This particular meditation practice is an invitation to slow down and to recognize the peace that is within you.
Please remember that at any time,
Especially during the beginning of our practice,
That adjusting yourself is completely normal and it's even expected as you begin to find your meditation seat.
There will be a few long pauses during this meditation,
But please know I have not left you.
I will pull you all the way out of meditation at the end.
So I'd like for you to go ahead and find an upright seated position,
Perhaps on a chair or couch or seated up tall in your bed or on your floor.
And please use any blankets and pillows to support your seat.
Your legs can be crossed or your feet can be flat on the floor.
And once you find that position,
Gently close your eyes and take a deep breath in and a deep breath out your mouth.
Again,
Inhalation through your nose and sigh it out your mouth.
Gently seal your lips and listen to your breath.
It's okay that it may feel a little bit manipulated or your breath might feel orchestrated in some way.
This is normal.
Just notice how it feels in your chest and in your lungs and allow your breath to be full.
And now readjust if needed again and be sure that you feel supported in your body.
If you have any background noise that you cannot escape from,
That's okay.
Simply let it be part of your meditation.
You do not need to shut out the world in order to find peace within.
Let your shoulders and arms feel heavy.
Let them move away from your neck and from your ears as if you are surrendering them over to gravity.
With each exhale,
Notice if you can just release them a little bit more and a little bit more and sit in your body and breath.
Just sit in your body and in your breath.
And now feeling the breath,
Perhaps at the heart center.
Perhaps putting your hand on your heart will help.
And feel the breath.
And feel the heart.
Gently deepen with each in and out breath.
And for a moment here,
Explore extending the in breath and extending the out breath just a little deeper.
Softening into it.
Releasing in the body.
Release through your buttocks,
Allowing your tailbone to descend.
And let go of any holding in your belly.
As you take your next breath in,
Imagine a long line to your left glowing as you inhale from the bottom to the top.
And as you exhale,
Connect a line horizontally across the top,
Glowing as you exhale from left to right.
And as you breathe in again,
The line continues now down on your right.
And exhale,
Watch the line glow and grow across the bottom of this now square to meet you back where you began.
And begin again.
Slow it down.
Slow it down.
This is not meant to be forced.
You are not meant to see every detail.
Slow it down even more as if the breath is beginning to become lazy and it starts to settle in.
Soften your shoulders again.
And again.
And again.
And slow it down again.
And now wherever you are,
Let go of the glowing box in your mind.
And notice your body.
Witness your breath.
Witness the mind.
And let your breath move gently in and out,
Letting it settle wherever it might,
Perhaps along the line,
Around your heart,
Or perhaps through the whole body.
Notice if you might be tensing in your body.
Soften your thumbs,
Your jaw,
And the muscles in your face,
Or anywhere else.
These are places tension may tend to return to.
So as you exhale again and again,
Release into these places.
Allow any thoughts that come in to fall slowly like snowflakes on the winter ground.
Settle into your body.
Let the breath be what it is,
Small,
Delicate.
Release.
Release.
Release in the body and let there be silence within.
Soften the places in your body where tension has slowly crept back in.
In the hands,
Shoulders,
Cheeks,
Jaw,
Buttocks.
Be patient with yourself.
Stay right here in your breath,
Letting any thoughts slowly land.
Begin now to take a slightly deeper breath.
Take note of the rise and fall of your chest and the cool air through your nostrils.
And move your head a little bit from side to side.
Gentle lift of your chin up and then down.
Take another deep breath.
Open your eyes just halfway for a brief moment and then close them again.
Move your shoulders up a little bit towards the ears,
Bringing in this nice little gentle movement.
Open your eyes again briefly again and then gently close them.
Take a breath in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Place one hand at your heart and let just the feeling of gratitude grow within you.
Just the feeling of gratitude for this life,
This breath,
This body,
This moment.
Take care,
Dear one.
Namaste.
