So often when we try to meditate,
We get inundated with millions of thoughts about maybe a conflict we had with someone earlier,
Or we get plagued with anxiety about a forthcoming situation.
And this can cause us to abandon our meditation practice.
But in truth,
A meditation practice will help calm those thoughts,
But they will also help us pay better attention to those conflicts that we might have,
So we can address the situation at hand,
Rather than yearn for the past or have anxiety for the future.
So if you're not comfortable,
Find a comfortable seat.
You could be lying down,
Although lying down will maybe have you fall asleep,
But if that's your goal,
Then that's fine too.
And now pay attention to your breath.
Just notice the quality of the breath.
Ask yourself and maybe put your hand where you're feeling the breath most.
And lots of times when we're anxious,
We can feel the breath in our chest.
So notice how the breath expands your lungs and your chest.
And then when you exhale,
Feel the contraction.
Notice how long the breath is.
Maybe count.
Few seconds in,
Few seconds out.
And now place your hand on your belly.
If you found that the breath has been rooted in the chest,
Focus on your belly.
Put your hand there.
And notice,
See if you can get the bottom of your ribs,
Your belly to expand with the inhale.
And just notice how the belly will push out on the inhale and contract on the exhale.
So notice the falling on the exhale.
And now see if you can make the inhales and exhales a little bit longer.
And if you're feeling anxiety,
Allow the exhale to be complete and longer.
And if you need a little bit of energy,
If you need some expansion,
Allow the inhale to be maybe one or two counts longer.
But refrain from fixating on having to do that.
Just feeling the expansion on the inhale,
The letting go on the exhale.
And if you notice that that is an opportunity every moment for you to take in the present moment and let go of the past one.
This helps you concentrate so you can better focus on the needs at hand.
But right now,
The needs at hand are to concentrate on this centering.
So if your hands are at your chest or at your ribs,
You can just allow them to fall into your lap.
And I like to open my palms,
Not because I need to receive,
Although that's maybe a good metaphor to use every once in a while.
But what that does for me is it opens my shoulders.
It's like a cue to open my shoulders.
So I can remain attentive.
And so I allow my chest to continue to expand.
So now,
Bring into your mind someone you love.
And that's a caring love,
Not necessarily a romantic love.
This could be the love of a parent or love of a child,
Love of a pet.
Just focus on that person or that thing.
Maybe recall an episode where you really felt that deep sense of love,
How that episode made you smile,
How it filled you with bliss,
Knowing that that love was ever present in that situation.
And it's okay to smile as you remember that feeling.
You can even say,
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
And let that love really kind of build within you so you can keep saying,
I love you,
But eventually just let go of the words and just let the love expand.
And notice where you might be feeling that sensation.
It might be in your chest.
It might be somewhere else in your body.
See if you can tune in to that feeling of love in your body.
And if that's difficult for you,
Allow a feeling of light coming down on you.
So if you don't feel that love in your body,
Just imagine that love being a light that is shining on you from above,
From behind you,
And even from below.
And allow yourself to breathe in and out that love.
So if you feel it in your body,
Allow the breath to sink in with that love as you take more love in and gather more energy and you extend it.
And if you're imagining light around you,
Allow all of your cells to absorb that love.
But you're also sending it out as well.
Because this love is always renewed.
It's ever abundant.
And like a river,
It's always fresh.
It's never stagnant.
So feel that love radiating inside you.
It's expanding not only from your center but from all of your cells.
So with every breath,
You are giving that love more energy,
Circulating in your body,
Allowing it to transform you,
But then you are giving back that love.
Keep allowing that love to build.
And as it builds,
You are radiating it as your gift to the world or maybe just someone around you.
So if you can maybe take a screenshot,
A mental screenshot of how you're feeling in this moment,
Do so.
Note it.
Notice your posture.
Notice your breath.
Notice the feelings in your body.
And notice the waves in your mind.
Hopefully they've slowed down a little bit.
And if your eyes are closed,
You can just allow a sliver of light to enter in as we begin to bring ourselves from an inward-looking moment to one that is needing to address the world.
So that transition is really important.
We don't just jump out of our seat.
And if you become a little stiff,
Which is normal,
You can just allow some just slight twists of your torso and roll your shoulders a little bit and maybe move your neck back and forth.
And maybe have some gratitude for your ability to hang on through this practice.
And have some gratitude for the love that you have cultivated within yourself and some gratitude for that person who reminded you of that great love.
So we seal all of that within us,
Knowing that it's always accessible to us at any moment of the day.
It's just a matter of stepping away from the anxieties of the world and cultivate.
Remember that love.
Remember that mental screenshot.
And notice how that can reposition how you approach any given situation.
Maybe it's a matter of having a little bit more compassion for the people with whom you have conflicts.
Maybe it's refraining from anything that stirs up any of those afflictive emotions that really aren't necessary,
That might not even be any of your business.
So calm,
Love,
Compassion,
Bliss,
All of that is available if you just give yourself a few moments every day to remember that you are love.
Take care.
