So when you're ready,
Settling in a comfortable position,
Gently closing down the eyes if that feels right,
Begin to direct your attention from your outer world to your inner world,
The world of sensation and presence.
Let's begin by taking a couple of deep breaths,
Breathing in and breathing out.
And with every exhalation,
Start to invite a softness to your body as you arrive into this moment.
Continue to follow your breath slowly in its own rhythm and pace.
Maintain a soft focus all the way from the beginning of the inhale through to the completion of the exhale.
And one more time.
Notice how this simple act of breathing can feel extraordinary when approached with wonder and appreciation.
With each inhalation,
An opportunity to start anew.
With each exhalation,
An opportunity to let go.
Each cycle of breath,
Miraculous if you allow it to be.
Each breath is a perfect reset.
It brings us back to the present moment every time.
So for the next minute or so,
We're going to practice coming back to the breath again and again.
In ancient Chinese culture,
Space is regarded as of utmost importance.
According to the Tao Te Ching,
We join spokes together in a wheel,
But it is the center hole that makes the wagon move.
We shape clay into a pot,
But it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.
We hammer wood for a house,
But it is the space that makes it livable.
Between each breath,
There is a space,
The space to come home to yourself,
The space to slow down,
The space to reconnect.
This is your space,
The space after each breath.
We've come to know that this is where the magic lies.
So go ahead and have a play.
You may wish to lengthen each pause between the inhalation and exhalation.
You may wish to rest your attention on the breath,
Or you may wish to count each pause within the breath.
There's no right way.
There's no wrong way.
You don't need words to describe it,
But to sense and experience this moment.
So we'll just sit for another minute or so to explore what it means to be present with the spaces in between.
Life unfolds in the present moment,
A continuous stream of now.
Each breath we take is an invitation to fully engage with our existence.
By embracing the mantra,
This moment is all there is,
We open ourselves to the richness of life as it happens.
In the present moment,
There is joy.
There is peace,
Especially when you're present with yourself.
You might find that you can always discover so much more.
Slowly bring your awareness to the space around you.
Begin to notice the support beneath you,
The sounds in the space,
The sensations in your body,
Perhaps gently making some movements in your fingers and in your toes.
And if you like,
Take one deep inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Gently blink open your eyes,
Feeling renewed as you meet this moment.
Have a wonderful day or evening ahead.
