Hello and welcome.
I'm Joanna Barrett,
Your guide for this meditation practice.
You are invited to take this time to slow down,
To pause,
To remember that rest does not need to be earned.
It's an essential part of your daily life.
Begin by finding a comfortable position.
You may be lying down or sitting tall with your feet on the ground.
Allow your body to settle here,
Your spine long,
Shoulders soft,
Jaw unclenched.
Let your hands rest wherever they feel most natural.
Perhaps,
If seated,
Palms down on your legs for grounding.
Or,
If lying down,
Arms out by your sides with palms open in a gesture of receiving.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose and a gentle exhale out through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale,
Feel your ribs expand and your abdomen rise.
Exhale,
Release the weight of your day.
Allow your eyes to soften or close and begin to notice the sensation of support beneath you,
The contact points of your body with the surface that supports you.
Feel that connection,
Simple and steady.
Feel gravity doing its quiet work.
You are being held.
There is nothing for you to do right now,
Nowhere for you to go.
You are allowed to pause.
You are allowed to rest.
Allow your breath to become smooth and steady.
Each inhale a gentle invitation to arise to the next.
Notice the rhythm of your breath,
The rise and fall of your abdomen,
The subtle movement of your chest,
Your body breathing itself.
If thoughts begin to come,
And they may,
About work,
Family,
Or your to-do's,
Let them.
These thoughts can drift through your mind like clouds in a wide open sky,
On a day with a gentle breeze,
You don't have to chase or control these thoughts or the clouds.
Simply breathe beneath them.
Now bring your awareness to the center of your chest.
Imagine a warm,
Golden light resting here.
Steady,
Calm,
Alive.
With each inhale,
This light expands,
Filling your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your arms,
And your hands.
With each exhale,
The light flows down your spine,
Through your hips,
Your legs,
And into your feet.
Feel yourself breathing with this warm,
Golden light,
Becoming filled with ease,
With safety,
With presence.
Let this light whisper to you,
You are safe.
You are allowed to pause.
You are allowed to simply be.
Rest in this stillness,
Allowing your breath to move without effort.
Your body knows how to soften when given permission.
Give yourself permission to rest.
Now,
Allow a few simple truths to settle into your awareness.
If you'd like,
Silently repeat after me.
I am resting and enough.
I am home in my body.
I am safe in this stillness.
I am whole,
Exactly as I am.
Stay with this meditation for a few more slow breaths,
Encouraging your nervous system to settle,
Feeling the peace that lives beneath the noise.
When you're ready,
Begin to awaken your body.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Roll your neck or your shoulders.
Take one final deep breath in,
And open your mouth.
Exhale with a sigh.
Bring your palms to your energetic heart space at the center of your chest.
A quiet acknowledgment of your choice to pause,
And carry this feeling of spaciousness and gratitude with you as you return to your day.
Remembering rest is not a retreat from life.
It's how you return home to yourself.
Take a few more slow,
Deep breaths,
And take this calm with you,
Knowing that you can always return.
Thank you for your practice.
