Rebirth Ritual Sept 2012

Please note:  This is a very rough draft, and not how it was actually said, but it gives the general idea of how I guided the group through the stages of the meditation:


This birthing ritual incorporates elements of the five senses meditation.
Group members lie on floor in foetal position (need cusions and pillows)
Some of these things aren’t literally true – it is an excersize in a metaphoric birth, so don’t’ worry if you think “that isn’t true”, just relax and go with it.


Lie on the floor, and breath. 
Lie still
Your eyes are closed
You are warm
You lie breathing softly in the darkness and warmness
You are not aware of anything
You are not aware of the room you are in, the people who surround you, or your own body, or your own thoughts. 
You lie breathing softly in the darkness and warmness.




Now listen.  Think of the noises that you hear.  What is their loudness?  Their tone?  Do they change or repeat?

Become aware of the smell you can sense.   It may be the floor, or the clothes you wear, or even you.  Let the smell surround you, become interested in it.



What is the taste in your mouth?  Is the taste different in the different parts of your mouth?
Slowly you become aware of your body.  You become aware of the feeling of the floor on your body.  You become aware of the feeling of the cushion, or your arms, with your head resting on the softness.  Compare the softness of your headrest with the hardness of the floor.

Slowly you open your eyes, and gaze at the floor, or your cusion, or your arm.  Notice it’s colour, any lines or scratches, think about how it looks and how it feels.   Without moving your body, move your eyes around.  Notice how when your eyes move, the images that surround you change.  Compare the shapes and colours that you see.


Shift your body slightly.  As you shift your weight, notice how the feelings of the floor or objects supporting your body shift and change.  Move your body around, this way and that, and while you are feeling the changes that are happening, watch the room change it’s position, the colours, the shapes around you.


Begin to touch your legs, or your arms, your tummy or your face.  How do these body parts feel? Explore them with your finger tips.  When you touch your body, look at it, focus on how it feels physically whilst you look.  Touch them, stroke them, squeeze them.  How do your fingertips feel when they touch you?  How does the rest of your body feel being touched by your fingertips?



Change your position, to sitting, keeping your attention on your body and the parts of the room that are in contact with your body.  Touch the floor, your cusion, your body.  Think of the fact that they are together in this space, and yet separate and different.  How do they look, feel and smell different?

Change your position to being on all fours.  From this position, become aware of the space about 2 meters away from you, and the objects that it contains – the objects of furniture or the people.  These are all objects.     Find an object that interests you.  Slowly Move towards it.  Try to forget everything that you know about this object.  Try to see it as merely a shape, a colour, a movement…


How does the object that you have chosen change as you move towards it?  As you get nearer, can you see different parts?  Does it stay stil?, move away?  Move towards you?  Does it’s size change?
When you get close to your object, look at it, very carefully, look at it all over.  Move around it.




Now gently touch your object.   How does it feel?  Does it react when you touch it?  How?




Move around the room and find another person.  In pairs, explore each other, with your eyes, touch, and smell.  How are you feeling?  Can you show the other person how you feel without speaking?  How can you share the experience of being in contact with each other?



In your pairs, return to the group.  Find a chair, sit in a circle.  Look around at the group and think about how you feel.



How do you feel?



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