Welcome.
There will be moments of intentional silence during this meditation.
To begin,
Find a comfortable seat where you can breathe easily.
As you settle in,
Remember that you are not a statue.
You may shift your position,
Making small adjustments at any time,
And then return to a place of stillness.
You may choose to close your eyes or simply let your gaze soften,
Turning your attention inward.
Notice the places where your body meets the support beneath you,
The chair,
Floor,
Cushion,
Or other surface.
Notice where your arms and hands are resting.
Notice any sensations around your neck,
Shoulders,
And chest.
Bring your attention to your breath.
How does it feel when you breathe in and breathe out?
Feel a gentle expansion as you inhale and a softening as you exhale.
Let your breath find its own natural,
Effortless pace.
Present in your body,
Notice how it feels to slow down and sit in stillness.
Where do your thoughts go when you slow down?
During this practice,
Can you let go of any thoughts that are outside of your body?
Can you focus on the feel of your breath?
As you become more aware of your breath,
Imagine a light shining at the base of your spine.
With every inhale,
Imagine that light moving up your spine all the way to the top of your head.
With every exhale,
Imagine that light moving down your body back to the base of your spine.
To stay focused on your breath,
You may layer in some intentional words.
With every inhale,
Silently thinking,
I am breathing in.
With every exhale,
I am breathing out.
If you lose track of those words and find your mind wandering,
Simply begin again.
I am breathing in.
I am breathing out.
Finish the breath you are on,
Then take one more with those intentional words.
Letting go of those words,
Take a moment to breathe with ease.
Gently,
Bring your awareness back to the feel of the space around you.
Notice any sounds around you.
Feel the support beneath you,
The air around you,
And the breath still moving through your body.
With your gaze still soft or your eyes closed,
Explore gentle movement,
Wiggling your fingers and toes,
Moving your wrists and ankles.
You could roll your shoulders up,
Back,
And down.
You could stretch your arms or gently turn your head from side to side.
Anything that feels good in this moment.
To close this practice,
You may bring your palms together at heart center in Anjali Mudra,
A prayer position.
With this gesture of centering and inner reflection,
Take a moment to thank yourself for making time for this meditation.
Time for yourself.
When you are ready,
Slowly open your eyes or bring your gaze back into focus.
Notice the space around you,
Feeling fully present as you return to your day.
