Let's begin with a bell.
Wherever you are is where you begin.
Whatever that means to you physically,
Emotionally,
Or spiritually,
That's how we'll start.
No judgment,
There's nothing good or bad in particular about how you start.
You can take a few moments to notice where you're beginning.
Any tension or tightness?
Any lightness of spirits,
Distraction,
Fantasy,
Worry?
Are you already attuned and present?
No beginning is better than any other beginning.
No beginning is better than any other beginning.
And all beginnings are difficult.
But come into that beginning.
Come into your starting position.
Maybe you want to honor yourself with a deep breath or a gentle yawning.
A kind word to yourself.
I love you,
Self.
I respect you.
You are my favorite self I've ever known.
Maybe it's time for your eyes to close.
Maybe it's time for your mouth to smile.
You don't have to force any outcome.
But you might want to experiment.
See what feels right at this moment.
Take a moment to acknowledge the good thing you're doing for yourself just by taking time to meditate.
And then feel the weight of your body sinking in.
The volume it takes up and its mass.
Don't resist gravity anymore.
Settle down.
As you settle down,
Maybe there's a part of you that feels light.
And let that part float.
Extend you long as parts of you settle down and parts of you float up.
There you are right in the middle of it all.
At this point,
You might notice you're breathing.
You are breathing.
And at this point,
It might be shallow or deep.
Quick or slow.
Observe that and then if you'd like,
You could breathe in deeper.
Breathe in deeper and out slower.
Start extending your breath in and out.
Longer and slower.
Maybe your breath is a vehicle for stretching out your body.
For loosening any tight joints or extending your spine.
Or just feeding yourself with oxygen so you relax even more.
That would be good.
All the way in and all the way down and slowly out.
It's normal to get distracted,
So when you do,
Not if you do,
But when,
Just take note that you're distracted and then come back to meditating.
Come back to being in your body more actively.
But don't reprimand yourself for getting lost.
It just means your brain is alive and doing what it's supposed to do.
Take a deep breath in.
In this meditation,
We're gonna draw in and then float out a few times.
Like a bird coming into its nest and then flying away across the open country and then returning.
Mostly,
I'll just gently cue you to come in,
To let go and to come back and we'll do it again.
And in this way,
Wandering is a good thing.
Start by coming more deeply into yourself like a bird resting in its nest,
Like a child with its mother or even in the womb.
Come into yourself,
Drawing into the core of your body and the intimate recesses of yourself.
Draw down,
Draw in,
Draw towards self.
Breathe into that deeply,
Holding it,
Holding your sense of self.
And exhale and breathe again,
Exhale.
Take a moment to imagine a bird on your hand,
Any sort of bird,
Something you would find beautiful and special and meaningful.
And how you would send it away to fly out over the open country.
And then let yourself and spirit fly away,
Drifting on currents out towards the openness,
The vastness of your being.
Currents out towards the openness,
The vast country,
Even the unknown,
Fearful and wonderful as it may be.
Letting yourself float out and up and away,
Drifting sometimes coasting on thermal currents,
Viewing the beauty of the land and fields below you,
The vast landscape,
The open air.
And then call yourself back call yourself in from the out,
Welcome yourself in to the core of self,
To the nest or the dovecote,
Back home.
Drawing in heavy and slow and also light,
Quiet and still.
And then invite yourself to go back out,
To fly away,
To float out and drift over the open country in the landscape of your mind,
Just going.
And going open and vast and expansive.
Floating,
Drifting,
Flying above it all,
Keenly observing and free.
Invite yourself back in to the womb,
The nest,
The home,
Self,
Your body,
Just bring it all back in.
Your thoughts and awareness,
Gather them up.
Settling back in,
Slowing down,
Heavy,
Still,
Quiet.
And one more time going away,
Letting your soul bird fly,
Giving it free reign to explore the open country,
Up and away.
Fast and beyond,
Going and going.
Drifting,
Expansive and expanding.
Wow.
And finally calling yourself back in with all of the experience of the broad world,
Drawing it back,
Back home into self and body.
Recalling,
Gently cooing to bring yourself in.
Breathing into that.
Draw in with the inhale and down as you exhale.
Take three deep breaths.
In and down.
