So let's just get comfortable sitting in your chair.
You're welcome also to lie down.
Turn off your camera if you'd like not to be on camera during the meditation.
And close your eyes if you'd like.
Let your eyelids feel so heavy.
In your own time,
Take a long,
Deep,
Full breath.
And as you exhale,
Let the air just fall out of your mouth.
On your next breath,
Try to take it in 20% more slowly than before.
And on this third breath,
Let your shoulders relax down from your ears.
Let your jaw hang open.
Let your cheeks even feel heavy.
Really feel into the support of the surface that's under you,
Your chair or your bed.
Probably some main spots you feel like your bottom,
Your back.
But also,
Explore some other spots,
Some little crevices,
Even where the backs of your arms are touching,
Or your thighs,
Calves.
Notice that you're really held.
You're being held and supported by the surface you're on.
Let your body and mind really soften with each out breath a little more.
Thinking of that word soften.
As your body lets go anywhere that is holding tight,
The muscles are gripping.
Just letting it go.
Soften.
We're taking a break from the busyness of everyday life.
All of you in different time zones,
We've all let go of what we were doing just before and what we plan to do after.
What are you letting go of right now?
Let it just drizzle out.
Drizzle down to the ground and into the earth.
Through your chair,
The building you're in,
The soil,
The rocks,
Into the earth.
Just be here now.
Breathe in with the word in your imagination,
I.
Breathing in here.
I am here now in my body,
In this chair or bed,
In this moment.
Settle in and let that land.
As we take these next deep breaths,
Breathe into your belly and feel it extend out with a deep in-breath.
And then when you breathe out,
It shrinks back down.
I also like to breathe in and feel my whole torso 360 degrees around.
Expand and widen with a breath in.
I felt so amazed when I was noticing my ribs moving with the in-breath and shrinking with the out-breath.
I also like when I remember on a breath in to feel how my back moves closer to the surface that I'm lying or sitting against and then moves back in with the exhale.
Take your time exploring your body's movements with your breath.
Taking this break on your own in a quiet place helps fill your tank back up.
Maybe sometimes we feel a little tired or depleted,
Overwhelmed,
Or perhaps a little unable to make a decision about what's next.
These are all signs of needing to take a little break.
And here we are,
So calm in this moment,
Breathing in at our own pace and taking a much-needed break.
It's empowering to be able to recharge ourselves and it's so much more simple than we ever thought.
Breathing in and out,
Check back in with your jaw and your shoulders,
Letting them hang loosely down,
Feeling softly held by your chair or bed.
Let anything that's come into your mind,
And it's so normal if it does,
To be expected.
Just let it flow out,
Flow down through your body,
Out through your feet or your tailbone,
And into the ground.
Poet Mary Sarton says,
The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche occasionally is to let it rest,
Wander,
Live in the changing light of the room,
Not try to be or do anything,
Whatever.
And that's what we're doing here in this restful pause,
Taking a break from the busyness,
Allowing what is and who we are.
Take a deep breath in and let it out,
Feel it however your body wants to feel it.
How does your body feel now?
How's the pace of your breath?
How is your mind?
Remember this feeling and know that you created it within yourself and you can come back to this space whenever you want.
Enjoy as much time as you need in this moment and in this calmness.
And we're gonna take a slow transition where you listen to yourself when you feel ready and really check in with yourself when you feel ready,
No rush.
You can make the decision of when to maybe wiggle your fingers or toes or perhaps flex your feet and rotate your ankles and your wrists.
And slowly,
When you're ready,
Lift those heavy eyelids back open and re-enter your day more grounded,
More present,
And more regulated.
Thank you for taking the time to meditate live with me today.
