Hello and welcome.
I'm Aurora,
And this somatic meditation can help to create an experience of expanded awareness and nervous system settling.
Somatic simply means of the body,
And our ability to track what is happening in our body helps us build connection to our nervous system states,
A vital aspect of our ability to heal and grow.
Begin by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Soften your gaze or close your eyes,
And tune in to the rhythm of your breath.
Take a deep breath in through the nostrils,
And open mouth sigh to exhale.
Allow the exhale to help you drop into your body.
Take a moment to scan your body,
And notice an area you are holding tension.
Allow yourself to completely focus on this area,
And see if you can pinpoint the center of the tension,
Noticing any particular qualities about how it feels.
Give yourself plenty of time to sit with the sensation of tension.
Now,
Shift your attention to an area of the body that feels soft or loose.
Take your time getting clear about where the body is experiencing this softness or ease.
Give yourself some space to get clear about the felt experience of looseness and where it stems from.
If your mind begins to wander,
Return to the focal point in the body and the sensation you are coming into contact with now.
Bring your attention back to the center of the tension,
And practice focusing back on the original sensation,
Even if there's been a subtle shift in the way it feels now.
With a little less time between areas of attention,
Return to the area of the body experiencing looseness.
Settle your mind here for a moment.
Now come back to the area of tension,
And back again to the area of looseness.
Begin to let your mind ping pong back and forth between these two areas at a pace that feels steady for you.
Now take a smooth breath in and out as you zoom your attention out so you can see and sense that both of these areas are existing in your body at the same time.
As you widen your sensory view,
Notice what happens inside of you.
Let your mind soften and settle,
Bringing your awareness to where your body is being supported by the chair or bed you are seated or lying upon.
When you feel ready to return to the room,
Blink your eyes a few times and let your soft gaze wander around the room you are in,
Reorienting to the physical space.
Notice what it feels like to be here after this pendulation exercise.
I hope this practice supports both your body and mind as you move forward into your day.
