Hello,
This is Beth.
Welcome to your meditation.
This meditation is on comforting and unsettled mind.
Many people come to meditation with the hope of silencing a busy mind.
They've recognized that their thoughts can be fearful or unkind or just plain relentless.
What meditation reveals to us is that persistent thoughts are usually fueled by uncomfortable emotions,
Difficult feelings in the body.
When we attempt to stop our thoughts without soothing our emotions we often create more tension,
More resistance and ironically more thoughts.
It's a vicious cycle and this meditation aims to take the viciousness away from your relationship with your thoughts.
Break the cycle by tending to the thoughts and emotions with kindness and gentle acceptance.
So let's start by getting a bit more present.
If your eyes are open glancing briefly around the space you're in letting your gaze gently touch different objects.
Noticing colours,
Textures,
Light,
Shadow.
Recognize that you're here in this space.
Maybe even glancing down at your body and seeing where the body's place.
If you'd like you can cross your arms and run your hands up and down over your upper arms and shoulders.
Noticing the fabric of your sleeves or the touch of your skin.
Maybe sensing this as a gesture of comfort.
Helping you to feel into the body as it is in this moment.
You can let your arms rest down now if you haven't already and allow the eyes to close if that feels good or simply softening your gaze.
You might take three or four deep full breaths in and out through the nose.
If you feel the impulse to yawn go ahead stretching out the face.
Perhaps noticing a little pause at the end of each out breath and resting here until you need to breathe again.
The breath coming in of its own accord.
And now tuning into your body and as you do so you might notice the body naturally beginning to soften,
Let go and release the most obvious tension.
You may also become aware of the kind of emotion or mood that your body's in today.
What words come to mind when you feel into your body?
Feel into your mood?
You might like to finish the sentence I feel tense,
Stress,
Content,
Calm,
Whatever it is.
I feel this and that's okay.
Notice if anything happens when you give yourself permission to feel your feelings,
To allow your emotions.
You likely find thoughts are also here and that's fine too.
See if it's possible to notice when you're thinking,
Breathing your thoughts gently and allowing them to be here.
I invite you now to bring to mind a beach.
Just allowing an image of a beach to come to you.
If your mind were this beach what would it look like right now?
Is the sky cloudy or clear?
The waves are they ripples or swells?
And is the beach busy with people or quiet?
Exploring this scene,
Feel yourself warm and safe on the shore,
Breathing in the fresh sea air and watching the waves.
As you watch the waves you might feel your breath,
The breeze gentle rocking,
A strong steady rhythm.
And just as the breath blows in and out,
Your thoughts and feelings are also flowing,
Continually changing.
And notice has anything changed?
How are you feeling in your body now?
How is your mind?
How is your mood?
Offering yourself some kind attention,
Some comfort.
Now I will finish here but feel free to rest here for as long as you like.
Be gentle with yourself and take care.
Thank you.
