Welcome.
Hello.
Please find a posture,
Be it standing,
Sitting cross-legged or in a chair,
Kneeling or lying down,
Where you feel both ease from the support of the floor against your feet if you are standing,
From your sit bones and legs against the floor if you are seated,
The floor against your whole body if you are lying down,
And also effort.
Be that the effort to stand tall,
Reaching the crown of your head up.
Be that the effort of sitting tall,
Finding length in your spine or laying down mindfully with your arms at either side of your body,
Your legs out straight.
And as you come into the posture where you feel both effort and ease,
Begin to notice your breath.
Observe your breath with curiosity.
What is its pace,
Its temperature,
Its texture?
How does your breath feel as it moves across the tip of your nose or your lips?
What do you notice about your abdomen moving with your breath?
Continue just so.
Breathe.
Begin to visualize yourself in water,
In a clear river.
The movement of water over your skin,
The ease of being held by the water,
The effort of staying afloat.
Visualize that the water is moving quickly.
The water is strong.
Consider how being in fast-moving water may be like experiencing day-to-day life when you are pushed to an urge to use a behavior or substance.
And in that moment,
Visualize a log,
A float,
Large enough to hold you but not too large that you can't wrap your arms around it.
What does it feel like?
Squeeze your fingers together as if you're holding on to a slippery log.
Consider how that log may be like an urge,
May be like using a substance or a behavior to stay afloat.
Take a moment of gratitude for that log and then look to the shore.
Notice the colors and stillness.
Notice if the sun is shining on the shore or if there's a breeze moving through the leaves and grass there.
Once more,
Squeeze your fingers in,
Inhale,
And clench your fists together and then release them.
Exhale,
Release the log and swim towards shore.
Feel the effort in your muscles.
Feel your breath change as you put the effort in.
Move your legs,
Move your arms,
Swim towards shore.
Feel the water becoming more shallow.
Feel your shoulders and chest and arms and abdomen and hips and legs and feet emerge from the water and come to shore.
Feel the sun and air against your skin.
Notice if you are on sand or grass.
If there's a chair or blanket waiting for you,
Lay down.
Feel the sensations of the effort that you have put in.
Feel the ease of the sunlight and air,
The support of the earth against your body.
Notice your breath.
Inhale fully,
Exhale slowly.
Stretch out your legs,
Lengthen your spine.
Take one more round of breath here.
Place your left hand in the center of your chest,
Your right hand on top of it.
Slightly tuck your chin.
Take a moment in gratitude for the effort it takes to maintain recovery,
To choose to live your values.
Take a moment in gratitude for the easeful,
Beautiful moments,
The support of the earth and your community.
Know that your work is not only for your benefit,
But the benefit of every life you touch.
We will close our practice here.
