This is just a short practice to invite us to bring awareness into the present moment.
And so as we begin taking some time to choose a posture,
And really taking the time to settle in.
So whether you're sitting or lying down,
Or standing,
Getting a sense of what is most needed in this moment,
What will help you to relax and stay alert,
Really letting the body be comfortable as best you can.
And if it supports your practice,
You can close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Just taking these moments to settle in.
And we can begin with a reminder to start wherever you are.
So whatever you're here with,
If you're feeling any stress,
Any sense of fullness,
Worried,
Joyful,
Just noticing what's here,
Seeing if you can acknowledge it and make room for it to be part of your practice.
Settling into the body.
Maybe asking what is it that helps the body and mind to settle,
To come into stillness.
It might be taking some time to notice those places of connection,
Where the body makes contact with the chair,
The cushion,
With the floor.
Really bringing awareness into the body,
If it's possible,
Feeling into the weight of the body.
And you might invite a few deeper breaths to help you find your breathing.
So maybe starting by just sensing where you can feel the breath most easily.
Maybe the nose,
The nostrils,
The rise and fall of the lungs,
The chest,
Rise and fall of the belly.
And just feeling the sensation of breath in the body,
If you can.
Maybe noticing the subtle movement of the breath,
Feeling the spine lengthen on an inhale.
And continuing to soften and settle into the body on an exhale.
Seeing if there's anything that can be let go of or released.
We can bring in this idea of settling in as just softening into our experience as it unfolds.
Seeing if there's any way we can be easy about this.
Just noticing what it's like in our practice,
Right in this moment.
Seeing if it's possible to let awareness widen,
To include the whole of experience as it shifts.
So as the body settles,
Simply being aware of the whole body sitting or lying down.
Seeing if you can widen awareness,
Expanding into the body,
The whole body.
And then just noticing,
What are you aware of right in this moment?
Maybe feeling into sensation in the front body,
In the back body,
Sides of the body.
Just letting your attention widen and expand.
And noticing what is here.
From time to time,
You may gently check in with the heart and mind.
Just asking,
Where is your attention?
Noticing if you're practicing with some awareness.
And remembering that every time you notice that the mind has wandered,
That you're lost in story,
That's a moment of mindfulness.
So gently returning your attention to the felt sense of the body,
To the subtle movement of breath in the body.
Beginning again.
From time to time,
Maybe checking in with the mind.
Just noticing what the mind is aware of.
If the mind is busy thinking,
Just noticing this.
Seeing if it's possible to allow the thinking mind to be part of your awareness.
When we practice this way,
Noticing what is happening in our present moment experience.
Simply noticing what is here.
We're allowing things to be just as they are.
Allowing ourselves to be just as we are in this moment.
And remembering that as you go about your day,
You can check in with yourself like this.
What am I aware of?
Is there tension that can be released?
Or held?
So just practicing to expand the moments of noticing.
Creating a little bit of space for whatever is found.
And as we get ready to end the meditation for today,
I'll invite you to widen awareness once again.
Letting your attention rest in the physical body.
Maybe noticing those places of contact again.
Where the body is being held and supported by the chair or the cushion,
Floor.
Maybe offering yourself a few deeper breaths,
A few rounds of deeper breathing.
Allowing yourself to be here in whatever way you need to be.
And letting your eyes open.
I thank you for your practice today.
