Hi,
My name is Mark Rowland,
And welcome.
This is a space to step out of the habit of comparing yourself to others,
Like many of us often do.
To stop squeezing yourself into boxes that were never ever meant for you.
Here,
We will return to your own presence,
To your own essence.
Just being who you are,
Without effort,
Without judgement.
So if you're ready,
Let's begin.
Gently close your eyes,
And begin to notice your breath.
No need to change it or adjust it,
Just become aware of it.
The breath rises and falls,
Just like waves on the ocean.
And you,
Well,
You are the vastness that holds it all.
Feel the weight of your body on the ground.
Let yourself settle into the support beneath you.
Now bring to mind this truth.
You are not here to be like anyone else.
You are not here to compare,
Or to compete,
Or to prove.
You are here to simply remember that who you are is already enough.
Comparison is a habit of the mind,
It scans the world measuring,
How do I stack up,
Am I ahead,
Am I behind,
But this habit does not serve the heart,
It does not nourish the soul.
So take a breath,
And drop beneath the minds chatter.
You are not a number,
Not a rank,
Not a role.
You are not someone else's expectation.
You are the one who sees all of that,
Who gently watches it all pass through.
Let yourself breathe into this moment.
Let the mind soften.
Let the body rest.
Now bring to mind and imagine all those little boxes you've put yourself in over the years.
I'm not smart enough,
I always mess up,
I have to be strong,
I have to be perfect.
Just notice them,
No judgement.
And now,
One by one,
Imagine opening those boxes,
And gently stepping out.
Letting each label fall away.
You don't need them anymore.
Feel the space around you widen,
No more shape to fit into,
No more mask to hold up.
Just you,
Spacious,
Aware,
Alive.
You,
Ram Dass often spoke of the soul,
That place in you that is not male,
Not female,
Neither young or old,
Not what you do or what you have done.
The soul has no need to compare,
Because it simply is.
So rest now,
As that soul,
That being,
That awareness.
Let everything else fall away,
The comparisons,
The stories,
The shoulds and should nots.
Let it all dissolve away,
Into this breath.
Even the idea of I am this or I am that,
Let that go now too.
You are not here to become something,
You are here to remember what you already are,
And to rest in that remembrance.
Just sit in that peace,
That presence,
That enoughness,
Right here,
Right now,
Just as you are.
If the mind wanders,
Simply bring it back to the breath,
To this moment,
To the vast open space of your being.
Let yourself be held by this stillness for a little while longer.
And now,
Slowly,
Begin to return.
Feel the breath in the body once again,
Feel the ground beneath you.
Maybe move your fingers and your toes to bring yourself gently,
Gently back.
And now,
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
I am Mark Rowland and I hope this meditation has helped you reconnect with the beautiful truth that you are already whole.
There's nothing to compare,
Nothing to prove.
You are not and never were meant to fit into a box.
You are meant to be free.
Until next time,
Take care and be gentle with yourself.
Namaste.
