Welcome to this hourglass meditation.
In our meditation together today,
We're going to begin with an expansiveness of mind like the large part at the top of an hourglass.
I'll then invite you to move toward a more narrow focus,
Simply on the spaces of the mind,
As we then expand outward again at the end,
Like the bottom of an hourglass,
To reconnect with the full awareness of our body.
To begin,
Find yourself in a comfortable seated position.
You can be seated on a chair or on the floor.
Begin to connect to your awareness of your body by swaying gently from side to side.
Now allow your spine to naturally find its center of gravity,
Centering firm,
Strong,
And upright.
Feel a calmness descend through the top of your head,
Gently relaxing the skin on your forehead,
Gently allowing your eyes to close.
The sensation of calm continues down as you feel your shoulders gently dropping down and away from your ears.
As you feel a sense of calmness descending all the way down your spine.
From this place of stillness and calm,
Notice your full body being aware in your mind's eye of the full physical presence of your body,
Seated in calm stillness.
If your mind begins to wander,
Gently guide it back to the image in your mind's eye of your full physical body,
Seated in calm stillness.
As you are seated in meditation,
Your mind may begin to wander,
And that's fine.
Just don't ascribe any meaning to the thoughts or emotions that come into your mind.
Simply notice them and allow them to dissipate as you return your awareness to the image in your mind's eye of your full physical body,
Seated in perfect stillness and calm.
Mock,
Roam,
Travel.
As we begin to narrow our focus,
Let go of any images in your mind's eye of your full physical body,
And allow your attention now to turn simply to the movement of breath.
Not changing the breath in any way,
But simply noticing the breath as it moves in and out.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Where is your attention now?
Do you need to invite your attention back to the movement of your breath,
In and out?
The practice of mindfulness comes in our regular return to the mindful now.
So when you notice your attention has begun to wander,
Simply guide it back without judging to the awareness of your breath.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
I invite you now to expand your awareness back to your full physical body.
In your mind's eye,
Imagine the full physical presence of your body,
Seated in perfect stillness and calm.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
As you reconnect to the image in your mind's eye of your body seated in meditation,
Imagine your body beginning to give off a gentle glow,
A glow that fills your full physical presence with warmth.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
Whenever you are ready,
Begin to reconnect to the feelings of your physical body and gently returning movement into your full physical body.
When you have reconnected to the physical presence of your body,
Allow your eyes to gently open and take this feeling of stillness and calm with you into the rest of your day.
Let go of any image in your mind's eye.
