This is a mindfulness exercise on intention setting.
Come to a comfortable seated posture,
Either on a cushion or a chair.
Your hands resting on your knees or in your lap.
Your shoulders relaxed.
Your spine relaxed but straight.
Your chin parallel to the floor beneath you.
And bring your eyes to a gentle close.
As you breathe,
Notice any place in your body where you may be holding any tightness in the body.
Perhaps in the chest,
Shoulders,
Jaw,
Your hands,
Your eyebrows.
And gently ask this tightness to relax,
To release,
Wherever it may be.
Relax,
Relax,
Relax.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Settling into the body,
Settling into this posture right here with nowhere to go,
Nowhere to be but here.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
And now answer the following question.
What value do you most want to live by?
What value do you most want to live by?
Notice any words or feelings that come to mind.
Let these words come and go.
Right now,
Just be with the question.
No need to attach to any answer.
What value do you most want to live by?
What value do you most want to live by?
Understanding the words and feelings that might be arising.
Just continue to breathe into the mystery of this question for one more minute.
What value do you most want to live by?
What value do you most want to live by?
What value do you most want to live by?
Now choose one word that reflects a value that you reflect with at this moment.
And now repeat yourself.
Repeat to yourself,
I am blank,
Followed by whatever value that has arisen for today.
For example,
I am truth,
I am truth,
I am love,
I am love.
I am justice,
I am justice,
Or something else.
Select one value that is most present for you at this moment and repeat this value as your intention,
As you breathe.
With every inhale,
I am truth,
Or whatever your value may be at this moment.
Repeat to yourself,
I am,
Followed by your one word value.
I am blank,
I am blank.
Letting the word spread across your being as you repeat the value to yourself,
I am,
I am.
And continue to repeat your intention in your mind as you breathe.
I am truth,
Or I am justice,
Or I am love,
Or maybe I am and that's it.
Repeating your value,
Repeating your intention for the remainder of our time together.
If the mind has drifted,
That's alright.
Just gently bring it back to your breath,
Repeating your value,
Your intention for this moment.
I am blank.
I am,
I am,
I am.
And after your next exhale,
Bring your chin to your chest,
Stretching the back of your neck.
Gently open your eyes and bring awareness to the room around you.
