Dearest Friends,

Thank you for your presences and your participation in our most recent gathering!

In our last session, we shifted to the second exercise listed under the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta’s section on mindfulness of the body, which is mindfulness of postures (iriyāpatha). This exercise refers specifically to the practice of being aware of the body in its four “classical” positions, i.e., walking, standing, sitting and lying down. This simple practice offers several profound benefits:

• It Interrupts the Automaticity of the Mind: By continually checking in on the body’s current position, we interrupt repetitive daydreams and recurring preoccupations. The mind has less room for idle or harmful thoughts.
• It Enhances Concentration and Clarity: Consciously shifting from one posture to another heightens our focus and grounds us in the present. This supports clarity and concentration, in turn.
• It Deepens Insight and Wisdom: Observing the body moving and shifting reveals impermanence (aniccā). Noticing the discomfort that often propels movement reveals suffering (dukkha). Seeing the body as a set of moving parts rather than “I” or “mine” reveals non-self (anattā).

SUGGESTED PRACTICE:

Soften your gaze or close your eyes. After a few moments, attend to your current posture: Are you standing, sitting or lying down? Be aware of the posture itself, its overall shape and the arrangement of the limbs. Then feel the weight of the body and its points of contact with the surface that’s supporting it, whether it’s the floor, a chair or a mat. If you need to shift your posture—perhaps adjusting your footing, your seat or your hands—notice the transitions with full awareness. Pause briefly before and after each movement, observing the truths of impermanence, suffering and non-self in the motions. Conclude the meditation with a felt sense of gratitude for how the body serves as a direct doorway to wisdom.

REFLECTION PROMPTS:

• How did attending to your posture interrupt habitual patterns of thought? How did it support your sense of clarity and concentration?
• Which of the following characteristics of reality were most prominent for you while observing your body’s posture? Was it the truth of impermanence, suffering or non-self?
• Is mindfulness of postures a meditation that you feel called to explore more frequently moving forward? In what ways might it be of unique benefit to you at this stage of your practice?

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

I’m delighted to share about an event that I’ve had the privilege of co-creating! Alchemized Women is a free 10-day online series for women navigating change, loss and the work of coming home to themselves. I’m one of a dozen teachers who are offering teachings, practices and pathways back to peace and presence. In a world characterized by constant disruption on multiple levels, it’s vitally important that women find sources of stability, refuge and balance.

The series is completely free with offerings being delivered straight to your inbox and it begins on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. You can reserve your place by clicking here.