Good morning.
Welcome to your meditation.
Begin in a comfortable sitting position.
You might like to stretch the body by placing one hand on the ground beside you and bringing the opposite hand overhead,
Arching the side body in a gentle stretch.
On the inhale,
Feel the ribs expand and on the exhale,
Returning to a sitting position,
Straight up and down.
Now go ahead and stretch the opposite way now.
One hand on the ground beside you,
Bring the opposite hand overhead,
Arching the side body,
Gently stretching and opening the ribs as you inhale.
And then returning to your centered sitting position.
Now just let a big yawn open the mouth,
Jaw,
Throat,
Just a nice big yawn opening the body,
Letting go of any residual sleepiness.
And now please sit comfortably,
Spine straight,
Heart open,
Chin slightly tucked.
Sit bones root firmly down as your spine lengthens upward.
Rest the hands on the thighs or knees,
Palms up in a gesture of welcome and receptivity.
Bringing a slight smile to the lips.
Let your body be a gesture of welcome so that every cell is saying good morning to the day.
As you come to stillness,
Let your senses be fully awake.
Notice the sounds in the space around you.
Notice the dance of sensation in your body.
Just noticing all the aliveness within you and around you.
Now gently shift your attention to the breath.
Notice the way that each breath is like a sunrise beaming into the body,
Spreading vitality and energy across the landscape of your inner environment.
Each exhale carries out any stagnation or sleepiness from last night.
With each inhale,
The breath pours into the body,
Saturating each cell with the vitality and energy of sunlight.
Exhale,
Relax,
Release,
Let go.
Inhale,
The breath beams into your body,
Awakening.
The exhale sweeps clean.
The inhale illuminates,
Enlivens.
See if you can soften and open yourself to each breath a little more.
Surrendering to the release of the exhale,
Welcoming the warmth and vitality of sunshine on the inhale.
Now just relax the breath and sense that the entire body is enlivened,
Filled with fresh energy and vitality,
That every cell is sparkling with sunlight.
A poem from the poet Mary Oliver.
Hello sun in my face.
Hello you who make the morning and spread it over the fields and into the faces of the tulips and the nodding morning glories and into the windows of even the miserable and crotchety.
Best preacher that ever was,
Dear star,
That just happens to be where you are in the universe,
To keep us from ever darkness,
To ease us with warm touching,
To hold us in the great hands of light.
Good morning,
Good morning,
Good morning.
Watch now how I start the day in happiness,
In kindness.
Let's close our meditation this morning with a gratitude ritual.
Allow three things to come to mind that you are truly grateful for today.
Three things that light you up from the inside out,
That bestow a sense of buoyancy,
That can be tiny details or grand blessings.
Whatever comes to mind for you,
Place your hand on your heart and give a heartfelt thank you for each of the three things you're grateful for today.
Let your gratitude radiate out from every cell of your being.
As you move into your day,
Bring the vitality,
Brightness,
And positivity of sunshine with you.
Refer yourself enthusiastically to this new day.
Shine your light and your love on all those who cross your path.
Start your day in happiness,
In kindness.
Good morning sunshine.
