This is a practice for welcoming and tending to yourself.
When we meditate we are practicing the art and skill of listening.
Listening to all the parts of you that want to be seen and heard and felt.
So go ahead and make yourself comfortable now as you settle in for some time to yourself to catch up,
To listen inward.
As you get situated and comfortable,
Find a nice,
Easy,
Enjoyable breath as you welcome this time for yourself.
A wise choice to take this time to listen to yourself,
To all the parts of you.
Our bodies communicate through the language of sensation.
We feel our emotional reactions and responses.
We feel muscular tension.
And there are sensations we perceive from mental tension too.
So as you settle in and begin to relax and unwind,
You might become aware of what needs your attention.
Soften your eyes,
The inner and outer edges of your eyes.
Engage your peripheral vision,
Whether your eyes are open or closed.
Soft eyes.
And take the attitude of making yourself available to yourself.
Like you might sit down with a friend and listen to them intently.
This is one of the ways we can approach meditation.
You're very informal with yourself as you breathe those nice,
Easy breaths.
Starting to sense the space all around you.
That space around you is holding you.
Loving you.
Protecting you.
Energizing you.
Breathing in your own atmosphere.
And as you spread out into the space all around you,
As you make yourself available to yourself for a few minutes to check in and listen,
See what is in your field of awareness.
See and feel what is in your space.
This internal space.
Your personal space.
What is on your mind today?
And in your heart today.
And breathing with what arises.
Practicing welcoming all the parts of you.
When we block out certain parts of our experience,
We may also be blocking out parts of ourselves that want to be seen or heard or felt.
With soft eyes and an easy breath.
As you feel that space around you,
Sensing if there are any wrinkles or thorns in your space that are causing you tension or concern.
Maybe something you are anticipating or something that's already happened and wants to be reviewed and processed or learnt from.
Seeing all that arises with your soft eyes and your easy enjoyable breath.
Right now is not about leaping into action,
Although you might do that after this precious time of listening.
Right now is about recognizing that all that comes to you during meditation is information.
Information about what is in balance.
About what is out of balance,
Off balance.
About what is working and what is not working.
About what needs attention.
And information perhaps even about your own needs and whether or not they have been met.
All sorts of information coming your way as you listen and check in.
It's just as helpful to know what we don't like or what upsets us as it is to know what we like and what makes us happy.
Continuing those nice easy breaths,
Feeling the welcome of space all around you.
Welcome these parts of yourself that are arising.
Seeking your attention,
Your listening,
Bringing you information.
As each part of you,
As each piece of information is welcomed in,
You might like to ask,
What do you want me to know?
And breathe with curiosity at what comes.
What does this feeling,
Thought,
Sensation or worry want me to know?
And with the question just as much as you are with any answers that arise.
Sometimes unwanted or uncomfortable things that arise in meditation are alerting you to what you need to restore,
To restore balance,
To survive or to thrive in your life.
Their presence brings lots of valuable information along with it.
What is it asking of you?
Can you breathe more easily and more deeply as you listen to the intelligence of life surging,
Pulsing,
Tingling or buzzing through your form?
Can you breathe more easily and more deeply as you listen to the intelligence of life surging,
Pulsing,
Tingling or buzzing through your form?
Receiving with open arms all this valuable precious information,
You might ask yourself,
What qualities of attention or alertness do I need today?
Perhaps some confidence,
Trust,
Love,
Peace,
Some joy or forgiveness or creativity.
What particular qualities of attention or alertness are needed to meet this part of myself or this task today?
And breathing in the qualities you need,
Letting those qualities fill and nourish every part of you.
You may along the way find yourself making mental notes about actions you can live out in your outer world too that will help you to tend to those thorns and wrinkles in your space.
Whether your space is filled with lovely feelings and thoughts or distractions and concerns,
Let it all be information to guide you to your next inspired actions today.
And spend a few more minutes welcoming yourself,
Welcoming the experience of being you today and of listening inward towards yourself,
All the parts of you.
And taking as much time as you need before you emerge back into your day,
All this valuable information on hand to guide you through the day.
Thank you.
Thank you.
