Welcome to this meditation.
Today we will be doing a body scan through the layers of the body known as the koshas.
You may choose to spend this time either sitting or laying comfortably in a position that feels stable,
Supported and easeful in your body.
Please close down your eyes.
Now make any further adjustments in your physical body that can help you to settle into this place,
Settle into this moment.
With the eyes closed we can begin to become more aware of our inner landscape.
Mindfully observing and adjusting the body,
Notice any areas where you can release a little more tension.
Notice your shoulders,
Let them soften,
Dropping down and away from your ears.
Relax your arms,
Your hands,
Letting each of your fingers naturally curl back towards your palms.
Soften across your chest,
Your tummy and we invite a slow deep breath to expand the lungs right down into the belly.
And just as slowly we gently release the breath,
Feeling the body soften and the belly draw back towards the spine.
Continue to breathe deeply just like this as you move your awareness down to your legs.
Completely relax from the big muscles of your glutes,
Your thighs,
Relax your knees,
Your calves,
All the little muscles around your ankles.
Feel a sense of softening across the tops of your feet down to the arches.
Relax each toe,
Relax the space between your toes.
Become present within your whole body.
Give yourself permission to relax here.
Our physical body,
Our vessel is known as Anamaya Kosha.
The tangible layer that includes our muscles,
Our bones,
Our organs,
Our cells.
This body that physically carries us through our lives.
But in this moment,
Can you let it rest and release?
Notice your face.
Notice all the small muscles above your eyebrows.
Let the skin above your eyebrows relax and smooth.
Soften your cheeks,
Your lips,
Your jaw.
Let the teeth gently separate and the features of your face widen.
Notice the sensation of breath at your nostrils.
Follow the breath into the body.
Notice the quality of your own breath,
Where it creates sensation,
Where it naturally travels in the body.
The whole body takes a deeper breath in,
As if the breath moves not only through the nostrils,
But through each pore.
Feel this expansive quality of your inhale fill you up.
And the whole body exhales.
Imagine every cell of the body settles more deeply into this space.
We are accessing Pranamaya Kosha,
The energetic layer of the body that encompasses the breath,
But also more subtle elements of energy or frequency that you can think of like the electricity that lights up your body.
Notice the qualities of your breath and your own energy in this moment.
The breath as a tool can allow us to cultivate different energy in the body when we need it.
For this moment,
We use a smooth,
Slow and even breath to invite the parasympathetic nervous system to activate,
Letting the body know that it's safe to relax here and we can continue to explore deeper into ourselves.
As you continue to observe the body and observe the breath,
At times you may notice thoughts arrive,
And that's okay.
It is completely normal.
The thinking mind is called Manomaya Kosha,
And we can thank this part of ourselves for doing tasks such as organizing,
Making decisions,
Planning,
Or recalling information.
This is also where we form our sense of identity known as the ego.
As you observe your thoughts,
Try not to become attached to whether they are good or bad,
Just notice them for what they are,
Perhaps noticing if they are useful in this moment.
If they are not useful,
We simply thank the mind for trying to help us and let the thought pass like clouds in the sky,
Always returning to the breath.
This process of observation takes place from our higher awareness.
This is called Vijnana Maya Kosha,
Or the observing mind.
This is a place of wisdom,
Intuition,
And deep knowing.
When we meditate,
We take on the seat of the observer,
Noticing all of these previous layers that we have discussed,
The body,
The breath,
The thinking mind.
The observing mind is not here to shame or criticize,
But rather to simply notice and help us become more aware of our habits,
Known as vasanas.
Each time we sit with ourselves in meditation,
We can imagine we are sitting here with a friend.
We are here to listen,
Observe,
And attempt to understand.
Meditation is like forming a friendship with ourselves.
Each time we become distracted with a thought,
We return to the present moment through the body and through the breath.
Through repetition and practice,
As we become more self-aware,
We live in alignment with our values and access the most inner kosha,
Ananda Maya Kosha,
A place of unwavering contentment,
Wisdom,
And peace.
Please take a deep breath to the center of your heart and know that this wisdom and peace exists within you.
Amongst the challenges and fluctuations of life,
You can always travel inwards through the body,
Through the breath,
And through patience with yourself.
We will now begin to move back outwards by noticing the breath as it fills the body,
Taking a deeper inhale and a long,
Slow exhale.
Whenever you are ready,
Please move your hands across the outer surface of your body to reconnect to this physical form.
Take your time to open your eyes.
Thank yourself for this time,
And I thank you for joining me.
