So make sure you're free of any distractions and that 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 this meditation,
We'll be focusing on quieting your thoughts.
And in the second half,
We'll be directing your thoughts in specific ways that will help you increase a sense of peace.
If at any time during this 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 on to 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.
So let's start by bringing your attention to what is actually factually here right now,
Beginning with your breathing.
Simply 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 how your chest rises and falls with each breath.
If a thought pops up,
Just come back to your breath.
Now take notice of the surface underneath you.
Notice the cushion or whatever surface you're sitting or lying on.
Notice how it's holding you up in all the places your body is being supported.
If you can really let your body sink into the support,
Notice what you're touching with your hands.
Maybe you can feel some type of material or surface or maybe the feel of your own skin.
And see if you notice any sensations in the palms of your hands.
Now notice if there are any sounds around you,
Either close by or further away.
And if a thought pops up,
Just bring yourself gently back to the surface or the sensations or the sounds.
Always something to come back to.
Now 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 the muscles in your face relax,
Softening your eyes,
Softening your jaw and your mouth.
And take note of the muscles in your neck and shoulders and see if you can relax them,
Let them go a little bit more.
See if you can relax your arms and your hands,
Letting the muscles soften,
Feel the support.
And now the muscles in your back,
See if you can relax your back.
Feeling where it meets the cushion.
Nothing to hold off,
Nothing to do.
Good,
And now moving down to your legs.
See if you can let your legs relax and release any tension in your feet,
Your toes,
And in your body.
Let go of stress and tension.
Notice if there's any sensation in the soles of your feet.
Now notice your body as a whole as you're 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,
In reality,
You are safe.
Let your body and your nervous system take in right now,
In this very moment,
You are completely safe.
A thought might pop up that makes you feel unsafe,
But that's not happening right now.
Right now,
You're sitting or lying on a surface,
And you're safe.
Good.
Now let's take a little scan through your body and see if you're aware of any sensations inside of you right now.
Without attaching any thought or judgment or story to them,
Just scan through your body and see if you're aware of any sensations.
Fine if you're not,
There's no sensations inside of you,
But see if you're aware of any tightness,
Tension,
Or tingling.
And if you are,
Just notice where you feel it.
See if you can be aware of it with a little bit of separation.
So there's the sensation,
And then there's the part of you that's noticing it,
Curiosity.
Now imagine that as you breathe,
Your breath is like a warm tropical breeze blowing through those sensations,
Soothing your system,
Every breath comforting your emotions,
Soothing your mind.
And one last exercise before we go.
See if you can think of something that you really love,
Something or someone that just opens your heart.
It might be your favorite place in nature or your favorite flower or your very favorite tree.
It might be an animal you love or a person you love,
A song that just opens your heart.
Think of something that fills you with a feeling of love and comfort.
You could also think of more than one thing.
And as you imagine that place in nature or that person or animal that you love,
Notice where you feel that inside you.
Where do you feel that love inside your body?
It's likely in your heart,
But it could be anywhere.
Just notice that feeling and see if you can let that feeling expand like you're filling up a bathtub with water,
Beginning to fill yourself up with that feeling.
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.
And let that feeling continue expanding.
Imagine it spreading out throughout your entire body,
Washing through your mind that tries so hard,
Washing through every cell of your body like you're filling up a bathtub.
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.
You're welcome to stay with this feeling as long as you 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,
Give your body a little stretch,
And transition back into your day.
And when you're ready,
You can slowly open your eyes,
Give your body a little stretch,
And transition back into your day.
