Hi,
Leigh Bodkin here.
When life feels uncertain,
We cannot always change what's happening around us,
But we can steady ourselves from within.
So I'd like to invite you to take this time to pause,
To come back into your body and into the present moment.
Settle into a position that feels comfortable.
You may close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Simply arrive in this moment and start to follow your breath.
Take a slow breath in through your nose and a gentle exhale out through your mouth again.
In through the nose and just a slightly longer exhale out through your mouth.
Now let your breath begin to move naturally,
No effort,
No control.
Let the body breathe itself.
Now bring your attention to where your body is supported,
Whether you're sitting in a chair,
On a cushion or lying on the floor.
Just sense the surface beneath you,
The points of contact between your body,
A sense of feeling held in space.
And with each exhale,
Allow your shoulders to drop just a bit more,
Your jaw to loosen and your body to settle.
Now bring your awareness to your feet.
Notice their contact with the floor,
The surface below.
And imagine a quiet sense of grounding here,
Steady and present.
And let that steadiness rise gently through your body,
Moving up into the legs,
The hips,
The belly.
Feel that steadiness in your heart center,
Your shoulders.
Feel it move down your arms and into your fingers.
And then feel it moving up into your head,
Behind the eyes,
And just gently resting at the crown of your head like a steady beam of light.
Now bring your awareness back to your chest,
Your heart center.
You might want to put your hand here if it feels right.
And let this area soften.
Now bring to mind something in your life right now that is feeling uncertain.
It could be a decision you need to make,
A relationship.
It could be a wider situation in the world that is out of your control.
And simply notice how your body responds to this thought of uncertainty.
And as you continue to breathe,
Let that uncertainty be here.
Let yourself be with it in your breath and in this moment.
You don't need to figure anything out right now.
Simply breathe and feel.
Now we're going to take a few rounds of four,
Six breathing.
It's a simple practice that helps calm the nervous system and restore balance when we feel overwhelmed.
So we're going to inhale through the nose for a count of four,
Briefly pause,
And exhale through the mouth for a count of six.
I invite you to continue this rhythm in your own time for several rounds.
In for four,
Pause,
And out for six.
If your mind wanders,
That's fine.
Simply guide it back to the breath.
Now begin to deepen your breath just a bit more.
Notice your feet and your hands.
When you feel ready,
Start to move your fingers and toes and open your eyes.
And as you return to your day,
Remember,
You can always come back to the breath.
To your body and this moment.
It is always here,
Always available to you.
A place where you are here,
You are grounded.
And that is enough.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
