Welcome to your practice.
Take a moment to arrive gently.
And perhaps it's not perfect,
But it's honest.
And take a deep breath in through your nose and a gentle exhale out through your mouth.
And then again,
Deep breath in and out.
And allow your body to settle into any shape you've chosen today.
And there's nothing you need to work on or improve in this moment.
Nothing you need to prepare for.
And you might notice the places where you're supported,
The surface beneath you,
The chair if you're sitting down,
The earth holding everything without any effort at all.
And notice that you're breathing.
There's no need to make it a certain way.
Just notice the breath already happening,
Air arriving and departing all on its own.
And if it feels helpful,
You can imagine your breath like a soft tide.
It's not pulling you anywhere.
It's just coming in contact with the shore of your body and then easing back.
And as you breathe,
You might begin to sense the edges of yourself,
The outline of your skin,
The weight of your bones,
The simple fact of being here now.
Notice what's showing up in your mind.
And if it's busy,
That's okay.
You don't need to quiet it right now.
Allow any sounds,
Thoughts and sensations to be part of the room.
Allow your shoulders to soften,
Not by force,
But by permission.
Unclench your jaw and soften your tongue.
And soften the tiny muscles of your face and your forehead.
Again,
Allow your awareness to rest inside your body as if it's finally arrived home.
Feel the parts of you that are being held and allow your attention to stay there.
Nothing else is being asked of you now.
This moment is enough exactly as it is.
And stay here for a few more breaths,
Arriving gently in the simplest way.
Thank you.
