Hi,
This is Stephanie Boxerbaum.
Thank you so much for meditating with me today.
For today's practice,
We're going to be doing an easy night meditation practice.
This is a good practice to do as you're heading off to sleep or perhaps after your day's activities have been completed.
And you want to be able to use this mindful time to find some rest and ease in the body.
Often during the day,
We're filled with so many thoughts and things,
And at night,
We want to be able to cultivate a sense of ease,
Letting go of whatever you were doing before this and whatever you're going to be doing after,
And allowing some continued attention on the breath and sensing ease in the body.
Just taking a deep breath in and a gentle breath out,
Thanking yourself for who you are and knowing that all is enough as is.
Maybe laying down or finding a comfortable blanket,
Just doing whatever feels comfortable and getting settled.
And when you're ready,
Gently closing your eyes,
Letting go of any tension in the forehead,
Any gripping in the head,
Any tension in the hands,
Maybe withering the feet a little bit,
Just to kind of loosen up the legs.
And setting this tone that we can create a space of ease for ourselves.
Just considering this to be this easy nighttime energy.
And doing really what feels good.
I'll watch the time here and you'll hear a little bit of music.
As you just allow yourself to focus on the breath,
Gently breathing in,
Gently breathing out,
And purposefully adding some ease into the breath.
You might even say breathing ease in,
Breathing ease out,
If that resonates for you today.
Just allowing a sense of peace to fall over you.
Keeping the mind's eye focused on the breath.
So when the mind wanders off,
It's okay,
Just gently bringing it back to the breath.
You start to feel a little bit sleepy,
Maybe picking a bit of a more alert position,
Not so much so you can be awake and in your everyday life,
But just to kind of maintain and practice this sense of ease.
We'll rest here for a bit,
Allowing the softening,
Allowing for the peacefulness of the mind.
As we continue on,
Gently breathing in,
Gently exhaling out,
Asking yourself this question,
Where do I feel most at ease?
Where do I feel most at ease?
And it's okay if nothing comes to mind immediately.
It's really just a question of where do I feel most at ease?
Just to see what comes up in the body.
Maybe something that surprises you and maybe something unique and different.
Just a simple check-in on where you feel at ease.
Letting go of any stories that arise or going off too deep into thought.
We're just really trying to kind of cultivate this sense of ease in the body.
And as you gently breathe in and breathe out,
Shifting to this question of how can I be compassionate with myself?
Oftentimes,
Ease and compassion can go together when we can feel our loving hearts for ourselves,
For other people.
And at night,
When things are hopefully a little more peaceful,
It allows for this kind of a little bit of a break.
Truthful conversations with ourselves and just checking in.
Where is more compassion needed these days?
Maybe adding in the phrase,
May I be compassionate with myself?
May I be compassionate with myself?
I'll watch our time here.
And like we've done before,
Just gently coming back to the breath,
Just coming back to this phrase,
May I be compassionate with myself?
On these next few inhales and exhales,
Beginning to maybe wiggle your fingers and toes a bit,
Coming back to your surroundings,
No need to jump up and go after anything,
Just kind of being at ease and seeing wherever this night may take you.
Keeping this sense of compassion wrapped around you.
One of the things I love to talk about is keeping your compassion blanket on.
Or perhaps if you need some superhero energy,
Could be a compassion cape.
And however you're spending the rest of this time,
Just knowing,
As we always say,
You are always enough as is.
Thank you so much for meditating with me today.
Gently opening your eyes when you're ready.
And I hope to be meditating with you soon.
