Hello,
Thanks for showing up again,
Or for dropping in if this is your first time.
Wherever you're at today,
Tired,
Focused,
Restless or relaxed,
It's all welcome here.
This isn't about showing up in a certain way,
It's just about showing up.
So,
Let's begin.
Find your seat,
Or lie down if that's more supportive today.
There's no right or wrong,
Just what works for your body at this moment.
If you're sitting,
Let your spine raise naturally,
Without effort.
Let the shoulders relax,
Let the face soften.
If you're lying down,
Let the body rest fully into the surface beneath you.
Take a deep breath in,
And let it go slowly.
Let your eyes close,
Or just soften your gaze.
Take a few moments to settle,
Feel the weight of your body.
Feel the contact points,
The chair,
Cushion,
Floor,
Bed,
Whatever is holding you up right now.
There's nothing you need to change,
Just arrive.
Now bring your attention to the top of your head,
The scalp,
The face.
Notice what's here,
Warmth,
Tightness,
Stillness,
Maybe nothing at all.
Whatever you feel is fine.
Drop your awareness down to the cheeks,
The jaw.
Notice any clenching or softening.
If there's tension,
You don't need to change it,
Just notice.
The stillness,
Or subtle movement of breathing.
Slowly move into the shoulders.
These are often places we carry stress without even realizing it.
Feel the heaviness,
The pull of gravity.
Now let your attention flow down both arms.
Upper arms,
Elbow,
Forearms,
Wrists.
Notice what's there,
Tingling,
Warmth,
Stillness,
Or nothing at all.
Bring awareness to the chest.
Feel the breath moving here,
The rise and fall,
The rhythm of life in this moment.
Now shift it to the belly.
Notice if the breath reaches this space.
Any sensations of expansion or softening as you inhale and exhale.
Moving to the hips and pelvis.
This is another area where tension often hides.
Notice whatever's present here,
Pressure,
Release,
Heaviness,
Perhaps lightness.
Let the attention slowly drift down both legs,
Thighs,
Knees,
Calves,
Ankles,
Feet,
And into the toes.
Feel both feet fully,
The weight,
The contact with the surface,
The temperature.
Now expand your awareness to the sense of the whole body,
Not piece by piece,
But as one connected field.
Now take a moment to explore the edges of what it feels like to be you right now.
Where does the body end and the space around you begin?
Notice the sensations of the skin,
Warmth,
Coolness,
Pressure,
The air moving past.
Just gently explore the physical boundaries of your presence in this moment.
This is what mindfulness looks like sometimes.
A quiet,
Steady presence.
And sometimes it doesn't feel like that at all.
The mind might be restless,
Scattered or chaotic.
And that's mindfulness too.
As long as you notice it without judgment and gently return,
You are practicing.
That is the work,
Just showing up,
Noticing,
And beginning again.
Return to the object of your meditation,
Gently,
Without frustration,
And with full acceptance of what is right now,
At this very moment.
Now begin to bring your awareness outward.
Feel the space around you.
Notice the sounds in the room,
The light behind your closed eyes,
The air on your skin.
Start to wiggle your fingers,
Maybe gently roll your shoulders.
Take a slightly deeper breath in,
And let it go slowly.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
And I really hope to see you next week.
Take care.
