Whether you are just emerging from a place of sleep into wakefulness or already enlivened and poised to take on the day,
This practice is a chance to start your morning with a moment of stillness,
Appreciation and intention.
Seated or lying down,
Whichever feels most comfortable for you right now.
Closing your eyes.
We'll start with a couple of slow deep breaths to help us get a bit more present.
Begin by breathing in through your nose,
Expanding your belly,
Naturally encouraging a fuller expansion of the lungs and breathing out through your mouth,
Slowly slowly,
Feeling the sensations of letting go.
Another deep slow breath in,
Expanding the belly,
Up through the ribs and filling the chest and then slowly releasing the air.
Now one more long breath in and this time holding for a moment when your lungs are full,
Noticing the sensation of fullness and now letting go,
Letting go.
Allow the breath to naturally lead the way,
Finding its rhythm,
Easing and relaxing.
Breathing in and out through your nostrils,
A little relaxation in the body.
From this embodiment of your awareness,
Do you notice any areas of physical tension?
Places in need of softening,
Perhaps the brow wants to let go,
The eyes soften,
The tongue at rest,
A loosening of the tightness in the shoulders.
Anything that wants to let go a little,
Untangling,
Dissolving.
Receiving your next breath in a softening belly and this one too.
Beginning now to follow the flow of your breath,
You might like to anchor your attention on a particular part of the breath's journey or just an untethered curiosity of the full cycle,
Whichever feels most at ease.
Surrendering to the presence.
When noticing yourself adrift with thoughts,
What matters most is the gentle and accepting quality of your noticing,
Your journey back to the breath,
An appreciation of the return.
Ah,
Hello breathing.
When thoughts arise again,
That's okay,
Be curious about the sensations of the breath.
Staying present and immersed in the journey of the breath.
As we flow with our breath,
We can also open our hearts to a feeling of appreciation for the gift of this life-giving force,
The body breathing all by itself.
In the warmth of this appreciation,
There's an invitation to bring to mind something you feel grateful for.
This might be an experience,
Past or present,
That felt fun,
Meaningful,
Surprising.
Perhaps it's another person,
A place,
An animal or object.
Is there something that evokes a feeling of gratitude?
If today it feels just too difficult to bring something to mind,
Appreciate your intention to cultivate the feeling of gratitude.
See if you can greet this moment with a gentle smile,
The corners of the mouth rising ever so slightly,
A subtle smiling with the eyes too.
Notice how your body feels,
Perhaps a spaciousness in your chest,
A warmth,
A contentedness.
With this embodied feeling,
Notice how you too can be the recipient of this appreciation.
See if you can connect with something you like about yourself,
A quality you appreciate,
Some affirming words you'd like to offer.
Give yourself permission to say these words to yourself.
Again,
If this is challenging for you,
Just take a moment to appreciate your intention to connect with a feeling of kindness towards yourself.
As we flow into the final arc of this morning's practice,
Let's stay connected and attentive,
Present with the spacious awareness.
From this place,
Gently begin gathering your attention around the question,
What's my intention for today?
You might like to consider what really matters to me.
How do I want to show up today?
Is there a quality or feeling I want to embody?
Something I'd like to experience?
Can you even visualize this too?
What might it look and feel like to you to live this intention today?
And now slowly letting go of any effort you are making.
If there's any judgment arising in the mind about how today's practice has gone,
Allow yourself a moment of tenderness.
Let the critical words flutter away.
Invite the mind and body to relax one final time in this sitting,
A moment of presence.
Noticing the sensations from the tip of your toes to the crown of your head.
Noticing the sounds present within your body and in the world around you.
Gently bring some movement to your hands and any part of the body that wants to stretch a little.
Opening your eyes when you feel ready and taking the seed of your intention with you.
Have a lovely day.
