Welcome.
In this time together,
I will guide you through a short relaxation and mindfulness session using sound as a focus.
The intention is for us to slow down as we experience some time relaxing our body,
Calming our mind and having a moment of rest while listening to the sound of the harp.
Let's begin by taking a moment to get settled and comfortable.
You may choose to either lie down or sit in a comfortable chair that fully supports your body during our time together.
If seated,
Place your feet firmly on the ground,
Shoulder width apart,
So you feel connected to the floor beneath you.
Imagine your body and spine is tall and upright,
Ensuring your head is leaning neither too far forward or back.
Imagine you feel balanced on both sides.
You may like to rest your hands on your lap and drop your shoulders with a sigh.
Feel free to adjust your posture in any way so you feel at ease,
Comfortable,
Supported and ready for relaxation.
And when you feel settled,
I invite you to gently close your eyes.
In your own way,
Begin by resting your attention on the natural sensation of your breath as you breathe in and out.
Feel the inward movement of the breath.
Become aware of your chest and your stomach area as it rises with the in-breath and falls with the out-breath.
Imagine inhaling warm healing air that moves deeply into any places of discomfort or tension and then letting this tension go with the next out-breath.
Allow your breath to follow its own natural movement and continue to breathe in whatever way feels right for you.
Feel the warm healing breath coming and going as you inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Imagine you are becoming aware of and connecting with your body with each breath.
Now take your attention down to your feet.
Notice any movement or sensation around your heels,
Your toes and the top of your feet.
Focus on feeling the muscles in your feet softening a little,
Relaxing and releasing.
Simply letting go of any tension you can feel.
In this moment there is nothing else you need to do right now as you quietly rest your attention,
And the rising and falling of the breath and the feeling of your feet resting on the surface beneath you.
Now bring your awareness and attention to your hands.
What do you notice?
Perhaps you are aware of the gentle weight of your hands resting on your lap,
Or feel the softening of your shoulders which may be felt as relaxation in your arms flowing down to your hands.
The warmth or coolness present in and around your palms,
And any sensations on the back of your hands and your fingers.
Take a moment to continue focusing your attention on your hands.
And now start to become aware of any sounds coming to you from outside the room.
Just simply listen with a gentle interest.
You may hear people talking,
Maybe sounds in nature,
Traffic noise,
Some sounds you may know,
While others may be unfamiliar.
Just allow the sounds to come and go.
Let them drift by.
Now become aware of the sounds within the room,
And bring your attention to the sound of the harp.
Continue to direct your attention to the music tones as they sound one after the other.
As you are listening,
Notice how the sound for the music comes and goes.
Eps and flows,
Notes appearing and disappearing,
Rest in space,
Sound in silence.
If your mind wanders and you begin thinking of other things,
Simply notice them and let those thoughts flow on by,
Like white clouds floating across the blue sky.
It is natural for our mind to wander,
And mindfulness is a great way to train our mind to return to the present moment.
The important thing is to keep bringing your attention gently back,
And begin again as many times as you need to.
Just begin again.
Feel your body relaxing.
Feel the weight of your hands resting in your lap,
Your back and spine remaining firm yet relaxed.
Remain aware of the flow of your breath rising and falling,
In and out.
Now let's take time to check our whole body for any remaining tension.
Starting at your feet,
Moving up to your calves,
Your thighs,
Your stomach area,
Your hands resting on your lap or by your side,
Your chest rising and falling with the breath,
Your shoulders,
Your jaw,
Your cheeks,
Around your eye area,
Across your forehead,
And finally the crown or top of your head.
And ask yourself,
What am I experiencing right now?
Be aware of any tension you still may be holding within your whole body,
And breathe deeply into any places of tension you can feel,
And let it go with the next out breath.
And repeat as often as necessary.
And now as you listen to the ebb and flow of the heart music,
Allow yourself to simply rest,
Be refreshed,
Relaxed,
Replenished,
Restored,
And calm.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
Let the music wash over you like a wave on the ocean.
It will soon be time to bring this guided relaxation and mindfulness of sound session to a close.
So once again,
Listen to the sounds within the room,
And sounds outside the room.
With your eyes remaining closed,
Become aware of your body and feel the surface you are sitting or lying on beneath you.
Allow your breathing to become a little stronger by taking a deeper breath or two.
Start to bring some movement back into your body by moving your fingers and toes.
You might like to move your head from side to side and have a stretch.
As you are waking up your body,
Remind yourself that when we take the time to pause in the midst of our busy days,
The effects of feeling more centered and calm may continue to flow throughout the day.
Becoming mindful is a skill you can learn and can be practiced at any time.
It doesn't have to be done perfectly.
We can always begin again.
Thank you for sharing this time with me.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
And stay the color.
Be car seniors.
Be Latinos.
Be green.
Be Alumni.
Be Young.
Be Deaf.
Be
