Hi,
Thank you for being here with me.
Why don't we begin by taking a nice deep breath in and slowly breathe out.
Let's do that again.
Inhale deeply.
And exhale slowly.
One last time together,
Breathe into your belly.
And with control,
Release that breath.
Continue to breathe in this way.
Notice how your stomach rises with each in-breath.
And how it caves in with each out-breath.
Now I invite you to begin letting go of your control over your breath.
And simply allow your body to breathe however it wants to.
Observe your breath with as much curiosity and kindness as you can muster.
There's no need to force anything here.
If your breath is shallow,
Allow it to be shallow.
And if it's deep,
Allow it to be deep.
Accept your breath as it is.
In this space that you've created for yourself,
I'd like you to ask yourself one question.
Who am I?
Instead of answering the question with your mind,
Stay in your body and notice whatever feelings,
Sensations arise with the question,
Who am I?
Notice and accept whatever comes up.
And now to answer the question,
I'd like you to say,
I am,
Followed by your name.
And now I invite you to make a mental list of everything that you identify as you.
Everything that makes you who you are.
Take a moment to notice whatever feelings and sensations have arisen.
Now go back to your list and see if there's something that you'd like to add or maybe remove.
Take a deep breath in.
Hold that breath and when you release it,
Let go of everything that was on your list.
Every item,
Everything that makes you you.
All of it,
Gone with this out-breath.
Take a moment to notice whatever feelings,
Sensations are coming up in this moment.
Take another deep breath in.
Hold it.
This time when you exhale,
I'd like you to let go of your name.
Repeat I am three times.
We have spent so much of our life adding to and furthering everything that comes after I am.
By dedicating our resources,
Our time,
Our energy in this way,
We've neglected the I am that comes before our name.
And so in this moment,
I'd like you to sit with I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I am.
