Let's simply begin by laying down,
Really beginning to relax into the body.
So start by just noticing the physical boundaries of the body.
The back of the body supported by the floor or the bed.
Feeling clothing on the skin.
If we could draw the outline of the physical body.
Really notice the breath as it flows into the body and flows back out.
Breathing in and out through the nose.
Just bringing that sense of awareness to your physical body breathing.
Perhaps just allowing the breath to become a little bit slower,
But a little bit deeper.
Now the gentle wave of your breath to flow in the belly,
Into the chest.
Relax as you feel the wave of your breath flow back out.
Let's now just steer the spotlight of our awareness,
Our focus,
Our attention to the center of the chest.
Feeling the skin,
Any clothing in contact with the skin.
Notice if we then move one layer deeper,
Notice the sternum,
Breastbone,
The ribs.
Feel that gentle rise and fall with each breath.
Could we again move a layer deeper?
Notice the physical beating heart just behind the sternum.
Feeling the heart,
Perhaps tuning in and noticing the beat or the rhythm.
And again,
Noticing as your breath flows in the chest gently lifts the rib cage expands as the breath flows out,
That space softens and relaxes.
So just allow the breath to again become a little bit slower,
Slightly deeper.
This gentle wave of breath.
Could you even imagine the breath actually flowing into the center of the chest,
Into the heart?
As you exhale,
See and feel the breath flowing back out from the center of the chest.
Just notice as you inhale the space around the heart expands.
As you exhale,
Notice how the body softens and let's go.
Inhales flowing into the center of the chest,
Expanding around the heart.
Exhales flowing back out from the heart.
So at the same time,
Noticing the breath present with the inhale,
Feeling the heart.
Want your breath to find this comfortable rhythm.
These gentle waves flowing in,
Washing back out.
As we sit with the breath moving in and from the heart,
Let's now make a sincere attempt to experience a sense of gratitude.
Not intellectually,
Let's feel this in the body.
What does gratitude feel like in your body?
So I want you to draw on a memory,
Go back to a time or a place with a certain person,
Perhaps with a pet.
Anything that gives you or gave you that sense of gratitude.
How did your body feel in that moment?
As your breath flows into your heart,
Allow the body to just shift into that state of gratitude for that memory,
For that moment,
Feeling it in your body in this present moment.
As your breath flows in,
Notice the space around the heart expanding.
As your breath flows out,
Notice the body relaxing.
Imagining the breath flowing into the heart,
The exhale flowing from the heart.
Then tuning back into the emotional state,
The energy in the body.
Feel grateful from your heart,
In your body.
Re-experience that emotion.
Your breath a little slower,
A little deeper,
Flowing into the heart,
Flowing from the heart,
Resting on your inhale,
Relaxing on the exhale.
Now just over the next five breaths,
Allow it to become a little bit deeper.
And a little more,
The breath flowing in.
As you exhale,
Notice the chest drop and perhaps draw the belly gently towards the spine.
The next inhale flows in,
Expanding belly,
Chest.
Exhale gently falls out,
Gently pushing and emptying the lungs.
And on your inhale,
Draw breath in through your heart.
Relax and gently push that exhale out from the body.
Take one final deep breath in,
Feel the space expand around the heart and exhale,
Simply let go.
Just once more allow your natural breath to come back.
And again,
Bring attention to the physical boundaries of your body.
Notice the soles of your feet,
The lower legs,
Thighs,
Up through the glutes into the pelvis.
Feel the volume,
The density of your body.
Notice the abdomen,
The organs,
The heart and the lungs,
The throat,
And just feel the space of your head.
Let the feelings in your body simply soak in to the nervous system.
Make this relaxed sensation of body and mind with you for the rest of your day or night.
