Hello and welcome from Grit and Grace Meditation.
My name is Cheryl Bailey and today I'm going to be sharing with you a mantra meditation.
So mantra simply means instrument of the mind.
So we're going to be repeating a word over and over again during this meditation and this word is going to be acting as a pattern interrupter so that the stream of thoughts become a little bit more subtle.
Before we begin I invite you to come into a comfortably seated position and shift until you are feeling completely relaxed.
If you're sitting upright firmly place your feet on the ground,
Pulling your spine nice and tall and rolling your shoulders up and down your back.
You can relax your hands at your side or gently rest them in your lap.
Whatever you're most comfortable with and when you're ready I invite you to close your eyes.
If you're not completely comfortable with your eyes fully closed then create a soft gaze on the floor in front of you.
Gather all your attention into this very moment.
Drop your to-do list and be here right now.
You have no place to go and nothing to do.
I invite you to begin to turn your attention inward and focus on your breath.
Noticing each inhale and exhale.
Become aware of the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly as you engage in this deep breath.
Be aware of the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly as you inhale and as you exhale.
Together let's take three long slow deep breaths in through the nose and out through the nose.
Filling your lungs up completely and exhaling fully.
Long slow deep breath in,
Exhale out completely.
This is sending a signal to your body to come into a relaxed state.
You can return your breath to its natural rhythm and remember during this meditation you don't have to do anything to control your breath.
Simply be aware of its sensations.
As you breathe notice how your body is beginning to relax.
Notice the world outside of you and inside of you is beginning to slow down.
Remember that anytime during this practice if your attention drifts away and thoughts should come up,
Just return your attention to the world outside of you and inside of you.
And you can do this as many times as you have to.
And continuing to focus on your breath as you inhale and exhale.
I invite you to bring your attention to the top of your head and soften and release.
Drifting your attention to your face relaxing all the muscles in your face.
Softening around the corners of your eyes,
Releasing any tension you're holding in your cheeks.
In your forehead and through your jaw.
Relaxing the tongue in your mouth.
Pulling your shoulders away from your ears and relaxing them down your spine.
Creating a softness through the front side of your body.
Relaxing through your chest,
Your belly,
Your shoulders.
Your belly and your hips.
Drifting your attention to the back side of your body.
Releasing and softening through your upper,
Middle and lower back.
Softening through both your right and left arms.
Softening through the palms of your hands and releasing any tension through your fingertips.
Gently guiding your attention to your sits bones.
Feeling yourself as you're fully supported sitting here.
Softening through both your right and left legs.
Softening through your thighs,
The front and back part of your knees.
Releasing any tension in your calf.
Softening through the tops of your feet.
Slipping any tension out the tips of your toes.
Bringing your attention back to your heart center.
Noticing with each inhale and with each exhale,
The rhythmic flow of your chest and belly as it rises and falls.
After a few breaths,
Slowly introduce the mantra,
So,
Ha.
With every inhale,
Silently repeat,
So.
And on every exhale,
Silently repeat the word,
Ha.
So,
Ha.
Let your breath be normal and allow your mind to become absorbed in the sound or vibration of the word,
So,
Ha.
As you repeat it with every inhale and exhale.
There's nothing you need to figure out.
No need to try hard.
And you don't have to control anything.
Silently inhale and exhale the words,
So,
Ha.
So,
Ha.
And as you do this meditation,
Thoughts will come up and your attention will drift away.
Or maybe you will notice that you're no longer repeating the mantra.
And when that occurs,
Simply bring your attention back to the mantra,
So,
Ha.
And continue to repeat it.
We'll continue this way for 10 minutes.
And I'll mind the time.
And at the end of this meditation,
I will ring the bell.
And at that time,
I ask you to just continue to sit in stillness.
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