Welcome.
I'm Pony.
Thank you for taking this moment to pause,
Breathe,
And reconnect with yourself.
Let's journey inward together with kindness and presence.
Today we will be practicing present moment awareness.
This meditation is very relaxing and will help cultivate a sense of well-being.
I have found this practice particularly useful at times when I am having a hard time appreciating the now and when I get lost in thoughts about how I wish things had turned out in the past or what I'm worried about in the future.
I invite you to settle into a comfortable position,
Whether seated on a pillow,
The floor,
Or in a chair,
Or lay down if that makes you more comfortable,
Allowing your body to relax and letting your mind be open and receptive.
Let's begin by taking a few deep breaths together,
Inhaling deeply through your nose,
Filling your lungs completely,
And exhaling gently through your mouth,
Releasing any tension.
Feel your body grounding into the surface beneath you,
Supported and safe.
Notice the points of contact where your body meets the surface beneath you,
Feeling grounded and relaxed.
Lower your gaze or close your eyes if that's more comfortable for you.
Notice and soften any points of tension within your body.
Now,
Bringing your awareness to your breath,
Observe the natural rhythm of your breathing without trying to change it.
Simply notice the inhale and exhale,
Feeling the cold air entering your nostrils and the warm air leaving,
Allowing each breath to anchor you in this moment.
Moving your awareness through the body,
Starting at the top of the head,
Gently scanning down,
Noticing any sensations or areas of tension.
As you breathe in,
Imagine a wave of relaxation washing over each part of your body.
As you breathe out,
Release any tension.
Following this process,
Moving slowly down through your face and jaw,
Neck and shoulders.
Feeling your chest and abdomen,
Noticing the rise and fall with each breath.
Bringing awareness to your back,
Spine,
And then down through your hips,
Legs,
And feet.
With each breath,
Feeling your entire body relaxing more deeply.
Now that we are grounded and relaxed,
Let's embrace the present moment fully.
Notice what it feels like to be here,
Now.
Observe any sounds around you without judgment or analysis.
Listen carefully for the thing that you can hear that is the farthest away.
Listen for something that sounds like it's very close to you,
Noticing the sensations in your body,
The feeling of your breath,
And the beat of your heart.
Allow yourself to be fully present,
Experiencing each moment as it unfolds.
If thoughts arise,
It's okay.
Witness them and imagine them as clouds passing through the sky of your mind.
There's no need to hold on to them or push them away.
Simply observe them as they come and go.
Returning your focus gently to your breath whenever you notice your mind wandering.
In this stillness,
Allow yourself to be simply here,
Now.
Nothing else to do.
Nowhere else to be.
Just be right here at this moment,
Feeling the peace that arises from being fully present.
Embracing the stillness within you,
The space between your thoughts,
And the calm that comes from your breath.
Begin to bring to mind something you are grateful for in this moment.
It could be a person,
A place,
A feeling,
Or even this time you've given to yourself.
Feel the warmth of gratitude spreading throughout your body,
Allowing this gratitude to anchor you further in the present moment.
Now let's cultivate loving kindness.
Imagine a soft,
Warm light glowing in your heart center.
This light is green,
The color of the heart chakra.
With each inhale,
Feel this light growing stronger and brighter.
This green light is giving us permission.
Permission to be in this moment.
Permission to open our hearts and love.
With each exhale,
Send this light out into the world,
Wishing peace and happiness to all beings.
Bringing your awareness back to your breath,
Notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest.
Noticing the breath as a soothing rhythm,
Grounding you in the present moment.
Allowing each breath to bring you back to yourself,
To this space of stillness and peace.
And as we near the end of our meditation,
Take a moment to reflect on your experience.
Noticing any shifts in your awareness,
Any feelings of peace or clarity.
Allowing these feelings to integrate into your being,
Carrying them with you as you move forward.
And gently begin to bring your awareness back into the room,
Wiggling your fingers and your toes and taking a few deep grounding breaths.
And whenever you're ready,
Gently blink open the windows of your eyes.
I would like to leave you with a quote by Bill Keane.
Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
But today is a gift.
And that's why we call it the present.
Thank you for joining me in this journey of present moment awareness.
May you carry this sense of peace and present with you throughout your day.
Namaste.
