Begin when you're ready,
By making your way into a lying down position,
Perhaps on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor,
Or your legs may lie all the way down on the ground.
If this doesn't feel right for you or you can't lie down at the moment,
Feel free to find another position in which you feel safe and grounded and able to find some stillness.
When you feel ready,
And if you feel able to do so,
Close your eyes.
Close your eyes or allow your gaze to soften,
Focusing on a point,
As much as possible starting to turn inwards,
Perhaps taking a few moments to see if your body can settle onto the ground anymore.
Invitation to bring both your hands to rest on your abdomen.
As you do this,
It's possible you might become aware of your breath.
Each inhalation and each exhalation rising and falling like waves.
See if you might deepen your breath,
Allowing each in-breath to expand your abdomen,
And each out-breath,
And with each out-breath,
Softening and letting go perhaps,
A movement down towards the earth.
We spend a lot of time being told to hold ourselves in and to hold ourselves back,
Especially in this area,
Not to expand,
To be somehow less,
But if possible,
Give yourself permission to expand and to take up space.
Taking full,
Deep breaths and seeing if there are maybe any pauses or holding that you might close or let go of,
One breath flowing into the next.
Invitation to bring your awareness to how your abdomen feels as your breath moves in and out.
Are there any noticeable sensations?
Are there any silent words that come to mind to describe these sensations?
As you explore the sensations,
Has your deep pattern of breathing shifted?
See if you can maintain deep,
Smooth,
Even and gapless breathing.
As you continue to observe,
You might become the curious observer of any sensations coming from within you in this area.
Maybe a feeling of warmth,
Radiating through your abdomen,
Or a sense of spaciousness or tingling.
You might perhaps notice or sense fullness or emptiness,
Tension or tightness,
Or softness and release.
If you can't feel anything,
Or there's a sense of numbness,
That's okay.
That is your experience.
Awareness anchored as much as possible in the area of your abdomen.
Directing breath deeply into this area.
Notice what you notice.
Keeping attention,
If you can,
With the movement of your breath in the foreground.
Invitation to reflect on what needs the sensations in your abdomen.
If there are any,
You might be pointing to.
Your body is an honest and faithful indicator of your needs.
Always communicating with you through its incredible and powerful sensory systems.
As you take this time in stillness,
Breathing deeply,
See if you can notice needs your body may be communicating to you through the sensations you may have observed.
Perhaps if you observed a sense of emptiness,
There might be a need for physical nourishment.
Or a sense of tightness or tension might indicate a need for comfort or grounding.
It's also possible that a sense of softness or tingling is an indication that all is okay.
All is as it needs to be in this moment.
As you contemplate what your body may be communicating,
Try to keep breathing fully.
Your fingers perhaps separating slightly at the top of each inhalation.
And with each exhalation moving towards each other again.
It's possible you might notice reactions you may have to any needs you may perceive.
Judgment or impatience could be a possibility for having a particular need.
Resistance or frustration for generally having needs.
Or maybe compassion.
Perhaps a desire to avoid thinking about the sensations and needs.
Your mind perhaps shifting towards planning or a to-do list.
Or maybe there's a tuning out.
A becoming numb to the sensations and the needs to which they may be pointing.
Whatever happens,
Invitation to bring your attention back to your breath.
You don't need to fix or change your reaction to sensations or needs.
Only setting an intention perhaps to observe,
To compassionately witness your reaction.
As you continue to draw your breath down into your abdomen and release it again.
Releasing back in the direction of your spine and of the earth.
In the knowledge that your needs are valid and that you are unconditionally deserving of having your needs met.
Consider what you may do to meet your needs.
Keeping your attention with your breath.
Identifying an action you could take within the next few minutes,
The next hour or the next few hours.
To honour the need expressed through your body,
If there is one.
Reaching out to someone perhaps.
Nutrition or nourishment.
A lie down to recharge.
Placing bare feet upon the earth.
What action could you take that might meet your need?
For a few more breaths in this space of stillness.
Is it possible to make a commitment to yourself to honour your needs through the action or actions you've identified?
As you do so,
A sense of gratitude may be accessible.
That you intend to take care of your precious body,
Mind and spirit.
Beginning to invite some gentle movement back into your body.
Any small movements that feel right in this moment.
Perhaps a yawn and a stretch.
Feel free to lie on your side for a few breaths.
And then,
If you want to,
Find your way to a seated position.
Rest your hands wherever you like.
One possibility could be to place them over your heart.
Perhaps a sense of wonder or gratitude that breath and heartbeat are always present.
No matter what.
Guided by an intelligence.
Their own intelligence.
Feel free to close this practice in your own unique way.
