Hi everyone.
I'm Shannon,
And I'm so grateful you're here with me today.
Join me in turning inward from the tranquil lands of Campbell River,
British Columbia,
The ancestral home of the Ligwilda people.
This is a space for pausing,
Breathing,
And rediscovering our connection with ourselves,
Embracing stillness with love and care.
And let's begin.
I invite you to find a comfortable position.
This may be setting up or lying down.
Whatever feels most comfortable for you in this moment.
Please go ahead and close your eyes if you wish,
Or feel free to leave them open.
Whatever brings you the most ease right now is perfect.
Breathe patiently and fully,
Yet gently and quietly.
In through your nose and out through your mouth,
Allowing each breath to ground you deeper into this moment.
Give yourself permission to do nothing.
And you deserve this time to simply be without any guilt or need to justify it.
Embrace this moment of stillness,
Knowing there's nothing that needs to be done right now,
Except to be here fully,
Present for yourself.
I invite you to stay here relatively still,
Just observing your breath as it flows in and out.
As you observe your breath,
Allow your mind to relax.
There's no need to force anything.
Just let your awareness gently rest on the rhythm of your breathing.
I invite you to notice what else your mind or body is feeling at this time.
Are there any areas of tension or perhaps a sense of restlessness?
Whatever comes up for you,
I invite you to just notice it without judgment.
Notice any discomfort in simply being present and doing nothing.
It's natural for a mind to want to wander or to fill the space with activity.
Here,
I just invite you to notice if the mind would rather run off towards something else.
If the mind would rather run off towards something else,
The future,
Your to-do list,
Planning that upcoming trip.
And if that is the case,
That is completely okay.
This is where I just invite you to bring your attention back to your breath.
Notice if the mind would rather busy itself with reviewing things that have happened in the past or thinking about what's coming next.
Each time you notice the mind wandering,
Simply acknowledge the pull of your thoughts,
The distraction of the mind with complete kindness and compassion.
Each time you notice the mind wandering,
I invite you with loving kindness,
Gently to bring your attention back to your breath.
Just gently guide yourself back to this moment.
Sound of my voice.
Give your mind permission to rest.
Let it settle into this moment of peace and stillness,
Where it doesn't have to do anything or be anywhere else.
Help the mind find peace by gently guiding your awareness back to your breath again and again with patience and love.
Feel into the breath and into your body.
Allow yourself to fully inhabit this moment,
Letting go of any tensions or worries.
As you let your mind rest,
Allow it to take a break from the busyness of life.
You're safe here,
And it's okay to just let go for a few moments.
Allow your mind to feel spacious,
Open,
And at ease.
There's nothing you need to figure out right now.
There's nothing you need to figure out right now.
And just let yourself allow the mind to drop into joy,
The bliss of no longer needing to do anything.
Experience the bliss of simply being,
Of resting in this peaceful space.
And this not doing includes no longer fighting against the movement of the mind or the rising thoughts.
Let them come and go like clouds in the sky.
There's nothing for you to do.
Just notice,
Acknowledge,
And love whatever arises for you.
You'll find yourself again in the spaciousness of presence with your body and with your breath.
Feel into the preciousness of this moment,
The unique space of stillness and peace.
Notice the relative quiet,
The beauty that exists in this moment of pause.
Recognize the freedom in resting,
In allowing yourself to be still without any demands or expectations.
Feel the spaciousness and stillness.
The gentle unfolding of this time you've given yourself.
And give yourself permission to stay right here for as long as you'd like.
This is your time.
And there's absolutely nothing you need to figure out right now.
There's nothing you need to figure out right now.
There's nothing you need to figure out right now.
This is your time.
And there's absolutely no rush.
There's nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
Everything you need is right here in this moment.
Nothing is more sacred or more worthy than this moment of simply being present with your body and your breath.
Give yourself permission to be still.
Let this be your space of peace and calm that you can come back to at any time.
Please go ahead and let all your fingers and your toes and slowly open your eyes and gently come back to the room that you're in.
I invite you to share in a gesture of gratitude that works for you.
And that can be hands to your heart,
Hands together in prayer,
Or touching the earth on which you practice.
I thank you for taking this time for yourself today and for practicing with me.
Namaste.
