Welcome to this guided meditation.
My name is Angela and today we will practice bringing awareness to your posture.
There's dynamic posture which is the way you hold your body when you're moving like when you're walking or running and there's static posture which is the way you hold your body when you're not moving like when you're sitting or standing.
Today we will practice bringing awareness to your static posture in a seated position.
I suggest you remove your shoes and socks so you may feel your feet against the surface beneath you but it's not necessary if you prefer not to do so or if you're unable to in your current environment.
Find a comfortable surface to sit for this exercise.
You may choose to put a pillow or folded blanket on your lower back or you can rest your back on a supported surface like a chair or sofa if you prefer.
You may also choose to rest your feet on a footrest if it's uncomfortable for you to keep your feet flat on the floor.
Listen to your body and do what is most comfortable.
You may pause the meditation here for a moment to get set up.
Close your eyes and settle in to this very moment in the here and now.
Once you've found a comfortable seated position,
Rest your feet flat on the floor.
Feel all the edges of your feet press against the floor.
Keep your hips and knees at a 90 degree angle.
Make sure your back is supported and adjust your position if necessary.
It's okay at any time during meditation if you need to adjust your body or positioning.
Relax your shoulders and keep them back.
You may squeeze your shoulder blades together to help pull your shoulders back and down and then relax in that position.
Keep your head aligned with your spine,
Avoiding slouching or jutting your chin forward.
Feel the sensations of posture in your body.
Notice the sensation at the top of your head as you reach your head towards the ceiling.
Notice the sensations you feel in your neck.
Notice the sensations you feel in your face,
Your jaw,
Your collarbone,
Your shoulders,
Your chest,
Your ribcage,
Your upper back,
Your lower back,
Your stomach,
Your hips,
Your legs,
Your feet.
These sensations are always with you.
They're always with you here in the present moment.
Because your body sensations are always in the present moment,
It's a beautiful opportunity to allow yourself to return back to the here and now.
Take this moment right now to practice using the sensations of posture without judgment,
With feeling and noticing.
To help you rebalance yourself.
To use your body in a way to help you rebalance your thoughts,
Your emotions.
To come back to these sensations,
Bringing awareness to your body.
To come back to the here and now.
This is a practice,
A gradual training to build the skill over time.
To catch yourself when you feel out of balance and to come back,
Recenter yourself,
Bring it back to balance in a strong posture over and over and over again.
This is a continuous,
Non-judgmental and gentle practice.
When your posture is unbalanced,
When your thoughts or emotions are unbalanced,
You can return to the present moment,
To the here and now by putting your attention on your body sensations of posture.
Notice your breath.
Bring your attention to your in-breath.
Focus on the sensations of the in-breath.
Notice the sensations in your body with the out-breath.
Bring your attention to how the breath feels in your body in this posture.
Bring your attention to your chest and notice the sensations of posture in your chest,
Your ribcage and your heart.
Invite your heart to be strong,
Open and receptive in this posture.
Bring your attention to your heartbeat as you breathe.
Allow yourself to rest as you exhale and let go.
Think of what you want to let go of in this moment.
Notice the pleasant and unpleasant sensations in your body.
Allow them to be there without judging them.
Be patient with the sensations in your body.
As we close this meditation in a moment,
Take a second to be grateful for your body,
For your posture,
For this opportunity to practice to find balance.
And for giving your body unconditional positive regard today.
For treating your body with thoughtful awareness,
Attention,
Gratitude and free of judgment.
I invite you to return back to this meditation when you need a reminder about maintaining your posture.
It's a beautiful way to find balance in the present moment and to have gratitude for your body in a non-judgmental way.
It's common for us to find ourselves slouching or experiencing stiffness,
Especially if you're in a seated position for long periods of time during the day,
Working in front of a screen,
Feeding your baby,
In a classroom for many hours.
Whatever you may do,
Remember you can return to this meditation as much as you need.
Thank you so much for listening today and for showing up for yourself.
