We all have bad days.
Maybe you woke with a sense of unease or received an interruption that unraveled your carefully laid plans.
Maybe you received bad news or did something that triggered shame.
Whenever this happens,
There is this tendency for us to spiral into frustration and let one bad moment stretch its shadow over the hours that follow.
But it doesn't have to be.
Embedded in the situation is an invitation,
A precious opportunity for you to practice letting go and embracing every moment as a fresh canvas.
So this meditation is intended to help you accept that invitation,
Bounce back and reclaim your day so you can enjoy the rest of your hours.
Let's begin.
Break open the space with a few deep swigs of breath,
The deepest you have taken in your day,
Week and even month.
Feel the coolness of air relieving your frustrated mind and tense body as a calming stillness washes over you.
Feel every breath prying open your disappointment.
Unclench your jaw and release all the disappointed furrows from your face.
Let your shoulders melt down your spine,
Letting go of accumulated stress.
Let your arms just sink down heavy on your lap,
Releasing any shame.
Unlock your heart and allow your spirit to take up space again.
Let your belly unfurl,
Loose and full,
Like a wave rolling to shore.
Your breaths effortlessly coming in and out like ocean tides.
Your legs,
Once rigid and braced,
Now flow downwards like rivers returning home to the sea.
You can set down your chasing and striving for now.
Allow being to be effortless and indulge a little in this precious stillness.
Feel like you can finally wrap your arms around time in a deep embrace.
First,
I invite you to start noticing the emotions arising from your bad day,
Whether that's frustration,
Despair,
Sadness or any general negative mood.
Just let them be,
Without repressing or denying their place,
Almost like you were the owner of a safe guest house and were pulling up a chair for them to speak.
Notice the voices that are arising.
Whenever I have a bad start to my day,
My inner critic tells me I should have done better or that I'm reacting too much or that I'm moving too slowly and will never reach the place I want to be.
What are these messages for you?
Observe them with your loving awareness,
Without getting caught up in their story,
All while being grounded in your body,
Anchored in your breath.
Notice how these thoughts come and go,
Like clouds shapeshifting.
Notice whether there's a part of you holding on to them,
Making it hard for them to pass through.
While we often don't want to be in this disappointed state,
We are often the ones holding on to this disappointment.
These feelings of discontent want to move through us,
But we don't let them by attaching ourselves to some unmet expectation.
Meanwhile,
Every moment is coming in,
Beckoning us with an invitation to let go and step into a fresh new now.
So now comes the precious opportunity.
Can you let go of your discontent and receive that invitation?
Can you wholeheartedly welcome in a new unfolding that comes with every new breath?
Scan your body for any attachment,
Any clinging to disappointment or unmet expectations and let this tension evaporate like mist rolling off a lake.
Feel your body becoming lighter,
Your hunchbacked spirit unfurling open,
Stretching its arms wide to receive the newness of every moment.
Breathe out any remaining resistance or clinging to your discontent,
Any remaining illusion that one bad incident stains the rest of your day.
Imagine a fresh clean canvas unfolding right in front of you,
Ready to lead you to experience all the beauty,
Joy and grace the world has to offer.
The past is now behind you.
Step into the next moment as if the day has just begun,
Not as if you're salvaging what's left,
But as though you're stepping into a fresh untouched morning.
There is no rush,
No race to make up for lost time.
This moment is whole,
Complete,
Filled with all the potential of a new beginning.
It is perfect as it is.
Breathe into it fully knowing you have arrived and let this reset carry you forward into the day as if the entirety of it is still yours to unfold.
I'm so proud of you for showing up to this practice.
Even when you felt like you were having a bad day,
You're doing great.
Remember,
Every moment is a new beginning if you let it be.
Wishing you a beautiful day ahead.
I'm Dandan Liu.
Until next time.
