And I'm going to invite you to choose a position that feels best for you.
So if you always meditate seated and tonight you maybe feel a little bit more sluggish and tired,
Then go ahead and lay down.
If you want to close the eyes,
This might be the opportunity to do so.
Ensuring that you feel safe once you close the eyes.
And then whatever position you have chosen for yourself,
Go ahead and take up space.
Ensure that you feel supported,
And if you're seated,
You feel upright,
But not rigid.
So you want to feel that the spine is elongated,
But you don't want to feel like you're putting in a lot of work.
That might start to distract us a bit.
And if you're lying down,
Maybe perhaps putting something underneath of your knees.
It's always nice for our lower back to have a pillow or a blanket underneath of our knees.
And I gave quite a bit of an opening as we began this session today.
And I'm sure as I was starting to explaining my story,
Maybe a story of your own popped up,
Maybe even some ideas related to that started coming into your head.
And I'm going to invite you,
If you can possibly,
To just let that go.
We will eventually work with a certain situation,
But I really want us to become open and not expecting anything.
So not thinking about how we can get from point A to point B.
Let's be really open to maybe taking a new path and making any final adjustments in your position.
As we begin this evening,
We're just going to start to breathe normally,
Just noticing your breath,
Kind of getting to know your breath in this exact present moment.
There's no right or wrong way that you're breathing.
It's okay if you breathe shallow.
It's okay if your breath feels rigid and not fluid.
This is just how you're breathing in this present moment.
And then we're going to begin to add on to our breath.
So that ujjayi breath that we discussed,
We're going to use that for exhale only.
So what our breath is going to look like is we're just going to inhale gently whenever you feel ready.
You don't have to follow me.
And then as you exhale,
Use that ujjayi,
That restricting of the throat,
That ocean sound.
And this is where we'll begin,
Inhaling and then exhaling that ujjayi.
And I want to invite you to continue with your own breath,
A pace and a length that feels comfortable for you.
And if all of a sudden you start inhaling ujjayi and exhaling as well,
Go for it.
If you are not liking the ujjayi,
Then you can just drop it and focus on your breath.
I do invite you though to maybe practice it a couple rounds just so you can find a pace and a length that works for you.
And again,
If it doesn't feel right in your body,
Then don't do it.
Now adding on a bit more.
Each time you exhale,
Let the body become heavier.
Letting the body become heavier.
Releasing any tension.
Maybe perhaps in your jaw,
Your neck,
Shoulders.
Maybe even in your hands,
Your belly,
If you feel like you're gripping.
Let that exhale release the body.
Taking note,
If your mind is starting to travel outside of this space,
That's perfectly normal if that's happening.
And so just notice and then redirect back into the breath again.
Now we're going to add on one more thing to the breath.
Inhaling,
Silently repeating to yourself the word peace.
And then exhaling the words let go.
Inhale peace.
Exhale,
Let go.
Inhale.
Maybe you've decided to drop the breath or maybe it feels really natural to you.
There is no right or wrong.
Staying what feels the most comfortable for your body in this moment.
And maybe as you exhale the let go you can visually see anything,
Leaving the body.
Maybe the let go is just the physical sensations of any tightness or holding.
Maybe perhaps you have some certain emotions that you want to just breathe them out.
Whatever you choose is perfect in this moment.
This is your practice.
And after your next exhale,
I'm going to invite you to expand your awareness inside the body and see what you might notice.
How does your jaw feel?
How do you feel?
Do you feel any tightness?
Does your lower jaw feel relaxed?
How are your shoulders and upper back feeling?
Just kind of scanning around in the body and seeing perhaps what you might notice.
And just keeping it really simple.
So if you have tightness in your shoulder,
Just noticing specifically where that tightness is.
Not getting too caught up in saying,
Oh,
It's tight because I'm stressed.
We're just going to drop that emotional aspect.
Just saying,
I feel this circle of pressure in my right shoulder in this specific spot.
And can you just sit with one of those physical sensations or maybe two?
Being really curious as to how that sensation feels.
If it is openness you feel,
How large is the openness?
Is it fluid?
If it's pressure that you feel,
Is it one single point,
Maybe the size of a dime?
Is it the size of a fist?
Now we're going to hit pause right there.
I want you to call to mind a situation right now where you're having a bit of trouble letting go.
Maybe it's a situation that is making you feel anxious.
Maybe it's a situation where you feel like you can just not let go and release.
Or maybe perhaps it's just how you're feeling right now,
Really tight and caught up in all the controlling of the details.
And as you think about where you are or a specific type of situation,
I want you to retune back in to the physical body.
What's different?
What's the same?
What's the same?
Just holding your awareness in these physical spots or maybe just choosing one.
And again,
You're doing it perfectly right in this moment.
Is there anything for this situation that you can do right now?
A way to control those controllables.
Would preparing something help you?
Would self-care help if it's just how you really feel?
Is it balance?
What does that look like?
Is it preparation in some sort of manner or gathering answers or asking for support?
And if at any moment the body just needs to move or sway or shake,
Don't feel like you need to stay still.
Then is there an aspect of this situation or a part of your life that cannot be controlled?
A place that it would be beneficial to just go with the flow,
See how it goes,
Maybe have fun.
And again,
Holding your awareness to that specific part.
I want you to feel love.
Maybe even sending love to that part.
Feeling love.
Feeling support.
Feeling your worthiness and your capabilities.
And I'm going to invite you just to sit in this place.
This place of trust.
This place of love.
Worthiness of capabilities.
Place of peace and ease and fluidity.
And feel it inside the body.
What does that fluidity and peace feel like to you?
A place of true surrender.
What does that feel like?
And just sit here.
We'll just be here for a moment or so.
And then come back to your breath.
Notice how you're breathing.
Without changing or elongating it.
Notice how you're physically feeling.
Feeling the body connected to either the floor below you or a chair.
Where's the body supported?
Where does the body feel heavy and connected to something below you?
And then beginning to connect to your heart center.
This is the space in the center of the chest.
This is where your heart chakra is located.
In this space with our awareness here,
Connect to yourself.
Connecting to yourself.
Maybe reminding yourself how worthy you are or capable.
Reminding yourself that you can trust situations.
You can trust yourself.
Connecting to yourself.
Reminding yourself that when we do pause,
Answers are within.
When we do pause,
It's when we find that balance.
And maybe sending any other final messages.
It could be just saying I love you and inserting your name.
Or I acknowledge you.
And then in this final moment,
From our heart space,
When we are filled with love for ourselves,
It's when we're able to send it to other people.
When our cups are full.
So taking an opportunity right now to send love to someone who might need it.
Someone you love dearly.
Maybe even just sending love to this community or this group practicing.
It is an honor practicing with you.
From my heart center to each of yours.
Namaste.
