Welcome to this practice of progress,
Not perfection,
This imperfect practice of sitting with what is.
Let it be like a beautiful risk,
To not be aiming for anything here,
So that we might be less oriented to perfection in our lives.
And seek rather to be in acceptance of what comes and what goes.
And it is so common to believe in the badge of busyness,
Or checking things off the list,
To avoid feeling uncomfortable.
We're going to see what it's like to sit and do nothing,
To take this time out of your day,
To just meet yourself where you are,
Without needing to perform anything.
It is exhausting to strive and to be busy all the time,
So this is your invitation and permission to have a long and meaningful restorative pause.
So let's take a moment to land,
Let yourself feel where you are,
The weight of your body,
Pressure underneath the sit bones,
Maybe along places in the back,
If you're reclining or being supported by a chair,
A slight pressure underneath the feet,
And just let yourself give in a little bit more to gravity here.
Notice the way the breath moves through you,
All the way in,
Let the body soften,
Open the jaw,
Release the shoulders.
Imagine that the space between your eyebrows be smooth,
The corners of the eyes are soft,
And you might even give a little sigh,
A small exhale of relief,
To just be sitting down.
And let it all be.
As we sit,
Gently notice if there's a part of you that senses some kind of quiet pressure.
A part of you that says,
Be better,
Do more,
Figure it out,
Or fix it.
No need to push that away,
In fact,
Let it come forth,
Just notice this part,
And you might be able to detect how and where it lives in the body.
Sometimes we can feel this sense of urgency in the torso area,
The chest,
Solar plexus,
Belly,
Or throat.
Give a light attention to whatever sensations are showing themselves to you,
And give a kind attention,
We're meeting these sensations in this part,
Welcoming them.
Be gentle,
You might sense the clenched fist of the heart,
The closed part in your mind that says,
Do more,
Fix it.
Just notice whatever sensations are here,
Can you stay a little while,
Giving these parts of pressure or tightness,
Lots of space to let them be.
Or just acknowledging how it feels when the pressure is on.
We're going to power down here for a bit.
Let it all be,
Just as it is.
Turn your attention outward,
Open up to the soundscape.
Give yourself a rest in the awareness of listening.
Notice the spaciousness here.
Notice the texture of sound.
Maybe you can hear sounds coming from outside.
Birds or voices,
A car going by,
Laughter,
Or something else,
Just notice,
Open wide,
And just let sounds come to you.
Now make a light contact with your breath,
Turning towards your inner world,
And let the breath be like a soothing breeze around your heart,
Your chest.
Let it clear a path in your throat.
Let it massage the heart and soften the belly.
Sense the ribcage,
Front,
Sides,
And back ribs.
Let the feeling of this flexible hug wrap around your torso.
Feel the breath gently moving the ribcage,
Nice and easy.
Just as you are,
Nothing to change,
Nothing to control,
Nothing to fix.
There is such beauty in being exactly as you are,
Not perfect,
Not polished,
Just human.
Can you feel the aliveness right here,
The aliveness of the moment?
We're practicing being,
Being soft,
Being quiet,
Being still.
This breath is enough.
This you right here is more than enough.
See if you can let yourself lean into the part of you that already knows that you don't have to try so hard,
The part that doesn't want to try so hard.
Maybe there is even something that you could let yourself off the hook of for today.
You have permission to rest,
To not know,
To be a little messy.
You are supposed to be in process,
Progress,
Not perfection.
May that be your practice now.
May the risk of imperfection be your path.
Just being here,
This is enough.
Soften into the moment and notice that it is not perfect.
It just is.
It really is not personal.
The sounds,
Even sensations and thoughts just come all on their own.
Not personal.
And it is not permanent.
Notice how everything is constantly changing,
One moment at a time.
Sounds,
Sensations,
Thoughts.
And it is not perfect.
Not personal,
Not permanent,
Not perfect.
May you take this mantra with you today.
This is true practice.
Take a deep breath.
And an easy slow breath out.
Let your nervous system know that we are complete for now.
I invite you to thank yourself for showing up.
Not perfectly,
But honestly.
Feel the pressure underneath your seat and your feet.
And when you are ready,
Take some small movements.
Fingers,
Toes,
Maybe take a stretch.
And let your eyes open when you are ready.
Or stay with this quiet enoughness.
A little longer.
Thank you for your practice.
