Hello and welcome to today's meditation.
Joining me today is my cat Samson.
He's sitting on my lap,
Making me feel peaceful and happy.
So today's meditation is going to be a Shanti meditation.
Shanti is a Sanskrit word which means peace or peacefulness.
Let's begin by coming into a comfortable seated position.
You may sit upon the edge of a chair,
On a bolster,
Or on a folded blanket.
If you are sitting on the floor in a comfortable seated position such as simple cross-legged or kneeling,
Position your hips slightly above your knees,
Letting your knees settle downward.
Also,
You may enjoy placing a blanket underneath of any bony parts,
Your knees,
Your shins,
Your ankles,
Or the tops of your feet.
You want your position to be comfortable and filled with ease.
The lower body is the foundation.
Feel it as the roots grounding,
Connecting you to the earth.
The torso,
The spine growing upward like the stem of a flower.
Find ease and lightness in your upper body.
Notice how your posture enables you to breathe more fully and deeply.
Stack your shoulders over your hips,
Let your shoulders relax down your back,
And let your elbows hang softly beneath your shoulders.
Now begin to deepen your breath.
Spend a few moments here getting centered on your breath.
Let your awareness continue to stay centered and focused on your breathing.
As we shift into the qualities of peacefulness,
Cultivating peace within ourselves and letting it manifest in all places of our lives.
Remember that peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise nor trouble or any hard work.
It means to be in the midst of these things and still be calm in your heart.
Bring your attention into the space of your heart and as you breathe,
Let the sensation of inner calm,
Of peacefulness,
Begin to spread outward from your center.
Let it grow wide across your chest as well as your upper back.
Let it travel downward through your arms,
Down the length of your torso,
And into your legs.
Feel the sensation of peacefulness spreading throughout your entire body from head to toe.
If you happen upon any resistance in this journey of expanding peace,
Soften around it.
Remember to come back to your exhale to find ease and gentleness.
Have compassion for yourself,
Where you are in this moment and all that has led you here.
Return to peace,
To quiet,
To calm,
Towards an inner stillness.
Abiding in this place of peacefulness,
Of contentment,
Bringing your attention back to sensation within your body.
If your eyes were closed,
Gently open your eyes,
Bringing back in the colors,
The textures around you.
Join the palms of your hands together at the center of your chest in an act of gratitude and again centering.
Then bow your head to your heart,
Honoring that inner peace within you,
And that peace that abides within all things,
All beings,
All people.
May all beings everywhere be happy and free.
Om Shanti Shanti Shantihi.
Thank you for joining me.
Have a wonderful day.
Namaste.
