Hello and welcome to this guided meditation.
Today we will be traveling inward to find our inner resource,
To become one with that inner resource and maybe even to bring it home with us.
We will start by lying down in a supine position with the palms facing upwards.
Or if you'd like,
You can do this meditation seated.
Sit in such a way such that the hips are level with the knees or even a little bit above,
Sitting on a sturdy cushion or a stiff pillow.
This way the pelvis will tilt ever so slightly forward,
Allowing the natural curvature of the lumbar spine to present itself.
If you elect to stay seated instead of lying down,
Inhale the chest broad and wide,
Tuck the elbows into the waist and exhale the shoulders away from the ears.
Allow the palms to rest face up on the knees or in your lap.
If you are lying down,
Lie down on a supportive surface with the arms ever so slightly away from the body.
The feet are relaxed and splaying away from each other.
Shoulder blades are level with the floor.
Just taking a moment to settle in to find a comfortable position to begin the meditation.
We will begin with a body scan.
Begin by breathing first to find sensation,
To find the now.
Begin by breathing into the face,
Allowing the breath to seek out tension and let it melt away.
As the eyebrows fall,
Cheeks are relaxed,
The jaw is ever so slightly parted,
And the tongue rests against the roof of the mouth.
Don't forget to breathe.
Now notice the backside of the head,
The ears,
And the neck.
Notice the chest and the space in between the shoulder blades on your back.
Notice the space in between the rib cage and the abdomen where the diaphragm is located.
That one muscle guiding the breath in and out.
Sense the abdomen,
The digestive organs,
And the back,
The kidneys,
The liver.
Retrace upwards to the right shoulder and the right arm,
Feeling it as sensation,
The wrist,
The palm and the back of the hand,
And the fingers,
And the thumb,
The left shoulder,
The left arm,
The left palm and back of the hand,
Fingers and thumb,
The right hand,
The left hand,
Transitioning back to heart center,
Checking in.
Continue to allow the breath to melt away tension,
To seek out areas,
And to release them.
Moving on to the right leg,
The right ankle,
The right foot,
And the right toes,
And over to the left leg,
The left ankle,
The left foot,
And the left toes.
Breathing in all the way down to the toes into the right foot and into the left foot.
Breathing into the whole body,
Settling in,
Tingling with sensation.
If your eyes are not already closed at this point,
We will begin a visualization.
Feel free to allow the eyes to flutter closed.
Begin to visualize a safe space to walk.
Maybe it's outside on a trail or in a deep forest untouched by man.
Maybe it is indoors.
Maybe it is a hallway or a museum.
Maybe your mind takes you to the middle of the ocean,
Wherever you are,
Envision walking forward in your safe space.
As we walk in this safe space,
Continue to breathe.
It is okay if you get lost.
Just come back and continue walking forward.
As you slowly move step by step,
Notice a staircase ahead.
Notice it,
But simply continue approaching slowly.
Maybe so slowly that one breath is one step.
Breathe and walk.
As the staircase grows closer,
Know that it is the next part of your journey.
Step by step,
Breath by breath.
As you approach the staircase,
Begin climbing upwards,
One breath at a time.
Keep climbing.
Keep climbing until you feel almost too tired to go on.
As your body fatigues,
Your breath deepens.
Your body begins to melt into the surface that you are resting on.
And you see the top of the staircase.
The excitement,
The joy.
You want to speed to the top,
But you continue slowly,
Mindfully,
Moving with your breath,
One stare at a time.
When you arrive at the top,
It is bright.
It is so bright that everything around you is nothing but white light.
While your eyes adjust,
Your breath guides you to feel the space.
Is it warm or is it cool?
Is it quiet or is it noisy?
What do you hear?
Is it a nearby highway?
Birds chirping?
Maybe a stream,
A babbling brook,
A waterfall?
Maybe a fountain,
Children playing?
How does it smell?
Is it fresh?
Is it industrial?
Is there a taste?
Is the air sweet and crisp or salty like the ocean air?
As you fall deeper into the sensation of this place,
You recognize it.
Allow joy to arise as it is recognized as your inner resource.
It is your safest space.
It is where you go for safe haven,
For well being,
For peace,
For serenity,
Safety,
Security,
Even equanimity.
It is your inner home.
As heartfelt joy washes over you,
The blinding white light begins to melt away and the vision of your inner resource displays itself.
Where are you?
Is it home?
Is it a childhood park?
Is it a secret place only you know?
Hold the space in your mind's eye as you rest in joy,
Peace,
Serenity,
Love.
Breathe these emotions in and continue to melt.
Rest in your safe space.
Keep breathing.
Keep resting.
If the mind wanders,
Simply come back to your inner resource.
When you are ready,
Take three deep,
Slow,
Long breaths at your own pace,
Inhaling until your chest lifts off the surface that you are on and exhaling every bit of the breath.
And at the very bottom of the third exhale,
Begin walking back towards the staircase.
As you bid farewell to this space,
Know that it lies within you,
That you can always access it,
That you can call upon it through any of the senses,
Emotional connection,
Temperature,
Smell,
Sound,
Taste,
Appearance.
It is always there.
It is within you.
As you bid farewell for now,
Begin descending the staircase one by one,
Overwhelmed with joy for the space that you have found.
Excitedly return to the path.
Breathe in the joy that is the safe space and allow that joy to permeate your entire being.
Allow that joy to permeate every cell,
Every tissue,
Every organ,
Every organ system,
Every bone,
Every muscle,
Every bit of the body permeated with joy.
As the breath deepens,
Notice it bringing life into the physical body.
Notice the excitement,
The joy,
One with the physical body.
So much joy that your pinky fingers twitch,
That the toes begin to wiggle,
That your next big inhale brings your arms overhead for a big stretch,
A stretch of sensation and awakening.
Find yourself once again in the room we started in.
Can you still feel the joy?
Allow it to be carried into the rest of your day.
At your own pace,
At your own time,
With your breath being your guide,
Bring larger movements to the body,
Maybe gently flutter the eyes open,
Coming home,
Returning.
Taking a moment to recognize that that inner resource accessed during meditation is always there in times of fear,
Anger,
Worry.
It is always there to provide you a place to cultivate joy,
Equanimity,
Wellness,
Serenity.
May this joy go with you always.
Thank you for sharing your practice with me today.
Namaste.
