Welcome to your practice.
As you take your seat,
Invite a straight and dignified posture in the spine.
Perhaps this is upon a chair,
Feet placed softly upon the ground.
Perhaps this is upon a cushion on the floor.
Rest your hands upon the lap,
Or else cupped one in another.
Allow your shoulders to drop away from your ears and your jaw to soften.
Invite a soft smile to your face.
Take a few moments to truly arrive in this space.
Look around you and notice the shapes,
Colors,
And textures of your surroundings.
Notice any sounds or smells.
Be mindful of this transition from all that came before to this precious opportunity to practice.
If it feels comfortable for you,
Please allow your eyes to close gently.
This is the outer posture of meditation,
And yet there is an inner posture as well.
As you turn your gaze inward,
Invite a sense of curiosity,
Kindness,
And care,
An inner smile.
Give yourself permission to be here and now,
Attending to this moment,
Whatever it may offer.
Allow yourself this time of self-care and self-honoring.
Notice this body,
A sit right here now.
Perhaps there is stillness and ease,
Or agitation,
Or even sleepiness.
Maybe you notice sensation,
Pleasant or unpleasant.
Whatever is here,
Can you allow the body to be like this?
Observe the mind.
Is it busied or still?
Perhaps there is some echo of memory or story.
Perhaps planning is here.
Or maybe even a sticky,
Persistent thought.
Maybe the mind is quiet.
Welcome the mind as it is,
Offering a kind,
Inner smile.
Now notice the heart.
What emotion is present right now?
Is it sadness or joy?
Irritation?
Fear?
Ease?
Whatever is present in the body,
Mind,
And heart,
It is welcome.
You do not have to change it,
Fix it,
Or judge it.
Rather hold it with a caring acceptance,
As a parent would hold a beloved child.
It's like this.
While the outer posture is not always available to us in our day-to-day lives,
The inner posture is.
Amidst the details and responsibilities,
Can you come back to this inner posture of curiosity and caring?
That the power of mindfulness comes from the choice to pause amidst the busyness and to take a deep breath in and out.
To observe this moment as it is,
Without judgment.
In this way,
We can more often invite presence and kindness into all realms of our life,
Informing how we speak,
Act,
And even relate to ourselves and to others.
