So always let your body inform you as to what is going to be most supportive.
So if you're lying down,
You might place a blanket beneath the head or rolled towel or blanket,
Or a blanket underneath your head.
And then you can do the seated or lying down.
So you can do the seated or lying down.
So if you're lying down,
You might place a blanket beneath the head or rolled towel or blanket or bolster beneath the knees to take pressure off the spine.
I always encourage you to place a blanket or a shawl over the body.
So body temperature drops when we go into practice.
Even if you're seated,
Just placing a light blanket or a shawl over the shoulders.
It also invites the nervous system to soften.
They can feel a little bit safer,
A little bit more protected.
That gentle weight welcomes the body to ground.
Making any final adjustments that you need to ensure your comfort for our practice.
Once you feel settled,
Go ahead and closing the eyes if that's available for you.
It's an invitation to go inward.
And if closing the eyes doesn't feel okay,
You might simply find a soft distance,
A soft gaze,
Maybe a couple feet off in front of you.
Just letting your eyesight blur a little.
And taking a nice full breath in through the nose,
Feeling the breath expanding through the body and then holding the breath for just a moment at the top of the inhale.
Open the mouth,
Releasing the jaw and audibly sigh.
Softening through the muscles in the face,
The eyes,
The jaw,
Even the tongue.
Allowing another full,
Rich inhale coming into the nose,
Feeling the rib cage expand and pause receiving that gift of breath.
Open the mouth,
Sigh,
Exhale.
Softening through the neck,
Shoulders,
Arms,
All the way down to the fingertips.
One last full breath,
Even feeling the belly expand.
Hold that breath for just a moment and then open the mouth,
Sigh,
Hearing your voice as the breath releases,
Allowing the hips to sink into the support beneath you.
Feeling fully supported by the surface beneath you,
Allowing the breath to find a natural rhythm.
Each breath flowing fluidly one after the other.
Finding ease in the breath.
Gently begin to become aware of the sounds that are around you and sounds most often the distance.
Perhaps the sounds slightly closer.
Becoming aware and welcoming each sound.
Awareness moving from one sound to the next,
Much like a butterfly moving from flower to flower.
Sound to sound.
Bringing the awareness closer to the body and noticing the sound of the breath gently flowing in and out through the body.
Easeful flow.
Gently scanning the body from head to toe and toe to head.
Gently becoming aware of the muscles in the face,
The neck,
Both shoulders.
And chest.
Upper arms.
Elbows.
Lower arms.
And hands.
Both arms softening.
The whole front of the body.
The upper back.
Mid back.
And low back.
The whole torso.
Gently softening.
Both hips.
The buttocks.
Thighs.
Knees.
Lower legs.
Heels.
Tops of the feet.
Bottom of the feet.
And all ten toes.
Softening.
The whole lower body becoming heavy,
Softening.
Becoming aware of any areas of tension or discomfort in the body.
Allowing the breath to travel into the nose and gently landing in any of these spaces of tension,
You might greet it,
Saying,
Ah,
Hello shoulder.
Thank you for letting me know you would like attention.
Breathing into these spaces.
Softly exhaling through.
Allowing the breath to massage these areas that feel contracted or constricted in any way.
Just welcoming them.
Okay to feel this.
Gently bringing awareness into the heart space.
Becoming aware of any emotions that are here with you.
Welcoming them all.
There might be anxiety,
Sadness,
Grief,
Uncertainty,
Or even subtle joy.
All emotions are welcome here.
You might greet them,
Saying,
Ah,
I see you worry.
It's okay that you're here.
You might even notice thoughts moving through the mind.
This is normal.
And if they draw your awareness,
No worries.
Notice this is the natural activity of the mind and you might even say,
Ah,
Thinking.
I see you.
It's okay that you're here.
Welcoming all feelings,
Sensations,
Thoughts and emotions exactly as they are.
As you rest your awareness on the flow of the breath.
Visualizing the breath traveling up from the base of the spine on the inhale.
And gently down from the crown of the head back to the base of the spine on the exhale.
Sensing and feeling the flow of the breath up and down the spine with each inhale and each exhale.
Breath flowing like water.
You might even say to yourself,
Ah,
May my breath and emotions flow like a river.
May my breath and emotions flow like a river.
May my breath and emotions flow like a river.
In this space of supported ease,
The whole body fully supported.
All sensation,
All experience welcome.
Bring to mind a memory of a mistake.
The time when you heard and sense it clearly.
The circumstance,
The people involved.
Sense and see this memory of making a mistake very clearly.
Notice how the body responds.
Noticing the shift in breath.
Noticing any areas of tension or constriction in the body.
Notice where this lives in the body.
The body responds to making a mistake.
You might sense this in the gut,
Lower belly,
Solar plexus,
Heart,
Throat,
Jaw,
Forehead.
Noticing how the body responds,
Allowing the breath to flow here.
Allowing the breath to gently land and massage this area.
It responds to making a mistake and stating,
Ah,
May my breath and this feeling flow like a river.
May my breath and this feeling flow like a river.
Gently bringing into awareness now an image of you,
Seeing yourself before you,
Making a mistake,
Being yourself in the posture that the body embraces when making a mistake.
Gently calling your name to yourself,
Addressing you and stating to yourself,
Ah,
I accept you exactly as you are.
You are more than your accomplishments.
You are more than what you produce.
You are so much more than what you do and how you do it.
I accept you exactly as you are.
You are more than your accomplishments.
You are more than what you produce.
You are more than what you do and how you do it.
Softening the breath.
Exhale.
If you feel called to,
You might place the hands at the heart or you might leave them exactly where they are.
And now calling your name to yourself and repeating the following phrases.
I see you,
Whole and complete.
I hear you,
Whole and complete.
I'm here for you as you are.
I love you as you are.
Calling your name to yourself.
I see you,
Whole and complete.
I hear you,
Whole and complete.
I'm here for you as you are.
I love you as you are.
Calling your name to yourself.
I see you,
Whole and complete.
I hear you,
Whole and complete.
I'm here for you as you are.
I love you as you are.
I love you as you are.
I love you as you are.
Allowing the body to receive the vibration of this phrase,
These words.
I'm here for you as you are.
I'm here for you as you are.
What is present with you now,
Welcoming all sensation,
All emotion.
All is welcome.
All is valid.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
All is well.
Just taking a couple of breaths here,
Receiving the warmth of your hands.
As you transition from this connecting with maybe an unpleasant memory to a space of welcome,
A space of acceptance,
Being held by your own hands.
You're okay,
You're loved here.
Taking a full breath in through the nose,
Open the mouth,
Gently exhale as you tuck the chin to the chest and pause here for a moment.
Inviting a soft grin to form on the lips.
You welcome yourself back into your morning or evening.
Gently opening your eyes,
Taking in the vision of you here in this space,
In this community.
Gently returning your gaze to center.
All is well.
