Finding inner peace and calm doesn't mean finding something new or discovering something that wasn't there or making a difference to how it usually is.
It isn't the absence of emotion or thought like an empty space of quiet nothing.
It is finding steadiness within all of that.
So within all the natural unfolding of our life,
Feelings,
Emotions,
Sensations,
Stuff going on,
Right?
Of course,
Like anything,
It takes time and practice for it to become much deeper,
Much more resourceful and meaningful for your life.
But what I wanted to do in this meditation together is begin to bring a few aspects of the practice together.
So first,
Allowing the nervous system to calm and regulate,
Allowing ourselves to feel more centered and grounded,
Practicing gently returning each time we become distracted,
Being kind with ourselves and allowing ourselves to be ready fully and deeply in the body in a kind,
Compassionate way,
Allowing ourselves to be the open,
Holding presence of all of our inner experiences,
Sensations,
Feelings,
Energy in the body,
Allowing everything to just be as it is and unfold as it needs to unfold.
And this gradually allows us to feel more grounded and have more presence,
Even within the chaos of life.
So we're not bypassing anything or trying to get around anything.
We're really being with and feeling our inner experiences and transforming the relationship that we have with them.
So it's like an inner alchemy,
Transforming it into a more healthy and meaningful relationship.
So let's begin the practice together.
So get yourself comfortable.
Let your body be supported in the way that it needs.
Let out a deep,
Satisfying sigh and allow your body to be relaxed and natural.
Letting go of the outside world for now.
Right now,
There's nothing you need to be doing,
Nothing that you need to be planning.
This is your time to just be here,
Now.
So slowing your breath down a little.
Breathing in for five seconds and breathing out for five seconds.
And let that slow rhythm soothe and comfort you.
Each time with the out-breath,
Allowing the body to relax and settle.
And at the end of the next out-breath,
Easing off gently onto the natural breath.
Allowing the breath to flow in and out with ease.
And if you become distracted,
That's normal and part of the process,
Actually.
Each time that happens,
You don't need to change it in any way.
Just leave it to be as it is.
Let go and simply,
Very gently,
Bring your awareness back to the breath again.
It can be like your anchor gently drawing you back to your center.
And each time you breathe out,
At the bottom of the out-breath,
You could have the sense that your awareness gently sticks to the ground for a moment before it comes up again into the in-breath.
And here we talk about ground.
It could be the earth beneath your feet,
The chair below your bottom,
Or your body,
That sense of ground supporting you.
At the end of the next out-breath,
Taking your awareness now all the way down to the ground.
Noticing the solidity and steadiness of that feeling of ground,
How it supports your whole body and really holds you as you relax.
Noticing how it pushes up from below you and becoming aware of the sensations where your body comes into contact with that ground.
And each time you breathe out,
Allowing your whole body to rest and relax into that ground.
If you become distracted,
You might notice a sense of lifting up in the body or tension or holding somewhere.
Breathe a really long,
Slow breath out,
Allowing the body to relax and allowing your awareness to naturally draw in again to your center.
From that sense of ground,
Gradually bringing your awareness up into the body.
Gently scanning around your body,
Noticing any sensations,
Feelings,
Energy,
Emotions in the body.
Allowing everything to just be as it is.
There's no need for any judgment or altering.
No need for labeling or getting stuck in stories around what you experience.
Just being aware while still breathing,
Still allowing your whole body to deeply relax and slowly allowing your awareness to open out into the whole body.
Noticing the space of your whole body.
Becoming aware of the space that your body takes up and really allowing yourself to fill that space.
Allowing your awareness to expand out even further and becoming aware of the space around your body and maybe the space in the room around you.
Not the actual room around you,
But noticing the space within that and gently bringing your awareness back to your body.
Becoming aware again of all the inner processes in your body arising,
Moving through,
And dissipating away on their own,
Moment to moment.
Constantly changing,
Allowing whatever is there to be there,
Giving everything space.
If you notice any emotions present or feelings,
See if you can allow those to be there.
Let your body deeply relax,
Resting into the ground,
Giving space for that emotion to be there,
Holding it with compassion and kindness,
Just breathing with it,
Allowing it to gradually soften.
If there's anything really disturbing within your experience,
An emotion or maybe pain,
You can slow the breath down a little and actually breathe into that area.
Each time you breathe out,
Breathing into that area and allowing it to soften and relax.
So staying curious and inquisitive of all sensations,
Feelings,
Vitality in the body or movement in the body and in your experience.
Allowing yourself to rest as the observing presence.
Nothing to fix,
Nothing to change,
Just allowing and observing with quiet,
Present,
Open awareness.
So we're just letting life unfold as it needs to unfold.
Always holding our experience with love and compassion.
As we begin to bring this meditation towards an end,
Allow your body to slowly begin to move in a way that feels deeply satisfying and nourishing for your body.
Maybe you want to stretch or yawn or whatever your body is calling for actually.
Slowly beginning to open the eyes and come back into the space together.
So how did that meditation feel for you?
I hope you're able to enjoy it in whatever way was accessible for you today.
Remember,
Every day is different.
And remember,
It doesn't need to be perfect.
If you're starting out your journey in meditation,
You'll gradually become more comfortable with it and you'll feel more and more like it's a deep resource for you.
But even when we're experienced meditators,
Each time we meditate,
Each time we sit on the cushion,
As they say,
The meditation is different.
There's never ever two meditations that are the same.
Because each time we sit to meditate,
We are different ourselves.
Our energy is different.
What's going on in our life is different.
And how we respond to our inner experiences will be different.
This meditation practice is actually drawn from my course,
Finding Calm Within.
And this course takes you on a small journey of deepening into your inner world,
Finding your center and holding your experiences with compassion and love.
So if you'd like to explore a little deeper,
You're welcome to have a look at the course.
Thank you.
