We'll just take a moment to feel into our bodies sitting here.
Noticing how we are connecting to the ground whether you're seated or standing up or lying down.
Notice the surface beneath you and then taking a deep breath in and a deep breath out and then allowing our breath to simply flow as smoothly as it can.
We just let the breath be as it is.
Maybe taking a moment to actually notice its length,
The depth of our breath and its various other qualities.
Maybe it has a sound that you can notice.
Maybe your breath has a taste,
A shape,
A color.
Feel free to explore for the next few seconds.
And another interesting thing could be as you're getting more familiar with your breathing is to actually detect where you're really feeling the breath.
Is it in the belly,
Is arising and falling like waves coming in and out?
Or can you feel the breath really at the tip of the nose and the back of the throat or maybe across your chest?
Maybe throughout the entire body.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And as we are settling maybe we are noticing as the mind is becoming a little more still.
However at times the mind still feels very busy and that's completely okay as well.
I invite you to simply notice if there are distractions,
Various impressions that your mind is busy with.
Letting them be there for a moment and maybe they pass away and the mind may return to the breath.
The rising and falling of the inhale and exhale.
And maybe for a moment you could expand your attention on to other areas of the body.
The breath of course is still there but maybe you can scan your body briefly and with a kind attention and wherever you are noticing tightness,
Tension,
Maybe you can invite the body part to relax gently.
Bringing a bit more softness maybe into the forehead.
Relaxing the eyebrows.
Relaxing the throat and the jaw.
Allowing the shoulders to drop away from the ears.
Maybe letting your chest and the belly soften.
The back to relax somewhat while your seat remains stable.
And you can also relax your hands,
Your arms,
Your legs and your feet.
Especially if you tend to hold tension in any of these body parts.
And I invite you to bring your attention to the chest area,
To the heart space.
And just notice whatever is arising here.
Sometimes the heart feels heavy.
At times it's quite the opposite.
It may feel spacious and open.
Other times it may feel numb or cold.
Maybe you can take your hand on to the heart to get in touch with your heart space a little more.
And just taking a moment to notice what it feels like to have your hand on your heart.
Maybe it feels supportive.
Maybe it feels strange.
Perhaps you don't do this often and that's okay too.
And if you like you can keep your hand on your heart for the rest of the practice or you can also release it at any time.
Relaxing your shoulders and arms again.
And for now just feeling the chest space and maybe even imagining a smile spreading across the chest.
Simply letting the breath be there in the background and letting the mind stay at the heart space.
And now bringing to mind a moment,
A situation or an event from earlier in the day where you felt safe or you felt maybe playful,
Maybe at ease.
Perhaps it was during your morning coffee that you felt a bit of ease or joy.
Or when you walked your dog or when you exchanged a smile with a stranger on the street.
Bringing to mind one moment of earlier today where you felt safe or playful.
And if none of that is accessible,
Maybe a moment where you felt neutral.
And maybe even in your mind quietly saying,
I'm grateful for.
.
.
And then you fill in the blank.
For instance,
I'm grateful for the sound of the waves.
I'm grateful for the beautiful juicy tomato I ate for dinner.
Or I'm grateful for being able to walk with my loved one or sit quietly at sunrise.
And now just noticing how this feels in your body,
If there's any changes when you bring gratitude into your mind.
Perhaps you notice a sense of release,
Of relaxation or maybe there is no change and that's completely normal as well.
Just breathing in and breathing out and letting this simple moment of gratitude linger in your experience for a moment.
And now we'll just transition trying to maintain perhaps the sense of serenity or gratitude and radiate it out into the world.
Whether you have your hand on your heart or simply sitting or positioning yourself as you like,
The most comfortable way you can be,
Imagine that you could radiate out this sense of thankfulness into the world and maybe it can transform into compassion,
Into caring for others.
Perhaps sending this gratitude and compassion to a loved one,
Someone that you know might appreciate this care,
This loving attention.
Whether that's a person,
A pet or an entire people.
Tapping into our own gratitude to build compassion externally.
If you feel cold to repeat any of the phrases in your mind quietly,
Feel free to do so.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings be safe and protected.
May all beings have shelter,
Food and nutrition.
May there be peace everywhere.
May there be peace everywhere.
And now simply breathing,
Noticing how your breath feels in this moment and if you like even imagining that with every breath you could send well wishes,
Protection,
Compassion out into the world.
Every nourishing breath could be an act both for gratitude and self-compassion and may radiate out into the world to support every sentient being.
Perhaps with another breath in and out you could simply close the session and you will also hear the sound of the bell in closing.
And whenever you feel like you may lengthen your breaths,
Stretching out your legs and any movement that helps awaken the body is welcome and may you go in peace and beauty.
