Welcome to the 21 day meditation challenge.
Unlike other challenges,
We are not hoping to win anything.
We are actually hoping to lose.
Lose stress,
Lose tension,
Uneasiness,
Or at least find ourselves on a path to a calmer and more mindful life.
Today's practice is a short guided meditation to help you connect to your body.
When you are ready,
Please find a comfortable position.
You may want to lie down or sit upright in a chair.
Ensure that you feel supported.
Allow the eyes to close and begin to find awareness of your breath.
Focus on the sensations that the breathing offers.
The way the air feels cool as you inhale and warm as you exhale.
Notice how your stomach expands as it draws in oxygen and the energy that this oxygen provides your body.
If you find your mind wandering at any time away from your focus,
Do not worry.
Just allow yourself to refocus on your breathing.
When you feel ready,
Begin to shift your focus from your breathing to your body in general.
If you feel any aches,
Pains,
Or stiffness,
Loosen these parts of your body until you feel as comfortable and natural as possible.
Now it is time to start focusing on individual parts of the body,
Beginning with the feet.
As you focus on specific parts of your body,
You may find that they begin to feel warmer and more relaxed.
Imagine that your feet are the roots of your body,
Drawing awareness up from the ground and into the rest of the body.
Allow this awareness to spread up through your feet,
To your ankles,
And lower legs.
Enjoy the relaxed,
Warm feeling.
Experience how your lower legs seem to feel much heavier and looser than normal.
Now allow this awareness to spread to your knee joints.
If you have any problems with your knees or any other part of your body,
You may use this time in meditation to visualize your body healing itself as you go from point to point.
Slowly,
Let your awareness spread further up to the upper legs,
Hips,
And pelvis.
Many people find that they hold their tension in these areas,
So maybe spend a little extra time allowing these parts of your body to relax and loosen.
Let the energy and awareness course through the upper half of your legs.
When it feels right,
Begin to draw this energy and awareness to the base of your spine.
It is important to take your time,
Or you may find that your muscles begin to tense up a little.
Notice this awareness up through the curvature of your spine,
To the tip of the spine.
Relax and ease the muscles around each point of the vertebrae,
Into the middle back,
The upper back,
The ribs,
Until you reach the space between the shoulder blades and that space just at the base of your skull.
Relax and ease the muscles around the spine,
Skull,
Including the space just behind the jaw if you haven't already done so.
Open a warm ball of light,
Both at the top and the bottom of your spine.
The light at the base of your spine is slowly drawing down into the ground below you like a loving anchor.
The light at the top of your spine is slowly moving up towards the heavens.
You'll find that the muscles that hold your spine begin to loosen and each vertebra creates a little more space.
When your spine is fully relaxed,
Shift your focus to your shoulders.
You may find now that you need to readjust the position of your shoulders to remain comfortable now that your spine is so well relaxed.
Experiment with moving them gently into different positions until they feel in sync with the rest of your posture.
Draw this awareness down your arms and into your fingers.
Notice the very slight movements they are making all on their own.
Move your awareness back up to your throat and release any tension that you may be holding here before moving further up to your face.
Feel the warmth of your awareness.
Relax every facial muscle.
Notice how sensitive your face is,
How the air feels against it.
Finally shift your awareness to your brain.
Become aware of just how amazing and powerful your brain is.
Your brain is capable of regulating your entire body.
Your brain houses your mind,
Which allows you to think,
Feel,
And create.
When you feel ready,
Open your eyes and return to waking consciousness.
You may want to take a little time here,
Stretching the body side to side,
Wiggle the fingers,
Circling the head around.
I thank you so much for allowing me to guide you through your meditation practice.
I wish you a wonderful rest of your day and look forward to seeing you on day two.
