This is Joshua Young and you are listening to Meditations with the Ancestors.
Start by finding a comfortable space in which you plan to meditate.
Grab any items you might need in order.
Your most calm,
Your most relaxed self.
Once you gather all that you need,
Just get into the most comfortable position that you can be in.
Do your best to be in a position which doesn't call for you to do much moving or shifting.
The more comfortable we are in our practice,
The more often we come back to our practice.
So really take your time and really be engaged in creating comfort.
And once you get into your position,
Just start to connect to the breath.
Just breathing in and out through the nose as you normally would.
Not changing the breath,
Not shifting.
Just really breathing normally.
Just becoming aware of the breath,
Just becoming aware of the breath and the body.
Taking the next few breaths,
Just start to notice in the body if there are areas where you feel tension.
And when you find tension in the body,
Allow the tension to relax.
Inhaling through the nose and on the exhale,
Just allowing tension to relax.
Allowing the tension to fall a little bit closer to the earth.
We typically hold tension in the face.
We hold tension in the arms and the shoulders and the neck.
So when you find tension,
Just let it go.
And as you relax deeper and deeper,
Allow the mind to be clear.
If you find that there are any thoughts which come up through this meditation at any time,
Feel free to affirm,
I surrender you.
So that your attention can remain in the body in the present moment and in the meditation.
As we start to prepare ourselves to dive deeper and deeper and deeper into this meditation,
Just bring the attention to the heart center.
You might notice the beating of the heart.
And if you do,
Just notice how far along in the body the beating goes.
Just do your best to notice the distance in which the heartbeat vibrates.
And with the attention at the heart,
Allow yourself to be open.
Allow yourself to be open and receiving of an ancestor.
You might have one that pops up for you.
You might have one that comes to mind or to heart.
And whoever comes,
Allow them.
Allow him to rest in the heart.
And on the next three breaths,
Allow him access through the heart.
Allow the ancestor to move throughout the body.
Finding any spaces or any places in the body which bring you discomfort.
If you have a place in mind,
Allow the ancestor to go directly there.
If you were unsure,
Just allow the ancestors energies to move through the body.
And when you find a space,
Affirm,
We belong here.
Allow the ancestor to do the necessary work to dislodge any blockages in this area.
And taking the next 10 breaths on your own.
Just continue to breathe life into this area.
Inhaling deeply through the nose and exhaling through the nose.
And if there are any moments of resistance,
Just allow yourself and affirm,
I belong here and I surrender.
With the attention and the space in which your ancestor dwells,
Just notice what you feel in the body.
Notice if there are any shifts in the mind or shifts in your energy.
Bring the attention back to the heart center.
Noticing the beat of the heart.
Noticing its rhythm.
Noticing its distance.
Notice if there are any changes here.
Using the breath as a way to connect back to the body.
See if you can breathe into the body,
Filling it up completely,
And on the exhale,
Releasing all air from the body.
Continue this breath one more time.
Inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.
And start to move the toes.
Start to move the fingers.
And come over onto one of your sides.
Take a breath here.
And as intentional as you can be,
Slowly rise up into a comfortable seat.
Once you make it here,
You might bring your palms to touch at heart center.
And just take the next few moments to give honor to yourself and to your ancestors in whichever way you see fit.
That's what I say.
