Hi and welcome to this sacred space meditation,
Inviting you to create a sacred space of your own where you can find peace,
Relaxation,
And a bit of serenity at any time during your busy day.
The short guided meditation is one you can come back to over and over again when you're feeling stress or anxiety or just need a break.
So I invite you to find a comfortable seat wherever you are.
See if you can create a space for yourself that is sacred.
Perhaps you'll light a candle.
If you're at work,
You might not have that available,
But if you're at home,
Create that sense of reverence by lighting a small candle,
Dimming the lights.
See if you can close the door to any external noise or any activity that might be happening around you in your space.
Create a sanctuary for yourself so that you will not be disturbed.
If you're at home and you have pets,
They tend to like it when you meditate and want to join you,
So either invite them in and let them curl up beside you or close the door.
They'll probably be right outside the door when you're finished.
So wherever you're seated,
Just settle in.
Feel the surface beneath you,
Holding you,
Supporting you.
Lift your heart,
Draw your shoulders back and down away from your ears,
Creating some space for the breath as we begin to invite it in.
Just breathing normally,
Noticing your breath.
Eventually we'll begin to invite a deeper breath,
But just for now,
Keep your breath normal and natural,
Just noticing how it moves in and out of your body.
And so in the sacred designated space,
Begin to notice any sounds that might be happening outside of your space.
Allow your awareness to explore those sounds and see how many you can discover.
Let those sounds be.
They are part of your world.
Then draw your awareness on into your sacred space,
The sanctuary you have created for yourself.
Notice any sounds nearby,
Including the sound of my voice,
The sound of music,
The sound of your breath.
And swallow in your throat to relax your throat and notice any tastes in your mouth.
Feel the temperature of the air,
The clothes against your skin.
And finally,
Any sensations in the body.
Begin with your toes,
Move your awareness up your legs and gently soften the muscles.
Allow your hips to sink into the surface beneath you,
Adjusting if you need to,
To make yourself more comfortable.
Draw your awareness up your torso.
Notice your heart beating steady and strong.
Relax your shoulders.
And soften the muscles of your face,
Your jaw,
Your brow.
And then begin to invite in a deeper breath.
On your next inhalation,
Let's breathe in for the count of four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold that inhalation at the top.
And then exhale again out of your nose or your mouth for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Holding at the bottom,
Gently closing your lips.
Begin again.
Inhale through your nose,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
And hold the breath.
Feel the fullness.
And then exhale slowly through your nose,
Four,
Three,
Two,
And one.
And continue keeping the inhale and the exhale about the same length.
Just pausing at the top and the bottom of the inhale and the exhale.
If your mind starts to begin to wander,
Just notice the thoughts that are passing through your awareness.
Let them pass and come back to your breath.
See if you can feel the sensation on the inhale and the coolness of the breath on your nostrils.
And as you exhale,
The warmth of your breath,
As your breath passes over your upper lip.
Continue slow,
Deep,
Conscious inhalations and exhalations as your body relaxes even more.
Beautiful job.
With your body and your mind relaxing,
Allow your awareness to take you to a sacred place,
A place where you feel safe and happy and loved.
See that place in your mind's eye.
Where are you?
Look around and take in your surroundings.
Are you indoors or outdoors?
Notice any sounds.
If you're outdoors,
Do you hear the birds singing?
If you're indoors,
What do you hear?
What do you see all around you?
Look around and take in all the colors,
The textures.
Notice everything about this sacred space you've created for yourself.
It is your space.
You can make it anything you wish it to be.
Imagine what you would smell in this space.
Perhaps it's a fragrance of flowers or lavender,
Something that is appealing to you.
Baking bread,
Fresh coffee.
Again,
It's whatever you wish,
Whatever would bring you joy in this moment.
Feel the temperature of the air.
What would be perfect for you?
And again,
Settle in a little more deeply.
What are you sitting on?
Maybe it's a comfortable couch,
Big cushy sofa or lazy boy chair.
Maybe you're on the floor in a big oversized four-poster bed.
Perhaps you're sitting on a pew in a church or by a beautiful waterfall or in a garden.
Just allow yourself time to take in your sacred space,
Continuing to breathe slowly and rhythmically.
Getting more comfortable,
Feeling more safe,
More loved,
More refreshed,
More at peace.
If you happen to hear any sounds in the distance,
Simply allow those sounds to take you deeper into your meditation.
Coming back to your sacred space that you have created for yourself in your own imagination.
As you begin to deepen your breath,
Know that you can come back to this place anytime you wish.
Just by getting still.
Coming to your breath and taking in all the sensations of your own personal sacred space.
Continuing to breathe and finding serenity here.
When you're ready,
Begin to make small movements with fingers,
Toes,
Turning your head from side to side gently,
Stretching in any way that feels good.
You've done beautiful work here.
Come back anytime you need.
Until next time,
Thanks for practicing with me.
Namaste.
