Welcome to day two of the in-between course,
Living in the Plateau.
This is a guided inner journey practice.
There's nothing you need to fix or figure out here.
You're simply being invited to turn your attention inward and moving in the plateau,
Moving in the in-between.
Noticing what's present in your body and your breath.
So listen in whatever way feels most supportive to you.
Eyes open or closed,
Lying down or seated,
Moving or still.
If you need to pause or adjust at any point,
Trust that.
Now,
Let's begin.
So go ahead and settle in.
There's nothing to prepare for,
Nothing to achieve.
Simply begin by taking a slow,
Steady breath in and out your nose.
And do that one more time,
In and out your nose.
Now,
Allowing the breath to find its own natural rhythm,
Just slow and steady.
The edges of your eyes are soft.
Your jaw is slightly open and your shoulders soften and drop.
Nothing forced,
Nothing to correct,
Just breathing in and out through your nose.
Noticing the simple rise and fall of each breath through your body.
And if thoughts come and go,
That's natural.
And if you notice your attention drifting,
There's no need to follow it.
Just return to the breath.
Silently repeating in on the in-breath and out on the out-breath.
In and out.
And out.
This slow,
Steady rhythm of your breath helps your body release what it's been holding without effort,
Without instruction.
Now,
Taking a slightly longer breath in,
Linger for just a moment.
And with a longer exhale,
Feel the body soften just a little bit more.
Once again,
Take another deeper breath in,
Holding briefly before the breath releases on its own.
The body knows exactly how to let go.
It knows exactly how to soften.
There's any need to shift or move to get even more comfortable right where you are.
Do that now.
Let the body guide.
The breath returns to its natural pace,
Just slow,
Steady,
Simply rising and falling.
In and out.
Now,
Bring your attention to your heart center.
There's nothing you need to figure out,
No direction you need to decide.
Movement in the plateau,
In this in-between,
Is quieter than that.
It happens in small moments,
Often unnoticed at first,
A breath that feels a little easier,
A moment where something softens.
You might notice what draws your attention today,
Not in a big way,
Just enough to notice,
A sound,
A memory,
A simple moment that brings a faint smile.
This is movement too.
No need to reach for it or hold onto it,
Just notice when it's there.
The body knows how to move with life without pushing,
Without waiting for certainty.
Sometimes moving means pausing.
Sometimes it means letting a moment pass without reaction.
Sometimes it means saying goodbye.
Sometimes it means saying yes.
Sometimes moving means resting,
Allowing the body to pause if it needs to pause.
Sometimes it means following a quiet nudge,
Not because you should,
But because something within you is ready.
Honor these small signals without questioning them,
Without needing to explain them.
All of it belongs.
Notice what feels steady,
What feels nourishing,
What brings a quiet sense of presence.
These small moments are not distractions.
They are how life meets you in the in-between.
You are not on hold.
You are here,
Living,
Participating.
Movement may not always feel like motion,
Sometimes it feels like noticing.
Sometimes it feels like being touched by something simple and allowing that to be enough.
You don't need to know where this plateau leads,
Although your mind may want to.
You only need to know where you are.
You only need to stay present with what's here now.
Life continues to arrive moment by moment.
The body is adjusting and integrating as you move through your days.
Allow yourself to naturally move with it.
My voice will go quiet for a bit so you can stay with this gentle movement,
This gentle awareness of what's happening without naming it,
Without directing it,
Just noticing.
And now coming back to the sound of my voice without stepping away from what's been present.
Your breath continues just as it is.
There's nothing to gather,
Nothing to summarize,
Nothing to take with you,
Other than noticing that you are here,
Still present,
Still engaged,
Still engaged with life,
Even in this plateau,
In this in-between,
Learning how to move with the plateau.
So on your next inhale,
Silently repeat the word embracing and on the exhale,
Silently repeat the word this.
Embracing this.
Breathing in embracing and breathing out this.
A gentle acknowledgement of this moment.
Embracing this.
Movement doesn't need to be large or visible or understood.
It's enough to stay responsive to what meets you moment by moment.
And now when it feels right,
Begin to bring small movements back into the body.
Wiggle the toes,
Wiggle the fingers,
Open and close your hands.
And now take one slightly fuller breath in and let that go through the mouth.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes,
Returning gently to the room and still embracing this.
I invite you to take a few moments here before moving on with your day.
