Take a moment to settle into time.
You are no longer planning to get here.
You are no longer getting here.
Here you are at your meditation.
Before we begin,
Be sure that your body is comfortable.
Whether you're sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Or perhaps you are cross-legged,
Sitting up tall,
Or perhaps you are lying prone.
Just be comfortable in your body.
And as you settle into your comfortable body,
I invite you to step out of time,
And I will hold time for you for the next little while.
With a long,
Deep,
Luscious breath,
Fill your lungs to the very bottom,
And release on the outward breath.
Notice your breath,
Allowing it to become deep and long,
Slow and calm.
In and out.
Noticing that on the inward breath,
Your diaphragm drops and your belly expands.
Your ribs expand,
And the very top of your chest,
As you fill the bottom,
The middle,
And the upper of your lungs.
Notice that on the outward breath,
Your diaphragm rises,
Your belly contracts,
Your ribs contract,
And the top of your chest falls,
As you empty,
Empty,
Empty your lungs.
Take a few breaths to settle into a natural rhythm.
A natural,
Comfortable,
Slow,
Long,
Deep rhythm.
As you settle into your breath,
Have you noticed your body settling also?
On each outward breath,
Bring your full attention to the part of the body that I name,
And allow that part of your body to soften,
Release,
Let go.
Breathing in,
And on the outward breath,
Bring your full attention to your toes and your feet.
As you release your breath,
Allow this sense of softening,
Releasing,
Letting go in your toes and your feet.
And on the next outward breath,
Your calves,
Shin,
Knees,
And thighs,
Soften,
Release,
Let go.
And on the next outward breath,
Your hips,
Your belly,
Your bottom,
Soften,
Release,
Let go.
On the next outward breath,
Your chest and back,
Bring your full attention to a sense of softening,
Releasing,
Letting go.
On the next outward breath,
Notice your spine.
Be sure that it is straight.
It takes no effort to sit perfectly balanced or lie straight,
One vertebrae atop the other,
In perfect harmony.
And with the outward breath,
Allow a softening,
A settling into this sense of balance in your spine.
On your next outward breath,
Bring your full attention to your shoulders.
You may like to pull them back and down and then release them into a natural and comfortable position.
Allow your shoulders to soften,
Release,
Let go.
On the next outward breath,
Bring your attention into your upper arms,
Elbows,
Lower arms,
Hands and fingers,
With a lovely sense of softening,
Releasing,
Letting go.
And then on the next outward breath,
Your neck and your head.
Allow them to settle perfectly atop your spine,
The sense of balance and harmony.
Feeling that it takes no effort to sit in perfect balance,
No effort to have your neck and head in perfect alignment with your spine.
Soften,
Release,
Let go into this position.
And then notice your jaw.
You might like to stretch and wriggle it a little bit.
We often carry tension there without being even aware.
And on your outward breath,
Soften,
Release,
Let go,
Placing your tongue behind your top teeth.
And on the next outward breath,
Your brow and eyes.
Be sure your brow is not furrowed.
Allow it to soften.
Notice your eyes.
Are they closed or soft focus?
And soften,
Release,
Let go.
And then on the next breath,
As you release your breath,
Sweep your attention,
Sweep your intention from the top of your head right down to your toes with a lovely sense of arrival,
Softening,
Releasing,
Letting go.
If you find any spots of tightness or tension in your body as you sweep your awareness through your body,
Breathe into that and let go.
For the next few breaths,
Simply dwell in this place of arrival in your body,
Full awareness,
Full appreciation,
And a lovely sense of softening,
Belonging,
Letting go into your body.
As your body has softened and released,
Has your mind settled?
Notice your thoughts.
Have they too slowed and softened?
Have they too settled?
Thoughts arise because that's what they do.
Have you noticed that you do not need to follow your thoughts?
You can simply bring them back with your breath and allow them to settle.
And a breath or two,
Simply watching your thoughts arise and allowing them to settle.
Now,
In your mind now,
Visualize or imagine an ideal place,
A place where you feel perfectly at ease.
Imagine that you are right now in that place.
Perhaps you are sitting on a beach with warm sand supporting you,
Gentle sunlight on your back and a soft breeze and the sound of the ocean.
Notice the sounds,
The sensations on your skin and notice that in this place,
You feel fully centered and grounded and at peace.
Perhaps for you,
This place is a forest,
Green and cool.
Maybe there's some water nearby or perhaps this place is a favorite place in your home,
A favorite window seat,
A comfortable blanket.
Allow your mind to gently rove around until you find that place that is perfect for you,
That place where you feel centered,
Grounded,
Quiet,
At peace.
What are the bodily sensations of that place?
Is it cool or warm,
Comfortable,
Soft?
What are the smells in that place?
If you were to open your eyes in that place,
What would you see?
Take these moments to visualize,
Imagine and allow yourself to feel how it is for you in this place where you are peaceful,
Centered,
Grounded and completely quiet.
Spend a few moments now sinking into the sense of quiet,
Of being centered,
Of being grounded,
Perfectly at ease.
Visual thoughts as you see,
Feel,
Imagine,
Vision yourself in this place.
Allow your thoughts to settle and notice how it feels in your body,
Your breath and your thoughts to be centered,
Grounded and quiet in this way.
For the next few minutes,
Simply breathe and be in this place.
I will stop speaking and we will practice together.
We will experience that sense of centered,
Grounded,
Peaceful,
Quiet and should your mind wander,
Simply bring your attention back to your breath,
Back to your body and back to your vision of this perfect place.
Deep.
As you settle deeper and deeper into this sense of centeredness,
This feeling of being grounded,
Quiet,
Peaceful,
Notice the thoughts that do arise from this place,
From this grounded place.
What thoughts arise?
What is the nature of the thoughts that arise from this place?
Are they too quietly grounded and centered?
Are they too calm and peaceful?
Simply notice and then gently draw your attention back to your breath.
As you settle deeper and deeper into this sense of centeredness,
This feeling of being grounded,
You may like to dwell longer in this place of peace,
Quiet,
Centeredness and groundedness.
Or you may be ready to stretch your toes,
Breathe deeply and bring your awareness back to the here and now.
Whatever you choose,
My wish for you is this,
May you be safe,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
