As we step into this meditation,
Beginning to soften the mind,
The breath,
The body.
Bringing awareness to the heart space and feeling the breath traveling through the heart.
The inhales coming in through the heart to nourish the heart space,
Nourish the landscape of compassion.
The exhales leaving through the heart space,
Leaving through that landscape of compassion.
Setting the intention for this practice to have a peaceful heart in the present moment.
As you allow the body to settle,
The mind to soften,
The heart to find ease,
I invite you to honor the healing power of rest.
Allowing the eyes to close or stay open.
As you keep your awareness with the heart space will open to the possibility of appreciating the journey and whichever step you're at right now.
If you aren't already,
You will reach up and touch the heart space.
Gently having the fingers rest,
Take a few deep breaths,
Pressing down gently as you inhale and releasing that pressure as you exhale.
Taking a moment to acknowledge that you are going through a challenging time and see if you can treat yourself with as much kindness as you would a dear friend or a child who is struggling.
Taking one more breath with that dental pressure as you inhale,
Releasing that pressure as you exhale.
And if your mind feels busy today,
Feels as though it wants to wander,
Maybe keeping the fingertips resting at the heart space.
If it's more comfortable,
Let the hands rest down by your side.
And first we'll begin to witness and befriend the body,
The self.
Having a loving kindness practice and feel the breath through these phrases.
Feel your heart,
Feel your energy.
Repeating them within yourself,
If you'd like.
May I hold myself with softness and care today.
May I be present with myself today.
May I feel loving kindness.
May I be well in body and mind.
Feeling those words resonate with your heart space.
Taking one more breath,
Holding them close.
Now from here,
Bringing your awareness to fellow stroke survivors.
And feeling the breath through these phrases.
Now feeling that these phrases are traveling outwards with the breath to all fellow stroke survivors.
Feel your heart and energy moving outward.
May you hold yourself with softness and care today.
May you be present with yourself today.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you feel loving kindness.
Holding onto those phrases,
Feeling your breath passing through the heart,
The energy,
Outward,
For one more breath.
And once more,
We'll go through these phrases and now spreading your breath,
Your heart,
Your energy,
Even further outward and sending that love and kindness to everyone around you.
May you hold yourself with softness and care today.
May you be present with yourself today.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you feel loving kindness.
Holding that loving kindness,
That loving kindness in each of those phrases,
Carried with the breath outward to everyone around you.
One more breath.
And once again,
Bringing that energy of your heart inward,
Sending the love and kindness inward through your physical body,
Through your heart space,
Finding that compassion for wherever you are at right now.
As you pause,
Feeling that compassion,
Seeing within yourself,
Enough this is.
Gently bringing your awareness back to the physical body.
Taking a nice deep breath.
As you bring your energy back through the body and into the space around you.
Gently blinking the eyes open if they were closed.
The light in me sees,
Honors and reflects the light in you.
