In a lot of places we teach meditation with our eyes closed or with our eyes just staring at something in the distance or close to us.
But for a lot of people that have experienced or suffered trauma in their life this could be very triggering.
So today I'm just going to talk you through a very gentle somatic meditation experience where we don't have to do either of those things.
To just meet you where you are today and just being in a place that feels comfortable for your body and for your current situation.
So when you're ready just finding a place that feels comfortable for you to either sit or lay in for the next few minutes.
Just bringing yourself into a shape that feels supported and this can either be sitting or laying or maybe even standing if that's how you feel you would be supported today.
And as you come into that shape just checking in with your space,
Noticing the things around you.
Are you comfortable enough?
Are you warm enough?
Do you need to put another layer on?
Just making any adjustments that you may need to do before we begin.
Now when you're ready just allowing your gaze to just soften.
You don't need to keep your eyes staring at a point.
You don't need to close them completely.
Just allow them to be as they are,
Natural,
Soft.
Just allow them to move as they please.
There's no need to try and control what we're doing with our gaze.
And just tuning into your body here.
There's no need to change anything.
Just noticing how you feel in the different parts of your body.
Starting off with your toes,
Your feet,
Working our way up through our legs,
Our thighs,
Coming across the pelvis,
Up through the curves of your spine.
Just notice how your spine is sitting today.
Are your shoulders slightly slumped over?
Are you sitting up tall?
Where does your spine fall?
Can you feel the curves of your spine?
And just moving across your shoulders,
Down through your arms,
Your wrists,
Your hands and your fingers.
Moving up through your neck,
To the back of your head,
To the top of your head,
To your crown.
And then moving through to your face.
Just noticing your jaw here.
How does it feel?
Are you clenching?
Is it relaxed?
And then coming down through your front body,
Your chest,
Noticing if you're opening your chest.
Or are your shoulders slouching and you're closing through your front body?
How does it feel as you come down through to your stomach?
The tops of your thighs,
The tops of your legs,
The tops of your feet.
And then just being aware of your whole body.
How does your body feel in space right now?
Do you feel connected as a whole?
Are there any areas of your body that feel numb,
That feel tense,
That feel uncomfortable?
Or do you feel as though everything is flowing just as it should for your body today?
Gently just bringing your awareness to your breath.
There's no need to change or alter it in any way.
Just being aware of the rhythm and the speed that your breath is traveling in,
In this moment in time.
Just checking in with your physical body,
Seeing if you can notice which parts of your physical body move as your breath travels through you.
Are there any areas that feel restricted?
Are there any areas that expand?
Just taking a few moments here to allow your breath to travel in and out and just observing it,
Allowing any thoughts to enter,
Acknowledging them and then just letting them go gently with love.
Trying not to control our thoughts,
Trying not to resist our thoughts.
Just allowing them to be as they are,
Accepting them and then letting them go,
Releasing any attachment.
Always bringing your awareness back to your breath.
Noticing,
Observing.
And then slowly just noticing where you are.
Just being aware of what you're focusing your attention on.
Are you still observing your breath?
Are your thoughts taking over?
Are you in your body?
Are you in your mind?
Just being aware of how you're feeling and then just dropping that observation of your breath when you feel ready.
Just coming back to your physical body,
Being aware of how it feels within the space that you're in.
Noticing your temperature.
Just gently wriggling your toes,
Your fingers.
Just bringing some movement through your body and just taking that feeling into the rest of your day,
Whether it be peace,
Love,
Relaxation.
Just gently always working with your breath.
Namaste.
