Hello and welcome to a meditation on mindful somatic tracking.
Before we close our eyes or look down,
Let's just take a moment to look around the room.
Notice the colors,
The lighting,
The space around you.
This simply lets your nervous system know that you are in a safe,
Protected space right now.
Now,
Allow your gaze to soften or close your eyes if that feels comfortable for you.
Let your body settle into your chair,
The floor,
Or the surface you might be lying on.
Feel the support beneath you.
Allow it to support you.
Take two or three slightly deeper cleansing breaths.
Breathing in fully and as you exhale,
Letting go of any obvious tightness in your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Or your hands.
In a moment,
We are going to explore somatic tracking.
Think of this not as a tool to fix or change what you feel,
But as an experiment in curiosity.
We're just going to look at the sensations as physical data,
Like warmth,
Tingling,
Or pressure,
Rather than danger signals.
If at any point the exploration feels too intense,
You can always open your eyes or bring your attention back to your hands or the feeling of your feet on the floor.
You're fully in control.
To begin,
Let's locate your home base.
Find one spot in the body where the sensation of breathing feels neutral,
Pleasant,
Or easy.
This could be the nostrils.
This could be your chest or your belly.
Let your attention rest gently there.
I invite you to simply notice what it feels like to breathe at the place that you've chosen,
Bringing in a sense of kindness,
Of curiosity,
And non-judgment.
Simply breathe and know that you are breathing.
When the mind wanders,
Simply notice this.
Let whatever has captured your attention be there and gently return your relaxed,
Curious attention back to the sensation of the breath.
I now invite you to scan the body for any areas that are calling your attention.
As we do this,
We are simply noticing what arises as it arises,
Just the way it is.
If you notice an area of discomfort or pain,
Instead of pulling away,
See if you can approach it slowly,
Noticing what it feels like.
With curiosity,
Ask yourself,
What are the actual physical qualities of this sensation right now?
Is it a buzzing?
Tightness?
Heaviness?
Is it warm?
Or perhaps a tingling vibration?
Does the sensation have a clear border?
Or does it fade out at the edges?
Right now,
We are just learning to be with this sensation.
And sometimes it can be helpful to breathe with it while maintaining your calm,
Kind,
And curious attention on the experience itself.
I invite you to imagine the breath providing space around the sensation.
You might find it helpful to softly name that sensation in the back of your mind.
Pressure.
Pressure.
Or warmth.
Warmth.
Keep 95% of your awareness on the actual feeling and only 5% on the word.
If your mind drifts into stories about the pain or the past or future,
Gently acknowledge that.
You might note it by saying in your mind,
That's a thought.
Or that's an emotion.
And like training a puppy,
Kindly bring your attention back to the physical sensation.
Or back to your anchor,
The breath.
Notice what happens when our relationship to the sensation begins to soften.
And we can simply be present with what's here right now.
This sensation is sensitive.
But it's safe.
As we begin to transition back to the external world,
I invite you to simply notice what it feels like in your experience right now.
Does it feel different in any way?
Does the sensation or your relationship to the sensations feel different?
Does it feel more spacious?
Regardless of the answer,
Just notice that too.
You are retraining your brain to observe your body with less fear,
More wisdom,
And more safety.
Rest with this for a moment.
When you're ready,
Softly open your eyes and return to this moment.
