So just getting your body posture.
Don't let de-hennessy make you sit stiff and uncomfortable.
Quite the opposite.
Experiment now.
And say,
OK,
I like my bum right back in the chair.
No,
Actually,
I like to sit out further.
Just experiment and explore and say,
Yeah,
I can find a spot that I think I can hold for about 10 minutes.
And then remembering that we're all about kindness and permission and tiny steps here.
So should it happen that you want to change your position entirely midway through?
Perfect.
So we're we're nurturing ourselves even here.
So this time I want you to explore what you might do with your eyes.
And this is really important because it plays into how I am right now.
So if I am indeed stressed or in any kind of distress,
I definitely won't want to close my eyes.
And so,
You know,
I invite you to keep your eyes open and focused on me,
If that's helpful.
Or you might like to lower your gaze and just find a little spot.
Maybe a few feet ahead of you on the floor where you can just lower your gaze and kind of soften the eyes so that the eyes and the areas around the eyes get a little rest.
Or you might like to close the eyes.
OK.
So now as we settle.
I invite you to relax your shoulders.
Relax your arms.
Relax the front and the back of the body.
Relax your thighs,
Your knees and your calves.
Relax your feet.
Feel the energy flowing through your spine upwards.
Relax the neck.
Relax your head.
Your forehead.
Your eyes,
Cheeks,
Chin.
Lips.
Your tongue.
And your jaw.
Relax your whole face.
Let your whole body soften.
Let go of all tension.
Place your hands on your knees.
Seeing if you can make a circle with your index finger.
And the thumb on both of your hands.
So you're making a little circle of the index finger and the thumb and the three other fingers stay straight.
So if you can see if you can do this with each hand now.
So this circle that you're making represents the sun,
The moon and the earth.
And also this circle is a symbol of the cycle of time and the cycle of life.
The three remaining fingers that are straight still.
They represent the past,
The present and the future.
So we're holding it all in our hands.
So if you can,
Letting the hands rest somewhere,
Holding them like this.
Pay attention now to the silence.
To stillness.
To calm.
Let your mind relax.
Now all is well within you and around you in the world.
Suspend your thoughts,
Your worries and your plans.
Smile at the world.
Let your mind focus on your breath.
With your in-breath,
Say silently,
I am breathing in.
With your out-breath,
Say silently,
I am breathing out.
Follow the journey of your breath now through your body.
Through the chest,
Through the abdomen,
Through the legs and out the arms.
Experience the breath nourishing your whole body now.
While you are breathing mindfully,
Be aware of each stage of your breath.
And be aware of the sensation of breath within your body.
Be aware that all human beings,
All living creatures,
All life on this planet,
Are sharing the same breath of life that you breathe.
So the whole of creation is connected with you.
You are at home.
We are all related.
With that sense of unity of all life,
Bring your attention back now to your natural rhythm of breathing.
And seeing if you might focus on the breath in your body just right now.
All is well.
We are all connected.
And in this final couple of minutes of this practice,
Bringing an intention of loving-kindness into your heart.
May we all be well.
May we all be happy.
May we all live with ease with what is given us.
May we all live in peace.
May we all be well.
May we all be happy.
May we all live with ease with what is given us.
May we all live in peace.
Noticing now the feet on the ground.
The body being supported by the couch,
The bed or the chair.
And in your own time,
Perhaps even a little slower than you might like,
Just opening the eyes or lifting the gaze.
And this time as we do so,
Giving ourselves an extra moment of luxury for the body.
Just inviting the body to have a little movement.
Dee is going to take a yawn.
You might have a yawn or a stretch or a nice loud sigh.
Or you might just move your eyebrows.
You might like to smile.
Take some care of your shoulders.
Maybe wiggle your fingers or toes.
Just seeing if you can listen to your body.
