Hello,
This is Beth.
I'm going to be your guide for this meditation.
When we are stressed,
Challenged,
Anxious,
Afraid,
We may know that meditation would be the best for us.
But despite our best attempts,
It can be so hard to release the cause of our worry or concern.
This meditation is meant to help you ground in your body,
Let go of whatever bone you've been chewing on,
And relax into and be enfolded by the truth of your being.
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Be sure to follow my profile here on Insight Timer.
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So please come into a comfortable seated position.
And as you settle,
Feel whatever is in contact with your support surface.
Feel that connection there,
That relationship.
That sense of being held,
Supported.
And now,
Take a full breath in through the nose,
Hold gently,
And when you release,
Release through the mouth and allow all tension that is ready to leave to be exhaled.
Pay attention to what you notice in your body.
As you begin to release,
You may feel a clenching,
A protective response or agitation.
It's okay.
No need to judge.
Just notice.
Take another breath.
And again,
When you release,
Give permission to that protective part of yourself,
To release whatever is on your mind and whatever is being held in your body.
Just be with the melting,
The softening.
Allow it to happen.
And if it doesn't,
Allow that too.
And simply take another intentional breath in through the nose and out through the mouth,
Releasing as much as you can.
Even if it's just a letting go of the jaw or a softening of the eyes or a releasing down of the shoulders,
Maybe even a softening of the belly.
Now thoughts may arise.
We have thoughts of the past often enough,
Thinking of maybe conversations or interactions gone wrong or challenging situations we wish we had controlled better.
Let go of these thoughts because they are just thoughts.
The reality is you're here now,
Listening.
Stay with the real.
Now thoughts can also move to the future,
To the things we know we have to do,
Take care of,
Or things that we fear but know we have to meet.
These too are just thoughts.
They aren't real in this moment.
Notice that and let them go.
Stay with what's real,
This present moment.
Sensation in the body,
Your breath in and out.
Sometimes if we've been holding a lot in or back,
Letting go like this can bring up any unfelt or unprocessed emotions.
So I invite you now to cross your arms,
Laying a hand on each shoulder.
Do this in whatever way is comfortable.
There's no right or wrong.
Just feel the weight of your own arms crisscrossed in front of your heart.
With the weight of your own hands,
Your hands resting on your shoulders.
Feel the reassurance of your own arms around you.
And allow this to settle you more deeply into your body and into this moment.
Feel how your breath moves against,
Into,
The weight of your arms and how your arms respond by falling back in towards your body with the exhalation.
Can you feel the breath stretching you from inside,
Maybe even moving into your chest?
That space between the shoulder blades as you inhale.
Now release your arms and relax.
Notice that any thought you have,
Any narration of this present moment,
Whether it be a noticing I'm breathing or I feel tight here or I sense this or that.
These too are just thoughts.
They're thoughts arising in the moment,
But they have no reality of their own.
You are breathing,
But it's just a sensation.
It's an experience.
And you may very well be sensing or feeling parts of your body.
But these too don't need words.
You don't need to describe with your mind everything that you are experiencing.
Let go of the thoughts and rest in the real.
Notice this space of pure awareness,
Free from thoughts of past,
Future,
Or even current constructs of the mind.
What remains?
Can you sense a shimmering energy?
You are.
And everything else is added to it.
Subtract what has been added and return to the space of pure awareness.
To zero.
Feel the mystery and expanse of pure being.
Feel the simplicity of letting go,
Of doing,
Of thinking,
Of trying.
You already are and have always been.
What need have you of anything?
As we draw this practice to a close,
Know that you're always welcome to stay in silence with yourself for as long as you wish.
But if you're ready to come back from this experience,
To reclaim the identity of your true self,
Do so lightly.
Perhaps wiggle fingers and toes.
Allow a full breath.
Swallow and feel that golden liquid of saliva all around your tongue,
Coating your throat.
And gently,
Lovingly,
Open your eyes to all that has been added to the truth of your being.
See it with clarity,
With eyes of love and gratitude for all that you've been given.
And allow a gentle smile to arise on your face.
Or in your heart,
If that feels more true.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
That completes our meditation.
