And so if you aren't already getting in a comfortable position,
And you can do this either seated or lying down,
The idea is to just have some form of straight spine because that allows for an ease of breathing.
Starting by noticing your body here,
And just being aware of the positioning of your body,
And also at this time in the day,
How your body is feeling,
And being aware specifically if there's any areas that are holding or feel a sense of tension.
And if you do notice that,
Just seeing if you can allow that to soften or adjust your body,
A moment of softening,
Releasing into this space,
Into this moment of your life.
And beginning to notice how your body is also just naturally breathing.
You may want to notice where you're breathing most prominently,
Being curious about that.
Tip of the nose or the nostrils,
The chest,
The abdomen.
Maybe it's your whole body breathing.
Whatever it is,
Breathing in and just this acknowledgement that you're breathing in.
And then breathing out and just this acknowledgement that you're breathing out as it's happening.
Settling into presence with your body,
With your breath,
And just letting be.
Monochromia.
And of course,
If at any point during our practice,
Throughout the entire practice,
You catch your mind drifting onto your own to-do list,
Maybe,
Or maybe onto a worry or of some form of planning or rehearsing or anything like that.
Just notice that thinking,
It's okay.
That's just what our minds do,
Thinking.
Soften your body again,
Very gently come back.
Your body just naturally doing what it's doing,
So settling into a sense of being present with what's here.
And as you're breathing in,
Sensing into the nourishment of this breath,
It's as if you're giving yourself every breath as a gift,
Feeding your cells,
Bringing in the nutrition to allow your cells and your body to function.
Breathing in,
It's like you're wrapping yourself in your own warm hug.
Breathing out,
Just releasing,
Relaxing into this space.
Breathing out.
Breathing out.
And even taking a moment just to check in right now as your body's naturally breathing,
As you're breathing in this nourishment that's here,
Notice how your body's doing.
If there's any holding or tensing there,
Including your face,
Just allow that to soften.
Allow yourself to readjust to being here,
Remembering that for this period of time,
There's just a sense of being present to this practice,
To your life.
It's this gift of space you're giving yourself.
Soften your body,
Allowing your body to naturally breathe,
An attentiveness on being present to your breath,
And in this case,
Breathing in,
Breathing in whatever you're needing.
What is it you're needing during this time of your life or during this moment?
Breathing in the sense of ease,
Maybe a sense of connection,
A sense of love,
A sense of warmth,
A sense of belonging,
Strength.
Breathing in whatever it is that you're needing.
Light.
Breathing out,
Relaxing,
And letting be.
Allowing yourself to receive.
Allowing yourself to be.
And then taking a moment to maybe consider someone in your life that is someone you really care about.
Maybe it's a group of people that you care about,
A group of people that you,
Or an individual or an animal that you love.
And picturing them for a moment in their best moment.
And breathing in whatever it is,
Again,
That you're needing,
That you're bringing into yourself,
That sense of nourishment,
That sense of light.
And then the exhalation,
Breathing out that same light,
Whatever that was to this person or this group of people or this animal.
And just if you're breathing in one for me,
And you're breathing out one for you,
In this case you're sending love.
And one for me.
One for you.
One for you.
And practicing if you can take a moment to expand beyond this group to include,
Or this person to include this person or the group that was in your sphere to now include all the people that are here with you practicing from around the world right now.
No doubt there are many people that are practicing this sense of presence,
This sense of loving right now in this moment.
Formally within a meditation and also informally in daily life.
So right now in this moment though,
Breathing in whatever it was,
This sense of nourishment,
This sense of light,
Take a moment to receive that.
Breathing out,
Sending that out as if it was flowing out through your out breath from your heart to your out breath to everyone else around this world right now that's practicing with you.
Breathing in one for me,
Breathing out,
Sending it out,
Imagining it,
Touching all those people.
Allowing your body to naturally breathe,
Receiving on the inhalation and giving on the exhalation,
Passing into that connection that's here.
No sounds.
Breathing in,
Sensing the encouragement of light against your being.
Breathing out,
Encouraging the light into other people's lives.
Breathing out,
Encouraging the light into other people's lives.
Breathing out,
Encouraging the light into other people's lives.
Now taking a moment to just come back to you,
Your body just naturally breathing,
Sensing how you're feeling,
Sensing how it feels to give,
Sensing how it feels to receive.
The holiday season often highlights the sense of giving and receiving,
Highlights the sense of recognizing the light within ourselves and the light within others.
Taking a moment to allow your attention to simmer on what's here,
Allowing it to simmer on the light within you.
Allowing your body to naturally breathe,
Sensing into the peace and light that's here.
Allowing your attention to the light within yourself.
And as we begin to bring this practice to a close,
Just a reminder of a quote by the poet Hafiz.
How did the rose ever open up and showed the world all its beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light against its being.
Otherwise,
We all remain too frightened.
It felt the encouragement of light against its being.
May we recognize,
Continue to recognize and fan the flame of the light within ourselves through this holiday season and recognize and fan the flame of the light within the other people we come in contact with.
May we recognize,
Continue to recognize and fan the flame of the light within ourselves
