Finding a comfortable position,
Lying down or seated in an upright,
Balanced position.
Back straight but relaxed,
Feet flat on the floor and allowing your eyes to gently close.
Simply noticing how the body feels right now and just letting your awareness rest here.
Seeing if you can let go of any thoughts or concerns about the past or the future.
As you give yourself the gift of simply resting your mind through this practice.
And now tuning into the heart.
And perhaps reflecting on the question of what matters most to you.
And what are the elements that contribute most to your genuine happiness and flourishing.
And just allowing thoughts,
Images or words to come to mind.
And perhaps things will come to mind that you haven't connected with for a while.
Allowing those thoughts to dissolve back into the space of the mind.
And now bringing your attention back into the body.
Feeling any sensations in the body.
And just taking a moment to bring gratitude to the body.
The many systems that are harmonizing,
Coordinating together in each moment of the day.
Without your awareness.
The heart beating.
The lungs breathing.
The stomach,
Belly taking in nourishment.
And the mysterious brain.
And just bringing awareness to the whole body now.
And with each out-breath allowing your whole body to release and relax.
Completely letting go of any tension or holding that's in the body with every out-breath.
Bringing your attention to the face.
Allowing it to be relaxed.
Allowing the muscles of the forehead to be soft and open.
Softening the muscles around the eyes.
Bringing your attention to the cheeks and jaw where we hold a lot of tension unconsciously.
Seeing if you can relax and release the jaw.
And sensing the neck and shoulders now.
And softening and releasing all the muscles of the neck and the shoulders with each out-breath.
And bringing your awareness now to the miracle of the breath.
Feeling the breath as it moves in and out of the body.
Sensing the ribs as they expand with the in-breath and fall back with the out-breath.
Allowing the belly to be soft.
And receiving each breath into a softened belly.
And if you notice the mind has wandered off at any point.
Just bringing a little smile to your face in recognition because this is a mindful moment.
Where you notice you've been carried away.
And so just releasing and letting go of the thoughts.
And gently bringing your attention back to this breath.
And not thinking about the breath,
But rather feeling the breath.
Bringing a curiosity to this miracle of the breath.
Allowing the breath to be effortless.
As if you were deeply asleep.
With each out-breath just relaxing and releasing in the body.
And remembering if the mind wanders off.
Just feel an internal smile and with kindness and gentleness.
Simply recognizing the nature of the mind to wander.
And just gently bringing your attention back to the breath at the belly.
Just let go of any concerns about the future or the past.
Just for the next few minutes and allowing yourself to rest in stillness.
With this breath.
And this breath.
Just seeing if you can rest with one full breath.
And if thoughts come to mind,
Just using the out-breath as if it were a small gust of wind blowing away dry leaves.
Just releasing thoughts with each out-breath.
And noticing where your attention is in this moment.
And gently bringing it back to the breath in the body as it flows in and out.
And just letting go of any concerns about the future or the past.
And as this practice comes to a close,
Perhaps connecting again to your intention for practicing meditation.
And now just bringing to mind something you feel grateful for in your life.
Big or small.
And just allowing things to spontaneously come to mind.
Thoughts,
Words or images.
Noticing how this gratitude feels in the body and how it can nourish a sense of inner happiness and well-being.
And then acknowledging that the desire to be happy is a universal desire amongst all human beings.
And so now with each out-breath,
Just sending an intention.
May all human beings,
Both known and unknown,
Find the happiness that they seek.
And as this practice comes to a close,
Just resting your attention on the sound of the bell.
And noticing when the sound dissolves into silence.
