Hi,
It's Julie Potichur for the Balanced Mind Meditation Center.
So let's settle in for a meditation,
Finding a comfortable seat.
We're going to take three relaxing breaths,
Closing your eyes if it's comfortable,
A gentle downward gaze if you prefer it,
But three breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth right now.
And this third one holding in a little air at the top,
A little more air,
Sipping in,
Sipping in and releasing with a sigh.
Let your breath find its natural rhythm.
No need to force it.
Seeing where you notice your breath most easily right now.
It could be the tip of your nostrils where when you breathe in,
It's a little cooler than when you breathe out or it might be the rise and fall of your chest or your belly.
But seeing and feeling your body breathing in,
Your body breathing out.
Really getting settled into your seat.
Noticing your breath,
Relaxing your eyebrows.
Relax your eyes.
Release the tension that is already built up in your jaw.
Letting your jaws relax.
Giving that slight smile to the outside corners of your lips.
Dropping that smile down,
Relaxing your neck,
Your throat.
Letting your shoulder blades just drift down your back.
Giving that smile down into your heart center.
Getting a sense of what's going on in there today in your precious heart.
Do you feel any heart beating or pulsing,
Vibrating?
Just noticing.
And dropping your awareness down to your belly and letting your abs go soft.
Your back's nice and firm.
Your front's nice and soft.
Releasing your hips into what's supporting them.
And yet feeling the support.
Releasing your thighs,
Your knees,
Your calves,
Your feet.
And then softening your hands.
You may want to place a hand or hands where you find it soothing.
It could be your heart.
It could be hugging your arms.
It could be your belly.
But where you find it soothing.
Just as a reminder that you're giving yourself this time and this love and this care right now.
And if your hands get weary,
Just releasing them into your lap.
And noticing your breath once again.
We've been shifting our awareness to all different body parts.
Shining the light of your attention and then moving that.
And now it's on our breath.
Just resting.
Letting your body breathe you.
Now using the powers of your imagination.
Creating an environment for yourself.
It could be a place that you know,
That you've been,
That you feel so safe and nurtured.
Or it could be somewhere magical.
It could be a beach,
But yet you have your favorite chair there.
Could be a forest,
But somehow your bed is there.
It could be a magnificent library.
You're using the power of imagination to create a magical environment.
And you're placing yourself there.
Let your imagination really know no bounds here.
And once you're sitting in this space that you've created,
Or you're laying down or standing up in this space,
Open your sense doors and notice as much as you can.
What colors do you see?
How does the air feel?
What do you hear?
Are there birds chirping?
Are there leaves rustling?
Are there waves breaking?
Depends where you've set your environment.
But what do you hear?
Are there any aromas?
And how does your body feel in this place?
Now finding your breath in this place that you've created,
This safe,
Wonderful,
Magical environment,
Breathing in a word for yourself.
Something that you want to take right into your soul today.
It could be love or light,
Peace or ease or strength or courage,
But a gift for yourself on your in-breath.
Just let your out-breath be for right now.
And taking in for you on your in-breath.
Taking in a word for yourself on your in-breath.
Now you have an opportunity to give a gift on your out-breath.
And this gift can go to someone you know that's suffering,
That you'd like to send a little love and compassion to,
Or somebody that you wish you could be with,
But you can't right now because of the pandemic.
Giving them a gift of strength or love or peace or ease,
Healing.
Still breathing in for yourself and then breathing out for the other.
Tucked in in this magical environment that you created.
Breathing in for you and out for the other.
Now on your out-breath,
If you'd like to open up your circle of compassion to others,
You can invite in doctors,
Nurses,
Frontline workers,
Essential workers,
Cities,
States,
Continents,
The whole planet can be the recipient of your goodwill on your out-breath.
All sentient beings,
Breathing out peace and love,
Safety,
Healing.
You can imagine a fishnet of blessings going out to the whole planet.
And always on your in-breath,
Remembering you're taking in for you.
Taking a moment to see how your body feels doing this really holy work of compassion in and compassion out.
And now seeing if you can let the whole planet go and be aware of yourself seated in this virtual classroom with each other.
Breathing in for yourself.
Breathing out for each other.
Now,
Staying in the meditation but letting the words go.
Just sensing your groundedness in your seat in this room.
Sensing your breath.
And taking in the words of the classic poem,
The Guest House by Rumi.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning,
A new arrival,
A joy,
A depression,
A meanness.
Some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all.
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows who violently sweeps your house empty of its furniture,
Still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought,
The shame,
The malice.
Meet them at the door laughing and invite them to.
Be grateful for whoever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
You may want to wiggle your fingers.
Wiggle your toes.
And you hear the sound of the chimes coming gently back into this space together.
Namaste.
Thank you for your practice.
This has been Julie Potichar with Balanced Mind Meditation.
