Take a moment to come into a comfortable position.
Make any adjustments so you feel relaxed and at ease.
Gently close your eyes.
And feel yourself becoming present.
Allow yourself to fully arrive into your space,
Into this moment.
Arrive into your body and into stillness.
And for these next few moments,
Trust that there's nowhere else you need to be.
There's nothing else you need to do.
Except be right here in this moment.
Right now.
We'll open our practice by setting an intention.
You can repeat the following words silently within.
This moment is a precious gift.
I am blissfully present and aware.
Now let your attention be right here,
Inside your body.
And start to feel the rise and fall of your breathing.
Take a big inhale.
Feel the belly and chest expand.
And with a long exhale,
Feel your whole body relax.
Another big inhale through the nose.
And long exhale through the nose.
Continue to breathe deeply.
And allow each breath to guide you deeper and deeper into this moment.
This present moment right here is filled with beauty and bliss.
Magic and miracles.
But only if you're truly here for it can you touch the gift of the present.
So often our body is here but our mind is dwelling in the past or worrying about the future.
But if you're truly open and attentive of the present,
You'll find paradise is right here.
You'll find that you can touch heaven right now.
You'll find that the only place where life and true joy exists is hidden beneath the surface of the eternal now.
By being in the now,
We become one with eternity.
This eternal now is the only thing that doesn't change in our lives.
Thoughts,
Circumstances,
Situations come and go in and out of the moment.
But the present never changes.
The present moment simply is.
It's all that is.
When you're here in the now,
You step back from your wandering mind and your thoughts slow down.
You find more space and become more clear and curious.
You feel more alive and awake and the world becomes more vibrant to you.
To be present means to live life mindfully.
To be fully aware that each moment we breathe is a gift.
It simply requires that you pay attention and that you be exactly where you are.
So let's explore what it's like to fully be right here,
Right now.
Take a moment to become aware of the sounds that surround you.
Let your attention move from sound to sound.
Allow each sound to come and go through your awareness.
No need to analyze or judge the sounds.
Simply notice them one by one.
And now become aware of the sensations in your body.
Feel your entire physical body present here.
Feel into the shape of your position.
Feel the points of contact between the body and the surface beneath you.
Feel the temperature of the air.
The touch of your clothes.
And start to mentally scan the body now from head to toe.
Notice any areas of the body that feel particularly comfortable right now.
And now notice any areas of the body that may feel discomfort right now.
Without judging or analyzing,
Simply observe those sensations.
Now become aware of your thoughts.
Watch your thoughts come and go through the screen of your mind.
Not judging your thoughts.
Not pushing anything away.
Not becoming involved with the thoughts.
Simply observe them.
Continue to watch your thoughts come and go.
Now become aware of your breathing.
Feel the sensations in the body as you breathe.
Notice the sensations of air passing through the nostrils.
Watch the belly as it rises with each inhale.
And falls with each exhale.
Allow your attention to follow each inhale from its beginning to its end.
And watch each exhale from its start to its finish.
Continue to offer your full and genuine attention to your breathing.
Allowing each breath to guide you deeper and deeper into the experience of being right here,
Right now.
Repeat silently to yourself as you breathe.
Inhaling,
I am aware of this moment.
Exhaling,
I am present with my breathing.
Inhaling,
I am aware.
Exhaling,
I am present.
Continue like this for a few more breaths.
Inhaling,
I am aware.
Exhaling,
I am present.
Now release the awareness of your breathing.
And take a moment to notice how you feel.
Steep in the bliss of simply being here and now.
There is a haven of peace,
Beauty and joy that's available to you in every moment.
Accessing it simply requires that you pay attention.
That you offer your full and genuine presence to this gift of the present.
May you bring this awareness,
This peaceful presence with you into the rest of your day.
And may you enjoy the beauty and bliss that is always and only available in this one and precious here and now.
Namaste.
