Music Taking this moment now to pause and sitting in a upright posture in a chair or cushion or you might stand or lay down.
It's up to you.
Eyes may be open or closed.
And as we begin this practice,
Taking in a nice full breath into the lungs.
Taking in as much air as you can,
Perhaps even holding for one second.
And when you can't take in anymore,
Just slowly exhaling out your mouth.
And let's do that one more time.
Breathing in.
Hold.
Slowly letting go,
Allowing your shoulders to drop and relax as you exhale.
Perhaps letting out a sigh or sound,
Just releasing.
And on this next breath,
Breathing in to the face,
The lungs and the whole body.
And as you exhale,
Letting any tension or tightness flow out,
Just letting go.
And now allowing your body to breathe itself,
Trusting the abundant wisdom in your body to just breathe just right.
And taking an observing stance rather than controlling or manipulating the breath in any way.
And letting go in the mind,
Whatever's come before this moment.
What will come after is dropping in to see what's here right now.
Bringing your attention to your inner world.
Checking in with yourself for a moment with the sensations of your body.
Any emotion,
Tone or energy that you're aware of.
Any stories of the mind,
Aware of what the mind is doing,
But not changing anything.
Just observing the fullness of life in this moment.
Just accepting what is here as it is,
Because it's here.
Not trying to do anything,
But just relaxing in to being.
And aware now of your heart space,
Perhaps placing a hand on your heart,
If you like,
Or just guiding your attention to this area in your body.
Inviting an inquiry into your heart's desire and asking yourself,
What is my intention?
What is my intention?
Asking the wisest,
Deepest part of yourself,
What is most important for me to know,
To remember right now?
What matters most?
What brings me to sit today and to participate in three days of mindfulness practice?
Touching into this deepest aspiration now.
Maybe it's to bring more presence into my life,
To be more awake in the moments that I live.
Or maybe I'm longing to improve a state of well-being or to work with some difficulty,
To learn to be with my emotions,
Perhaps.
So dropping in this question of what matters most to me,
What is my intention?
And listening with a vast openness like the sky to whatever arises in response.
It could be an image that arises,
An emotion or words,
Perhaps.
Perhaps just a word that serves as a theme like trust,
Surrender,
Relax.
Take a few breaths now to resolve this intention and know that it is so.
And it's perfectly fine if nothing seems to appear for you,
Not to worry,
Just settling into presence and deepening your attention to connect with yourself is a profound and precious that cultivates presence.
The capacity to feel awake and alive in the now,
Moving with the flow of life itself.
Over time this practice can help us touch into the wisest of us that already knows and to the deeper wisdom that we are between the thoughts,
In the stillness that is the loving awareness that holds it all.
Allowing yourself the space to be just as you are and maybe thanking yourself for carving out these few moments which are a sacred gift to yourself,
Really a gesture of value and care,
A recognition that your heart matters,
That you matter.
I'm allowing this sense of self-care and love carry you through to the next moments of your day as the potential ripple effects of this gentle and brief kindness towards yourself will also influence those around you and the world.
In this last moment of the practice,
Before the sound of the bell that will signify its ending,
Just sensing your body as a whole,
Breathing,
Alive and fully present with what is,
And even if just a bit,
More connected to your deeper wise inner knowing,
And ending with a bow,
Namaste.
