Welcome.
So first make sure your body is as comfortable as possible.
And if you'd like,
You can close your eyes.
I'm going to be talking you through a few simple exercises that will help you quiet your mind and calm your body.
And this will help you to naturally decrease anxiety,
Stress,
And tension.
In the first half of the meditation,
We'll be focusing on quieting your thoughts.
And in the second half,
We will be directing your thoughts in specific ways that will help you increase a sense of peace.
If at any time during the meditation your mind wanders away and starts thinking,
That's no problem.
That's what minds do.
The mind's job is to think.
But we don't have to latch onto every single thought that pops up on our internal screen.
So as soon as you realize you have slipped away from the present moment,
You can just gently bring yourself back.
Let's begin by bringing your attention to what is actually,
Factually here right now.
Beginning with your breathing.
Notice your breath as it moves through your nostrils or your mouth.
Notice how your breath feels cooler as you inhale and warmer as you exhale.
Notice your chest as it rises and falls.
And now notice the surface underneath you.
Notice the cushion or whatever surface you are sitting or lying on.
Notice how it's holding you up and all the places your body is being supported.
See if you can really let your body sink into that support.
And now notice what you're touching with your hands.
Maybe some type of material or surface.
Maybe the feel of your own skin.
And see if you're aware of any sensations in the palms of your hands.
And now notice if there are any sounds around you either close by or further away.
See if you can begin to let your muscles soften and relax and allow your body to really get the message that there's nothing you need to do right now except take this time to quiet your mind,
Relax your body,
And calm your nervous system.
See if you can begin to let your facial muscles relax,
Softening your forehead,
Relaxing your eyes,
Relaxing your mouth and your jaw.
Notice the muscles in your neck and shoulders and see if you can relax and let them go a little bit more.
See if you can relax your arms and your hands,
Letting all the muscles release any tension.
Now imagine all the muscles in your back relaxing and releasing.
And moving down to your legs,
Allow your legs to completely relax.
And your feet and your toes,
Feel them releasing any stress and tension.
Allow your entire body to release stress and tension.
Now notice your body as a whole as you are lying or sitting on the surface underneath you.
Notice all the places that surface is holding you up and see if you can really surrender to that support.
See if you can take in that right now in this very moment,
You are safe.
Let your body and your nervous system take in that right now in this very moment,
You are completely safe.
A thought might pop up that makes you feel unsafe,
But that is not happening right now.
Right now,
You are sitting or lying on a surface and you are safe.
Now let's take a little scan through your body and see if you are aware of any sensations inside of you.
Without attaching any thought or judgment or story to them,
Simply scan through your body and see if you notice any sensations.
And it's fine if you don't.
And if you are aware of any tightness,
Tension or tingling,
Simply notice where it is in your body and see if you can have a little bit of separation from it.
So there's the sensation and then there's the part of you that's noticing it.
See if you can just observe it.
Now,
Imagine that as you breathe,
Your breath is like a warm tropical breeze blowing through those sensations.
Imagine your breath soothing your whole system,
Every breath comforting your emotions,
Quieting your mind.
Good.
Now one last exercise before we go.
See if you can think of something or someone or someplace that you really love.
Something or someone that just opens your heart.
It might be your favorite place in nature.
It might be an animal you love or a person you love or a song that opens your heart,
Your favorite flower.
Think of something or more than one thing that fills you up with a feeling of love.
And as you get an image of something or someone that you love,
Notice where you feel that love inside of you.
Tune into that feeling in your body and see if you can begin to let it expand like you're filling up a bathtub with water.
As you continue thinking about one or more of the things that you love,
Imagine that feeling getting even bigger and spreading out inside of you even more.
Let that feeling continue expanding and imagine it spreading out through your entire body,
Gently washing through your mind,
The mind that tries so hard and gently washing through every cell of your body.
Continue letting that feeling spread even more until you're completely filled with it.
You can even let it spread out beyond your body so you're bathing in it,
Filled with it and bathing in it.
A feeling of love.
You're welcome to stay with this feeling for as long as you'd like before you gently bring yourself back to the next thing in your day.
And when you are ready,
You can slowly open your eyes and give your body a little stretch and transition back into the next part of your day.
Namaste.
