Good morning.
Let's start this day with a sense of fresh energy so that we feel invigorated and spacious throughout the day.
Before we settle into our meditation,
Let's take a moment to stretch and gently wake up the body.
Before we start,
Just a word of caution.
If you ever had a neck injury or your neck area is sensitive,
Please be extra gentle or skip the following movement entirely and simply breathe softly into your neck muscles.
Begin by sitting comfortably either in a chair or cross-legged on the floor or a cushion.
Starting with the neck,
Slowly tilt your head to the right,
Bringing your ear towards your shoulder.
Feel the gentle stretch along the left side of your neck.
If it feels good,
Take a deep breath in and as you exhale,
Let your shoulders drop and soften.
Now bring your head back to the center and gently tilt it to the left,
Repeating the same stretch on the other side.
Again,
Breathing in deeply and as you exhale,
Release any tension in your shoulders.
And then bringing the head back to the center.
Now let's focus on the shoulders.
As you inhale,
You may like to roll your shoulders up towards your ears and when exhaling,
You'll roll them back and down,
Allowing any tension to melt away.
Let's do this a few times.
Inhaling as you lift and exhaling as you roll your shoulders down.
And feel free to reverse the direction of the roll if that feels good.
And just finishing with inhaling,
Lifting the shoulders forward and up and then exhaling them gently back down.
Now if you like,
You could gently arch and round your back a few times.
Just ensure that you do that safely as well.
Additionally,
You could do a few gentle twists,
Bringing your left hand to the back of the chair or down behind you,
Turning your torso to the left,
Then all the way over to the right softly.
And coming back to the center.
Now that we've gently awakened the body,
Let's move into our meditation.
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable and take a breath in through your nose,
Letting your belly expand.
Then slowly exhaling through your mouth,
Letting go of any tension.
Settling into the rhythm of your breath and connecting to the stability of the ground beneath you.
Breathing in and breathing out.
I invite you now to imagine a place or experience that fills you with energy and refreshes your spirit.
You may draw on a personal memory or simply let yourself imagine a scene vividly in your mind.
Perhaps it's taking a brisk walk in the morning,
Noticing the wind rustling the trees,
Sipping cool fresh water from a mountain spring on a hot day.
Or maybe it's the invigorating sensation of taking a quick dip in a clear cold lake.
Call on as many details of this moment as you can.
Imagine the crispness of the air,
Notice the coolness of the water in contact with your skin,
The way it wakes up every part of your being.
As you become curious about the details and immerse yourself in this image,
Notice how it makes you feel.
What sensations arise in your body?
Is there a sense of coldness,
Energy rushing through your body,
Invigoration,
Tingling in your feet,
Maybe a sweetness on your tongue or a feeling of being recharged by the experience?
Give yourself a second and allow yourself to fully experience these sensations in your body.
How does this experience make you feel?
You may let the word naturally come to mind that captures this moment for you.
It could be alive,
Refreshed,
Energized or any word that resonates with how you feel right now.
Take a few moments to breathe into this word,
Letting it refresh and energize you.
You might notice the positive energy of this visualization spreading through your entire body,
Setting the tone for your day ahead.
As we slowly bring this practice to a close,
Take a moment to thank yourself for creating the space of positivity and energy.
Know that you can return to this place,
These sensations,
Whenever you need a boost throughout your day.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to move your fingers and toes,
Maybe stretching your arms above your head if that feels good and then gently open your eyes,
Taking in the light of the day.
I'd love to hear the word that came to mind during your visualization.
If you feel comfortable,
Share it in the comments with us.
It's a wonderful way to carry this positive energy forward and connect with others who are also starting their day with joy and appreciation.
Thank you for sharing this time with me.
May your day be filled with moments of life-giving energy and a deep sense of well-being.
