your uborn. Be with yourself; be with your uborn. Be still. Be.
You are probably beginning to feel a stillness, a quiet, a relaxation. The object is to be in the moment, to feel all that arises, which paves the way for a quieting of the mind. Now focus on your breath. Don’t alter your breath in any way; just observe it. I’m breathing in. I’m breathing slowly out. In and out and in and out. Just rest and observe your breath.