Welcome.
My name is Elliot and I will be your guide for this meditation.
This is a relaxation meditation designed to bring you into a state of acceptance and surrender.
We'll be using our ability to be fully present as a tool to focus on surrendering to the moment.
Settle into a cross-legged posture with your hands open facing upward.
Maintain a straight back with its natural curves.
Sit with your face slightly upturned and allow your focus to shift between your eyebrows.
Then gently close the eyes and mouth.
I'd like to begin with a quote by Eckhart Tolle.
Always say yes to the present moment.
What could be more futile,
More insane than to create inner resistance to what already is?
What could be more insane than to oppose life itself,
Which is now and always now?
Surrender to what is.
Say yes to life and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.
This quote reminds us that it is much better and healthier to be present and say yes to life,
To be a part of life rather than against it.
Check in with the body,
Whether you're standing,
Sitting,
Or lying down.
The breath is relaxed and natural,
And you're just noticing how the body is in this present moment.
Follow each inhalation and each exhalation.
Don't try to change or alter it in any way.
Simply allow it to be just as it is.
Throughout this meditation,
Thoughts will arise.
Sensations in the body will arise.
Don't stop them.
Don't force them.
Just notice them and let them pass by,
Gently returning to the breath once again.
Notice the breath coming and going.
You may find the rhythm of the breath shifting or changing.
It may stay steady.
Whatever it is doing,
Just be with it.
Simply be with your breath,
Breathing in and breathing out.
Feel the breath in your nose,
Chest,
Abdomen.
Feel the breath in your entire body.
Let go of any effort and simply allow yourself to feel the breath rise and fall.
Now,
Turn your awareness to any sensations in the body.
See if you can welcome in any sensations that are there.
You may notice tightness somewhere,
Tingling,
Cold or warmth,
Perhaps an itch,
Spacious feeling or something else.
Even if you experience discomfort,
See if you can simply be present with whatever sensations arise without trying to push them away or change them.
Notice what it feels like to accept and be with whatever is there without resistance.
Notice what it is like to experience any body sensations while trying to drop the story or thoughts around these sensations.
Let any sensations come and go without getting pulled by the gravitation of your thoughts.
Let any sensations come and go without getting pulled by the gravitation of your thoughts.
The thoughts come and they go.
The bodily sensations come and they go.
You breathe in and you breathe out.
You find peace and your awareness gets cluttered again.
It's okay.
It's all a part of the cycle.
It's meant to be happening.
Distractions are not something to dread or get worked up about.
They are actually blessings in disguise because they exist only to show you where you can improve and how you can continue liberating yourself.
Every time you notice your focus has been distracted and you return to the breath,
You are improving.
You are becoming more of a master of your energies.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
You practice separating yourself from the body and the mind for the next few moments in silence.
You are becoming more of a master of your energies.
When you are ready,
Turn your awareness to any emotions that may be present right now.
See if you can welcome whatever is there,
Whether it is pleasant,
Unpleasant,
Or neutral.
Imagine you're inviting your emotions into your home to have a seat with you.
Notice any inclinations to cling to any emotions or desire to push other ones away.
See if you can welcome whatever emotions are present while simply being aware of them,
Including them in your field of awareness.
Now turning your awareness towards them with openness and acceptance,
Notice if you can release any evaluation or judgment of these emotions.
Let go of the label and drop into the physical sensation of the emotion.
Ground your emotional energy within your calm,
Supple,
And open physical body.
As you do this,
Notice how the ground or floor you're sitting on is stable.
It supports you.
Mother Earth is supporting you in every moment.
You can draw strength,
Courage,
And calmness from the ground or floor beneath you.
Now,
See if you can open yourself up to the field of awareness of anything that is arising in the present moment.
Be the non-judgmental observer that notices and holds the space for all of it.
What does it feel like to accept your experience just as it is?
What does it feel like to surrender to any resistance or need to control or change anything?
And just simply let this moment unfold.
Be present and open to whatever you are experiencing.
And allow your attention to return again and again to whatever is arising right now.
Now,
See if you can open yourself up to the field of awareness of anything that is arising in the present moment.
In bringing this meditation to a close,
Come back to a full awareness of the body.
Gently take your own time and when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
See if you can take this quality of awareness with you into your day,
Into your life,
As it unfolds moment by moment.
Thank you for sharing this meditation practice with me.
Namaste.
