Finding Your Presence (With Music)

It can be easy to lose our connection with ourselves, to lose our presence, to live in the past or in the future, to feel groundless, bereft of support. But, meditation is a way, a practice, a skill you can use whenever you’re lost or when you just want to remember your own connection to yourself, to be present. This meditation is a way to ground, to center, to find and to hold onto your presence, just as you are in this moment.

Transcript

Welcome. It can be easy to lose our connection with ourselves, To lose our presence, To live in the past or in the future, To feel groundless, Bereft of support. But meditation is a way, A practice, A skill you can use whenever you're lost or when you just want to remember your own connection to yourself, To ground, To be present. You can use this meditation in any free time you have, In between activities, In preparation for the next item on your to-do list, In the transition between tasks. Maybe a few minutes will be enough for you. This meditation is a way to ground, A way to center, For a time you can rest in the grace of the world and be free. So perhaps start by taking a few intentional breaths. Let them be natural, Nourishing. Simply feel your presence right here where you are on planet Earth, The third rock of an undistinguished star in an obscure corner of the galaxy. Feel your space, Your place, This particular environment in which you find yourself. Let the sounds around you, The colors, The shapes, The movements begin to rise in your attention. Whatever is in your environment right now, Let it wash over you. Notice, Smell, Hear, See, Touch, Taste. Let the evidence of your senses guide you back to yourself. Allow yourself to become more aware of your own body. Allow your proprioception to inform you of the position you're in right now. Know in your mind, In your heart, Through the evidence of your body, That no matter what position you are in or where you are, You are supported by the Earth. You sit on this rock. Its gravity pulls against you, Creates your weight, Informs you that yes, You are supported, Held, Bolstered. As you feel yourself being cradled by gravity, By the Earth, Perhaps again feel your breath. Maybe it grows a bit deeper as you notice it. Let your exhales go as you feel held. Exhales are opportunities. Something inside can relax, Can let go. A space can be created, But it can't be. If it feels right, You might gently bring your hands to your heart for a moment, Your palms to your chest. Feel your warmth, The movement of breath beneath your hands. Inhales, Exhales. They're your connection to the blanket of air surrounding this rock on which you perch, This atmosphere. We are always breathing this atmosphere. We always have this intimate connection with the planet, Our rock. It nourishes us, Supports us, And perhaps provides another way of remembering your presence here, Your breath, Your life. Let go. Feel and acknowledge the space all around you, To your left, Your right, Below you, And extending forever the space above you. Breathe with the knowledge that you are in the larger body of space. This atmosphere of Earth you are breathing, This light around you, The sky, The moon, The sun, The billions of stars, The vastness of it all, Space. Let go. There is room to breathe. There is room to be in the vastness of it all. Take a few spacious breaths with this feeling of vastness. Room to be. The Earth, The moon, The sun, Billions of other stars, Extending beyond our ability to measure. There is space, Room for you to breathe into, Room for you to expand your presence into. There is room for you to breathe into. There is room for you to breathe into. There is room for you to breathe into. Now you might gently become more aware of your very particular space, Your spot on planet Earth, Your ground right now, Feeling your environment again, Your place within it, Feeling your presence, This moment of being alive, Your individual presence within the larger field of life, Of love, Your particular embodiment of these energies, Energies of being alive. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. If you feel like it, You might bring your hands back to your heart. Feel all that is in your heart and all that is pulsing in your body, Your thoughts, Your sensations, Yourself grounded in vastness. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. You are alive. Feeling your presence, Consider how you want to remember this presence, This space for you within the vastness of all. As you begin a gentle transition back across the bridge from inner to outer, Preparing to meet your next activity, Whatever it is, Bring back with you this connection to self, Your presence, The support, The spaciousness, And the way you want to show up for yourself and for others. Taking a few more breaths, Feeling the nourishment, The power, This creative freedom, The spaciousness, The grounding that is your presence. Gently open to feel this environment once again, Right where you are, The sounds, Sights, Smells, But staying in touch with yourself, Even as you open to move and to breathe and to be, To share your presence with others, With this world. Welcome back.