Welcome.
Let's begin by settling into a comfortable position.
Whether seated or lying down,
Let your body relax and become still.
Let your hands rest gently and your breath begin to slow.
Allow your eyes to close or keep a soft,
Unfocused gaze on a point somewhere in front of you.
Take a long breath in and release slowly.
One more slow breath in and gently out.
Let your breath return to its own rhythm.
Begin to bring your attention to your senses,
One by one,
Noticing what's already here.
Let's begin with sound.
Allow yourself to become aware of the sounds around you,
The loud,
The soft,
The near,
The far.
No need to label them,
Just hear them as they are.
Now bring your attention to touch.
Feel the sensations of contact,
Your body against the chair or floor,
Your hands resting,
The air on your skin.
Notice texture,
Pressure,
Temperature.
Now shift to smell.
Is there any scent in the air?
If there's nothing obvious,
Simply notice the quality of the air as it passes through your nose.
Next,
Bring awareness to taste.
There may be a lingering taste in your mouth or nothing in particular.
Let it be as it is,
Just noticing.
Finally,
Open your awareness to sight,
Even with the eyelids closed.
Notice the play of light and shadow through the eyelids.
If your eyes are open,
Let them softly take in shapes,
Color,
And light.
Now bring all of your senses into awareness,
As though your whole body were listening,
Seeing,
Feeling,
Receiving.
There's nothing to do,
Only to be present.
You might say silently to yourself,
I am awake to this moment.
I am fully here.
Let go of the words now,
And just breathe.
Let your senses continue to receive the world gently,
Without any effort.
As we close,
Slowly bring your attention back to your body.
Feel your breath,
Your feet,
The air on your skin.
Take a final breath in,
And release.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Let your senses guide you gently through the rest of the day.
Thank you so much for your practice.
