Welcome to this meditation.
I'm your host,
Billy,
And I'll be guiding you through today's meditation.
To begin this meditation,
Please bring kindness and awareness to why you chose this meditation,
How your belly,
Chest,
And head each feel during this meditation,
The emotions that arise during this meditation,
The positive or negative narratives you tell yourself during this meditation,
The fact that many others may be experiencing similar thoughts,
Feelings,
And emotions as you may experience during this meditation,
How you might feel with having increased awareness,
And when you can apply this increased awareness in your day-to-day life.
So,
Let us begin by getting into a comfortable position,
Either lying on the floor with your feet uncrossed and falling away from each other,
Arms at your side,
Or if you prefer to be in a chair,
Sit with a dignified posture with your back away from the back of the chair,
Chest proud,
Feet flat on the floor,
And hands wherever they're most comfortable.
And now that you've found a comfortable position,
Let's take a moment to settle in using our breath.
Let's take a deep inhale through our nose for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Now exhale through our mouth for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Let's do that four more times.
Inhale through the nose for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale through your mouth for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale through your nose for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Exhale through your mouth for 4,
3,
2,
1.
Do that on your own for two more times.
Breathing like this allows us to expel the stress from the day in a more profound way.
Now let your breathing become more natural as you both inhale and exhale through your nose.
Focus on breathing into your belly,
Filling that up with air on the inhale.
And now gently let your belly fall flat on the exhale.
Find the natural rhythm of your breath with each inhale,
Taking in the air through your nose and filling your belly with that air.
On the exhale,
Let the air pass through the nostrils gently while flattening your belly.
Use these breaths to quiet the mind by just focusing on each inhale.
Allow yourself to simply just be.
Shift your awareness from your breath back to your body,
Now feeling the floor beneath you.
Think about the room or the space that you are in.
How does it feel to be here?
What is that place like?
Begin to take notice of the little things around you that you might take for granted as you go about your busy days.
Think of this room as a shelter,
A haven,
Keeping you safe from the outside elements,
Keeping you protected and comfortable.
Feel the air on your skin and notice what it feels like.
Warm or cold,
Appreciate the temperature of the air that surrounds you.
Now turn your attention to the sounds in this room.
Perhaps you hear the ticking of a clock or the hum of a fan or murmurs of voices around you.
Rather than thinking of these sounds as noises or distractions,
Lend some appreciation to them.
Think of each sound as an opportunity to explore your surroundings and become more mindful of all the moving parts that exist there.
Just listen and be present.
Inhale deeply now and see what you can smell.
Go deep uncovering scents that you may not realize exist in the room.
Inhale through the nose as you pick up on the subtle aromas.
Just breathe,
Explore,
And appreciate this moment of mindfulness.
Now begin to extend your awareness to outside of your immediate surroundings.
Think about your entire home and everything within it.
Bring to mind the things that you use every day to help your life run more smoothly.
Alarm clocks,
Refrigerators,
Sinks,
Closets,
Clothes.
See yourself going through a normal day but moving more slowly and mindfully.
Try not to dwell on the haves and the have-nots.
Simply appreciate every aspect of your daily experience.
Continue to breathe deeply,
Setting an intention to move more mindfully throughout each day starting now.
Extend your awareness even further now and think of the world outside.
Think of the blue sky above,
The sun,
The trees that offer you shade,
And the soil beneath your feet.
Think of the seasons,
Autumn with its deep colors and crisp breeze.
Picture the perfect winter day complete with a warm cup of tea or coffee and a comforting fireplace.
Breathe in the dewy freshness of spring,
Watching the flowers bloom as the sun returns to the earth.
Think of the slow lazy days of summer,
Soaking up the sunlight,
Savoring the sweet ripe fruits and the cool refreshing drinks.
Continue to express appreciation for the changing of the seasons and the gifts that each one brings.
It's easy to find gratitude for everything that runs smoothly in our lives,
But what about the bumps in the road?
We can be thankful for these little life lessons too.
The spilled milk,
The flat tire,
The endless grocery line,
All of the little errands or minor annoyances that pepper our days.
Every mishap offers us a chance to slow down and live in the present moment.
Imagine navigating these bumps in the road with grace and ease,
Effortlessly going with the flow and keeping a cool calm head,
Adopting a come what may attitude.
Take a deep breath,
Letting go of anything that prevents you from experiencing gratitude.
Breathe in clarity.
Breathe in relaxation.
Engage with a peaceful steady rhythm of your breath as you continue to invite gratitude into this experience.
In the wise words of author G.
K.
Chesterton,
When it comes to life,
The critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.
Let this sentiment sink in and commit to turning all of those things that you take for granted into extending gratitude to them throughout your day.
And now,
Allow yourself to come back to your breath,
Feeling the air pass through your nostrils,
Filling your belly with gratitude for this meditation.
Exhale through your mouth as you let your belly fall flat,
Expending those thoughts and feelings that do not serve your best interests.
Let's do that one more time.
Inhale through your nostrils,
Filling your belly with love and gratitude for yourself.
Now,
Exhale through the mouth,
Letting your belly fall flat and allowing yourself to let go and let live.
Now,
Take one more natural inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose.
And at the bottom of your breath,
Go ahead and open your eyes.
Take a moment to let the sensations of your body register with you as you bring awareness to the world around you.
Take inventory of the sensations of your body and bring awareness to your surroundings.
Thank you for sharing this time and space with me.
May you feel happy,
Healthy,
And loved.
Take care,
Friends.
