Hello and welcome to your meditation practice.
I'm so happy you are here.
This is your second meditation practice in the Rest Release Rise series and this meditation is inviting you to release and let go of all that doesn't serve you,
To invite in ease,
To welcome in relaxation,
And to find peace among your thoughts and emotions that come and go throughout your day and throughout your life.
Buddhist monk Phamma Chodron says we don't sit in meditation to become good meditators,
We sit in meditation to become more awake in our lives.
And what she means by that is that when we practice here in our meditation,
In our mindfulness practice,
Is the mindful attention to the breath,
Releasing our grip on any thoughts that might arise,
Allowing ourselves to be fully present here in this moment,
Right here,
Right now,
And we practice them so that when we go into our lives we're less reactive,
A bit more responsive,
Living from a more peaceful,
Calmer state.
And so as we focus on the word release,
Can we release not only the tension in our physical bodies,
But then can we also release our grip on emotions that don't serve us,
And perhaps even release the need for control,
Inviting in curiosity and trust.
Let's practice together now.
If it feels good,
Close down the eyes.
If not,
That's okay,
Simply soften your gaze down towards the floor in front of you,
Or perhaps to your lap,
And take a nice deep inhale in through the nose,
And as you exhale,
Open the mouth and let out a sigh.
Another deep inhale in through the nose,
And exhale to sigh.
One more time,
The deepest inhale you've ever inhaled,
And exhale,
Starting to invite relaxation into the body,
Softening through the soles of the feet and the ankles,
Relaxing through the calves and the knees and the thorax.
On your next exhale,
Imagine sending that breath into the space of the hips,
And as you exhale,
Let your hips soften into the support beneath you.
Continue breathing and softening across the belly,
Softening across the shoulders,
The collarbone,
Relaxing the cheeks,
The eyelids,
Letting your forehead smooth,
Allowing your whole body from the top of your head to the tips of your toes to be completely and totally relaxed.
And then inviting your mind to follow suit,
Knowing there's nowhere else you need to be,
Nothing else you need to do,
But be here,
Right here,
Right now.
Simply watching your breath as you inhale and you exhale.
Simply watching the breath and giving gentle observance and love to the thoughts that may want to pull you out of this moment.
Acknowledging those thoughts,
Honoring them,
And releasing them.
Doing your best to simply let them go.
Knowing that the thoughts coming in are completely normal,
You are completely human,
And just allowing the thoughts to move along like clouds in the sky.
Releasing your grip.
I release what doesn't serve me.
I release that which I cannot control.
I release who I cannot control.
I release my grip and I choose to let go.
I welcome in ease.
I welcome in peace.
I welcome in trust,
Both in myself and in the belief that life is conspiring for me.
On your next inhale,
Start to bring awareness back into the body,
Inviting in small movements in the fingers and toes.
Maybe taking a stretch over hand.
Doing whatever your body needs to bring yourself back into this moment,
Into this room.
Taking a nice deep inhale and as you exhale,
Allow the armories to softly open.
Thank you for meditating here with me today.
I wish you peace and ease and rest in the rest of your day.
