Hi,
I'm Sarah from Matthaya,
And this is the Resting in Ease,
A guided mindfulness meditation for deep relaxation.
Welcome.
Begin by arriving fully into this moment.
You may choose a comfortable position that suits you best right now.
If you would like,
You can lay down.
If sitting feels better,
Allow yourself to sit in a way that is both upright and at ease.
Choose a position that reflects your intention to relax while remaining gently alert.
And take a moment to settle into this posture.
Allow the body to sink into the support beneath you.
And let this position require as little effort as possible.
Feel how the ground,
The chair,
Or the mat is holding you.
Bring your attention to the contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Notice the points of contact.
Notice the weight of your body being supported.
You may become aware of areas of tension or holding,
And there is no need to change anything immediately.
The invitation is simply to notice what is present in the body right now.
If it feels natural,
You may allow some of the tension to soften just a little,
Without forcing anything.
And now gently guide your attention to the breath.
There is no need to control the breathing.
Allow the breath to move in its own natural rhythm.
Simply observe one inhale and one exhale.
Inhale and exhale.
And you might notice the movement in the chest or the subtle rising and falling of the belly.
Allow the breath to breathe itself while you rest your attention on its movement.
Subtle movement,
Inhale and exhale.
The fresh air coming in,
And then the air you no longer need.
Exhaling.
And now gradually bring more attention to the belly.
On your next inhale,
Allow the belly to expand slightly,
Softly and without too much effort,
As you were gently inflating a balloon.
And on the exhale,
Allow the belly to fall back naturally.
And if it feels supportive,
You may begin to count with me silently.
We will inhale for five seconds and exhale for five.
So we begin now with one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
And exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
Inhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Exhale,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And continue this at your own comfortable pace without strain.
And if the mind wanders,
Which is completely natural,
Gently acknowledge where it went and kindly escort your attention back to the sensation of the belly and the counting.
Each return is part of the practice.
Inhale at your own pace slowly,
And exhale.
And follow the slight movement of your belly.
Rising and falling back.
And in case you are still counting,
You can let that fall away now,
And let the breath return to its natural rhythm.
Bring your awareness to the natural rhythm and subtle movement of your belly.
Resting your attention in that movement without changing anything.
And if it feels supportive for you,
I would like to invite you to bring to mind a place where you feel safe,
Undisturbed,
And completely yourself.
This might be a place in nature,
Such as a beach,
The mountains,
Or a lake.
It could also be a familiar place where you feel welcome and at ease.
There is no need to create a perfect image.
You may simply sense the feeling of such a place.
And notice what it feels like to be there.
Perhaps you sense warmth on your skin,
Or a gentle breeze in the air.
Perhaps you notice the quality of the light,
Or the sounds around you.
Allow yourself to feel received by this place,
As if you are in a place of peace.
As if you are fully welcome exactly as you are,
And enjoying this moment.
You might sense a warmth forming inside,
Like a gentle bath of ease.
Allow the body to rest more deeply.
Allow your mind to soften.
In this moment,
There is nothing to solve,
And nowhere else to be.
You can fully be present now.
Give yourself permission to simply rest and recharge as you are.
And now,
Gradually begin to transition.
If you have imagined a place,
Gently prepare to leave it in a way that feels right for you.
You may say goodbye in your own way,
Knowing that you can return whenever you wish.
Recognize that this sense of comfort and steadiness is something you can cultivate from within.
It is an inner resource that belongs to you.
Slowly bring awareness back to your physical body.
Notice again the contact with the mat,
The chair,
Or the floor.
And become aware of your posture and the shape of your body in this space.
And gently invite small movements into the body.
You might wiggle your fingers and toes,
Or roll the shoulders softly.
Move in a way that feels natural.
And before opening your eyes,
If they are still closed,
Take a moment to thank yourself for practicing.
Acknowledge the time you have taken for your own well-being.
Recognize that this is an act of care and compassion toward yourself.
And when you hear the bell,
You may slowly open your eyes or remain resting a little longer.
Allow yourself to transition back into your surroundings at your own pace.
You may wish to stretch,
Sit up slowly,
Or drink some water or tea.
And carry with you a sense of ease and quiet steadiness as you continue your day.
