My name is Amani and I am a source of peace.
Peace is who I am.
Begin by settling into a position that feels both supported and relaxed for you.
You may be seated or lying down.
Allow your hands to rest where they naturally fall and gently close your eyes or enter into a soft gaze.
Take a slow inhale through the nose and release through the mouth.
Again,
Inhale and exhale.
There is nowhere you need to be,
There is nothing you need to become.
This moment is whole as it is.
So too,
You are whole as you are.
Allow your shoulders to drop away from the ears and let the muscles of your face soften.
Unclench your jaw and feel the tiny muscles around the eyes begin to relax.
Just send a message to your body that it is safe to soften now.
Begin to notice your breath moving in and out of your body.
No need to force it,
Not judging it,
Just witnessing.
The breath comes,
The breath goes,
And you remain.
As you sit here,
You may notice thoughts moving through your mind,
Memories,
Questions,
Feelings,
Plans.
Instead of trying to push them away,
Simply observe them as you would watch clouds in the sky.
They are just passing phenomena,
They are not who you are.
You are the one who is aware.
Take a gentle inhale,
And on the exhale,
Invite your awareness inward.
So many of us have been taught to seek peace outside of ourselves,
In relationships,
In accomplishments,
In approval,
In possessions,
In future moments that have not yet come.
We have searched for something that is in fact already here.
For a moment now,
Just this moment.
Allow yourself to stop seeking,
Letting go of reaching outward,
Letting go of becoming,
Letting go of fixing and striving,
And just turning now our golden attention inward toward the stillness that has always been within.
Place your attention in the center of your chest,
The heart space.
Imagine breathing directly into your heart.
With each inhale,
Feel space opening there,
And with each exhale,
Feel softness spreading.
This heart center is your refuge,
A temple that has never been damaged,
An inner sanctuary untouched by the stories of the world.
Here,
Now,
In this heart space,
You are simply presence.
Now,
Gently bring attention to the subtle sensations in your body.
See if you can feel and become aware of the temperature of the air on your skin,
The weight of your body supported by the earth,
The steady rhythm of your breath,
And even the quiet movements within.
Your body is a living doorway to the present moment.
Peace is found by fully entering the body.
Notice all the space inside your body,
The vast,
Quiet field of awareness that holds every sensation.
Just rest there in silent witness and observation,
And if emotions arise as they so naturally will,
Greet them with compassion and kindness.
You may silently say to yourself,
I see you,
You are allowed to be here.
Everything is welcome in this field of awareness.
Rest here,
And that presence that you feel lives in you.
Rest here for a few more breaths,
And when you are ready,
Begin to gently bring your awareness back to the space around you.
Slowly,
Softly,
And effortlessly,
Open your eyes or lift your gaze and carry this stillness with you now,
Remembering peace is not something you will find one day,
It is what you are.
