Welcome to this 10-minute guided meditation.
I'm glad you're here.
Let's get started.
Take a minute to ensure that you are comfortable,
And when you're ready,
Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale.
And another deep breath in and a slow exhale.
Just simply allowing your body and your breath to settle into this moment.
Now,
Shift your focus onto your body and bring your attention to your head and face.
Allow your attention to fall down to your eyes,
Your mouth,
And your neck.
If you notice any tightness,
Just allow it to soften.
You might even gently allow your head to roll or move it from side to side to release any tension.
Then,
Continue scanning down through your shoulders,
Your arms,
And hands.
If anything at all feels tight or constricted,
Just let the muscles relax.
Breathe in and out,
Just allowing your body to relax and to rest.
Now,
Move your awareness down your chest,
Through your abdomen,
Your legs,
And finally,
Your feet.
Letting go of any stress or tension.
Allowing your entire body to soften and settle.
As you practice being here now,
You may notice that your mind has wandered,
And that's fine.
You may be having some thoughts about what you are doing or why you are doing this.
This is normal.
This is normal.
Our minds are very busy and thinking is one important part of what they do.
Recognizing when our mind has wandered is actually a big part of the meditation practice.
Every time you realize your attention is not in the present,
It's actually a mindful moment.
And when this happens,
You simply guide your attention back to the breath.
No need to judge yourself or your thoughts.
You simply practice being present right here,
Right now.
Noticing what it feels like to breathe in and out.
You might feel the rise and fall of your chest,
Or feel the expansion and the flattening of your abdomen.
Allowing yourself to be here now.
Just breathing.
And again,
You may notice your mind wandering,
And this is normal.
You might note the content of your thoughts before letting them pass.
Are you thinking about the future?
Thinking about the past?
Planning?
Daydreaming?
Whatever thoughts have arisen,
You simply let them go without judging.
Because every time you bring your focus back to your breath,
You're strengthening your ability to stay in the present.
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
You might check in again with your body to make sure you haven't tensed up any muscles.
And just soften any areas that might feel tight.
Just allow yourself to rest and be supported by the chair,
The cushion,
Or the floor,
Whatever is supporting you.
It's your time to simply sit and breathe.
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
As we near the end of this meditation,
Take a moment to appreciate yourself for taking time to pause and just breathe.
Some days might be easier than others,
And that's normal.
And even if you think you're not making progress,
Rest assured that every 10 minutes of practice is building your capacity to breathe.
Every 10 minutes of practice is building your capacity to be calm in the face of challenges.
And when you're ready,
Prepare yourself to come back into the room.
Wiggle your fingers and toes,
And then gently open your eyes.
Take care,
And be well.
