Hey,
My dear friend,
I'm glad you're here.
I know,
The world can be a very,
Very busy place.
Your mind can be full of sounds,
Pictures and worries.
So let's slow down.
Yeah,
Just slow down.
It's important to take time like this,
Not to become a different person,
But to simply notice what's already here.
To become aware of sound,
Of silence,
Of the simple fact that you are alive in this moment.
The whole purpose of this meditation is to give you a little room for that.
A small corner of your day where you don't have to perform or fix anything.
Where silence is the richest ingredient and words are just gentle reminders.
You don't have to feel calm right now.
You don't have to empty your mind.
Minds think,
That's their job.
What we are practicing is much simpler.
Noticing what your mind is doing and gently coming back to this moment.
That notice and come back move,
That's the whole thing.
That's the repetition that slowly reshapes your awareness.
All right,
Let's get your body settled.
Find a position that actually works for you.
A chair,
Sofa or your bed.
You don't have to look a certain way.
If you are sitting,
Let your feet rest on the floor if they can.
Let your hands land somewhere easy.
Take your moment to adjust and give yourself permission to get comfortable.
When you are ready,
Soften your gaze on a point in front of you.
No effort,
No strain.
Just a gentle dimming of the external world.
In a moment we will let silence take the lead.
You don't have to do anything special.
Just be here together with me and I will guide you.
So,
Let's step into the quiet side of this moment and you can close your eyes.
Good.
In this safe space,
We will give your attention one simple home,
The breath.
No special breathing technique.
No need to make it deeper or prettier.
Just notice how your body is breathing all on its own.
See where you feel it most clearly.
The air passing at your nostrils.
The rise and fall of your chest.
The gentle movement of your belly.
Pick one place and let that be your anchor.
For the next little while,
Your only job is small and kind.
Feel the breath come in and feel the breath go out.
When,
Not if,
But when your mind wanders off,
You simply notice that and escort your attention back to the feeling of the breath.
That's all.
If you drifted away,
You don't need to judge it.
Just notice that you are back now and feel the next breath.
You might find you have been somewhere else for a bit.
That's fine.
Just begin again with this next breath.
You might notice feelings in the body too.
Restlessness,
Heaviness or tightness in the chest.
Or a little knot in the stomach.
You don't have to get rid of any of it.
You can silently name it.
Tightness is here.
Or anxiety is here.
Boredom is here.
And still the breath is here too.
The body breathing moment by moment.
Every time you notice you have gone away and gently come back,
That is the practice.
That is the rep that matters.
Now keep a soft awareness on the breath and at the same time let your attention widen to include the whole body.
Feel the contact with the ground,
The weight of your body,
The subtle shifts as you breathe.
Before we close,
Take a second to quietly acknowledge yourself.
You stepped out of the noise for a few minutes.
You chose not to scroll,
Not to react,
But to sit here and notice your own experience.
That's not dramatic or flashy,
But it is a form of care.
If it feels okay,
You might offer yourself a simple honest phrase like may I give myself a little more space today?
Or may I be just a bit kinder to myself?
Choose whatever version feels real to you.
There is no need to force it.
Now let your attention drift back toward the room you are in.
Notice the sounds around you,
Close by or far away.
Notice the temperature of the air on your skin,
The feeling of your clothes,
The weight of your body being supported.
If your eyes are closed,
Start to bring a little movement back.
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Maybe roll your shoulders gently.
Take one slightly deeper breath in and slow easy breath out.
When you are ready,
Let your eyes open.
You don't have to hold on to some special meditation state.
Just carry this simple fact with you.
At any point today,
Even for one breath,
You can pause,
Notice and give yourself a tiny pocket of space.
Thanks for showing up and doing your meditation practice with me today.
Now you can come back into your day in your own time.
And when you notice that the noise of the world and the mind takes over,
I invite you to come back to this meditation and practice with me.
Thanks for tuning in today.
Thanks for listening.
