We're going to begin with this sighing,
Audible sighing breath.
So together,
We will begin to inhale.
And then as you exhale,
Just let it out with this audible sigh.
Letting out your day or week,
Anything that might be a bit distracting.
Let's all do it two more times,
Inhaling again whenever you're ready.
And then one more.
And taking any last little movements before we really start to settle.
When we first begin this meditation class,
I want you just to ask yourself how you're doing.
Maybe some sensations in the body began to pop up,
Even when you just asked that question and that's okay.
We're going to fully welcome ourselves however we happen to be this evening.
Fully accepting ourselves,
Releasing any expectation.
This week during my classes,
We are working with this idea that nothing is constant.
We are in this constant state of being fluid,
And so some moments we are in these really lovely places,
And other moments we're a little bit unsettled.
And so we're just going to meet ourselves where we are this evening.
Let's just all first start together by noticing our fluid breath.
When you begin to inhale,
The breath will travel in through the body,
Maybe the nose or the mouth.
It lowers down through the torso.
And then when you exhale,
It travels back up and then out the body.
Just staying with this simple breath,
This simple fluid breath.
Maybe for you as you begin,
You're just internally watching the breath traveling down using your imagery,
And then traveling back up with the exhale.
Or maybe for you,
It's a bit easier or connecting to feel the physical body moving with the inhale.
So areas of the body will begin to expand with the inhale,
And then release and gently fall with the exhale.
So staying with whatever anchors you the most to your breath.
And if there's moments that we begin to think,
You can even just say thinking.
And that is being present by noticing that,
And just direct your attention back into the breath again.
Keeping it very simple.
Beginning to add on a bit now bringing the awareness into your belly.
So as you focus on the belly,
You can feel the inhale expand the belly.
And as you exhale,
The belly gently falls.
And then adding on one more thing to this belly breath.
We're going to count the exhale starting with 10 all the way back down to zero.
And with each count backwards,
We will release,
Let go,
And surrender a little bit more than the number before.
And so you can follow as I start if your breath is not linking up with mine,
You don't have to.
As you inhale,
The belly expands.
Exhale 10,
Release.
Inhaling whenever you're ready.
Exhaling nine,
Releasing a bit more.
And then I want you to count with your breath all the way back down to zero.
And when you have made your way back to the number zero,
Feeling the body soften,
Release,
Maybe even a bit heavier.
Now beginning to transport ourselves to a beautiful beach.
You can imagine yourself sitting on the solid stable sand.
And as you look out in front of you,
You can see the beautiful sea.
Seeing the blue skies above the horizon line.
And as you look out into the ocean,
Noticing the move,
The waves gently moving.
Maybe perhaps you can even feel the warmth of the sun above you.
A gentle breeze.
Fully immersing yourself in the scenery.
Using all the senses to connect to this imagery.
And as you watch the ocean,
You see that each of the waves travel up on the shore closer to you.
And then they are pulled back into the massive sea.
And there's this calming and peaceful sensation that comes across to you as you just watch each wave traveling in and then back out,
Almost as if the ocean is breathing.
And as you continue to watch that,
Linking your breath up with the ocean.
So as this wave travels in,
You inhale.
And as the wave travels back out away from you,
Seated on the beach,
You exhale.
Just as we did before,
If the mind wanders at any point,
Noticing it does,
And coming back to your inhale.
And your exhale.
As you connect to the ocean.
Now as you sit here,
You're feeling called to begin to start walking.
Staying in that meditative place.
Beginning to rise very slowly.
And as you walk,
You meditatively walk.
Maybe you stay with the breath.
Or maybe you even just feel your feet sinking slightly into the soft sand.
Having no destination.
Being fully present as you take each step.
And as you continue to walk,
You look ahead of you and see a beautiful white temple.
And this temple feels peaceful and safe.
And you feel the need to start to walk towards it.
Staying present with each step.
And when you reach the door,
You begin to walk inside into this beautiful foyer.
In this grand,
Beautiful white foyer,
You see pictures of saints,
Gurus,
Deities,
Angels.
Those who guide us.
Now feeling called to begin to walk up the stairs right in front of you.
And just like we walked on the beach,
Staying in that meditative place.
Staying present.
And having no expectation of what you might find.
And the higher you go up the stairs,
The lighter you feel.
Almost as if you are releasing weight with each step as you travel upwards.
Almost as if you are releasing a backpack that has been weighing on your shoulders.
When you make your way to the top of the stairs,
You see a room right in front of you and the door is open.
And you're called to walk in.
As you enter,
You see a figure sitting at a table right in front of you.
And there's an empty chair right in front of them.
The figure smiles at you,
Greeting you.
And gestures for you to sit down.
Once you sit down in front of this person or figure,
Maybe you can see them clearly,
Maybe not.
And they say to you,
How may I help you,
My dear?
Taking this moment to ask a question or ask advice.
Maybe even asking,
What is the message I need to know now?
When you sit here,
You feel the chair supporting your back and underneath of your legs.
You feel your breath.
Gently inhaling and exhaling.
And with no expectation,
You just sit.
Maybe you hear something.
Or you see an image or colors.
Or you feel something or just know.
Maybe it's just silence.
You can just stay in that silence.
Taking this opportunity to be open and present.
And releasing any control surrounding any answer.
And beginning to finish up where you are.
And even if you did not receive an answer right now,
Trust that you will.
At the right moment.
Thanking this person for any guidance,
Any message.
And then making your way back down the stairs slowly.
Eventually back out the door.
Back onto the beach.
And sit down for a couple more moments.
One last time.
And as you inhale.
Reciting the words to yourself.
Sa,
Ta,
Na,
Ma.
And exhaling the same.
Sa,
Ta,
Na,
Ma.
So S-A-T-A-N-A-M-A.
Sa,
Ta,
Na,
Ma.
And this mantra symbolizes birth,
Life,
Death,
And rebirth.
Reminding ourselves that we are in this constant state of flow.
And staying here for our final moments.
Until you hear the bell chime.
Releasing the mantra and the attention to the breath.
Beginning to bring yourself back into the space where you're located.
Feeling yourself supported.
Whether you're lying down or seated.
Feeling the areas that support you.
Feeling the physical body and the breath.
One last time.
If you are seated,
You can bring your hands into prayer position in front of the heart center.
If you're lying down,
Just stack one hand on the center of your chest.
The other hand on top.
This is the area in our body where we energetically connect to love.
So it's where our heart chakra is located.
The word chakra just means wheel.
So it's an energy center surrounding love.
So this is the place when it is awakened and alive.
Where we can send love to other people as well as ourselves.
First from this space,
I want you to send love out to somebody.
Maybe perhaps it's someone you love deeply.
Someone who needs it.
Maybe even just the first person that came to your mind.
And then sending love back to yourself.
Maybe even sending love surrounding the idea of this fluidity that we worked with this evening.
So if you're doing well and feeling content.
Staying in that present space.
Maybe if you're feeling a bit unsettled.
Being gentle on yourself this evening,
This week.
Sending yourself a little message that you might need to hear right now.
And reminding yourself that when you leave this class,
This evening,
Or this week.
You can always come back to the breath.
You can come back to the imagery of the ocean.
Or even using that mantra.
Sat-ta-na-ma.
A couple simple steps that just bring us back into our body.
From my heart space to each of yours.
I am deeply grateful that you have joined me this evening.
Namaste.
