So to begin we take a comfortable and alert posture.
You might like to gently close your eyes,
Maybe take one or two deeper out breaths.
And just gently checking into what's here for you right now.
Emotionally,
Mentally,
Physically.
Just simply recognising what is.
We'll begin with just a quick body scan.
So starting with the face.
Noticing the sensations in the forehead,
Around the eyes,
In the jaw.
Just noticing if there's any tension that can be easily relaxed or softened.
Is there anything you can let go in the face?
Maybe allowing a small smile if that's comfortable.
Next just noticing the shoulders.
Is it possible to allow the shoulders to soften,
To drop a little?
Maybe softening into any areas of tension in the shoulders,
Allowing them to be there.
Maybe easing into those places.
Next noticing the hands.
Feel how the hands come alive as we begin to bring our awareness.
Can the hands be soft,
Relaxed,
Restful?
Tuning into the gentle movement of the breath in the belly.
Maybe placing a hand there and just noticing the gentle rise and fall with each breath.
The soft expansion and contraction.
The familiar rhythm of breath that carries us through life.
Feeling where our body meets the earth beneath us,
Or the chair or cushion.
Feeling the points of contact,
Of stability.
Can we offer a little more of our weight into the earth beneath us?
Maybe relaxing deeper into being held or carried by the ground below.
Maybe feeling the contact of the feet on the earth.
Noticing the soles of the feet,
The top of the foot.
Maybe sensing the individual toes in the two feet.
Recognising any sensations of warmth or coolness.
The contact with the air,
The ground,
Our clothing.
Maybe taking a moment to send some appreciation to our two feet.
Everywhere we go they carry us,
Yet we rarely offer them this simple presence and appreciation.
We know that life would be very difficult if our two feet were not able to carry us and offer us that freedom of movement.
Allowing the awareness to travel up the legs.
Feeling the lower leg.
Sensing into the knees,
The thighs.
And again taking a moment to appreciate whatever strength or health is remaining in our two legs.
And bringing the awareness back into the two hands.
Noticing the pulsing,
The tingling,
The warmth or coolness.
Feeling the sensations of life in our two hands.
And again taking a moment to appreciate the two hands.
They allow us to care for ourselves,
To write,
To play,
To touch a loved one.
We know life would be very difficult without them.
Can we touch this simple appreciation of having two hands with whatever health capacity is still there in them?
Allowing the awareness to travel up the arms.
Feeling the lower arms,
The elbows,
The upper arms.
Touching into the shoulders again.
Is it possible to soften again a little bit the shoulders?
Maybe giving a smile of recognition to any tension or holding still there.
Allowing it to be there.
Holding it kindly.
Sensing back into the face.
Noticing again the forehead,
Around the eyes,
The jaw.
Taking a moment to send our appreciation to our face.
For our eyes to allow us to see the world,
To appreciate the beauty of life.
For the possibility to share our emotional world through the expressions of our face.
Gently allowing the awareness to drop down into the area of the heart.
Notice what's present there.
Are there any sensations?
Feelings?
Maybe touching the intention that brought us to listen to this meditation.
A small act of self-love,
Self-care.
To offer ourselves this moment of peace in the busyness of our lives.
Gently allowing the awareness to drop again into the belly.
Just allowing yourself to rest in that soft movement of the breath in the belly.
Following the gentle rise and fall.
Maybe feeling that movement of the breath as a gentle massage in the belly.
And beginning to allow the awareness to expand to just get a whole sense of the body sitting here now.
For a few precious moments in this day.
Nowhere to go.
Nothing to do.
And for the last moments of this meditation,
Just simply allowing yourself to be here.
Resting in the present moment.
Thank you.
