So welcome,
And thank you for taking these few minutes for yourself.
Just allow yourself to settle in for a moment.
Just take a nice deep breath in through your nose and then let it out through your mouth.
Just arrive here.
And if you've chosen this meditation because your mind feels busy or restless or full of thoughts,
Know that you are not alone.
Overthinking is all part of being human.
So for the next few minutes,
We're not going to try to stop your thoughts.
We'll simply notice your thoughts.
And perhaps change the way we relate to them.
So just settling in,
Find that position of ease and comfort.
Now allow your hands to rest,
Maybe on your lap.
Or by your side,
Just in a natural way.
And if it feels comfortable,
Gently close your eyes.
Or you might like to soften your gaze.
Just to a point in front of you without focusing too much.
On any one thing in particular.
And just take another slow breath in.
And through your nose.
Now out through your mouth.
Again,
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
This is your time.
There's nowhere else you need to be right now.
There's nothing that you need to solve.
There's nothing you need to figure out.
Just for these next few minutes.
Begin to notice the feeling of your body.
Notice your body being supported.
Perhaps by the chair or the floor or the cushion.
Or your bed.
And just tune in to the contact points.
Just noticing them beneath you,
Holding you,
Supporting you.
You can allow your shoulders to soften.
And allow your eyes to relax.
You can allow the jaw to relax and your tongue to relax.
Without forcing anything,
Simply notice your breathing.
Without changing it,
You don't need to breathe any different.
Just allow your breath to breathe itself.
Your breath is wonderful.
It knows how to breathe.
Your body knows what to do.
Just let yourself breathe.
Sooner or perhaps later,
You'll probably notice this thought.
Maybe you're planning something.
Or remembering.
Or worrying.
Replaying a conversation.
Or trying to solve a problem.
And that's completely normal.
Your mind thinks.
That's what it does.
So this practice isn't about having no thoughts.
This practice is about noticing when you've become caught inside a thought,
When you've noticed it.
You might see each thought as a cloud drifting across the sky.
Simply watch it arrive.
And watch it leave.
Don't have to chase it.
Is watch it live.
Another thought might come.
Now you're the seat.
And let it continue on.
Just let it drift away.
And each time you've noticed,
You're being carried away into a thought.
Just gently return your attention to your next breath.
Without frustration and without judgment.
To simply returning.
Again.
And again.
Each return you do is the practice.
Notice the coolness of the air as you breathe in.
And the warmth of your breath as you breathe out.
The gentle rise and fall of your body.
Your thoughts might still be there,
And that's okay.
I don't need to disappear for you to experience a moment of peace.
There's a quiet awareness underneath the thinking and each breath is an opportunity to reconnect with it.
Another thought appears,
Perhaps silently saying to yourself,
Thinking.
Just one word.
Thinking.
Then gently return to your breath.
No criticism or disappointment.
Just noticing.
Just returning.
Allow yourself to rest here for a few moments,
Simply breathing,
Simply noticing.
Nothing to change or fix.
Just being in this moment.
Now,
Begin to widen your awareness.
Notice sounds around you.
Notice,
Feeling the air.
Brushing softly against your skin.
Notice any fragrances around you.
Or any familiar tastes.
Or the absence.
Of taste.
Just feel your body resting where you are.
And just take a slightly deeper breath in.
And then let it out.
And remember,
You don't have to believe every thought that enters your mind.
Thoughts are simply visitors.
Some stay for a moment.
Some stay there a little bit longer.
But they all pass.
And each time you've noticed that you're being carried away,
You can just gently return.
Just to this breath.
To this body.
To this moment.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself today.
Thank you for sitting with me.
And I hope you carry that little more space with you and a little more calm.
And carry it into the rest of your day.
