54321 Centering

Welcome to this guided meditation to help you centre your energy.

Settle into a comfortable position,

Lying down,

Seated on a chair,

Maybe on your commute or even at your desk.

Take one easy breath through your nose and let it flow out through your mouth.

In a moment,

We'll count down through the five senses,

Five sights,

Four sensations of touch,

Three sounds,

Two scents and one taste.

Each deep breath turns us a little further inward.

Let's take a moment to come home to ourselves.

Sight.

With your eyes open,

Take one long inhale.

Look around and choose one thing.

Name it silently,

No judgement,

Just see.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Let your eyes rest on a second object.

Notice its colour and shape.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Spot a third thing.

Simply observe it,

No labels beyond your mind's whisper.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Find a fourth object,

Perhaps a leaf or simply the light in the corner of a room.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Choose a fifth and final object,

Anything at all.

Let it anchor you here.

Exhale.

If it feels comfortable,

Allow your eyelids to close as we move on to the sensation of touch.

Inhale.

Feel the surface supporting your body.

Sense its density and temperature.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Notice the clothing touching your skin,

Where it's loose and where it hangs on your frame.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Rest your hand on something familiar.

A cup,

The arm of your chair,

And let it speak to your skin.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Touch one more object,

Your hair,

The curve of your neck,

Any living warmth.

Exhale.

Allow your shoulders to relax and lower as we move on to sound.

Let the first sound that reaches you register in the mind.

Let go of judgement attached to it.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Listen for a second sound.

Maybe electricity's hum,

My voice,

Or the wind outside.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Notice one more sound,

Even if it's only silence or your own breathing.

Exhale.

Unclench your jaw and relax your forehead.

As we move on to the sense of smell.

Inhale.

Creep the scent of your environment.

Recognise its familiarity.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Bring a wrist towards your nose and catch the subtler scent that belongs to you.

Exhale.

Feeling the weight of your body on the surface that supports you,

We move on to taste.

Inhale.

Taste what lingers on the tongue.

Tea or toothpaste or simply your breath.

Exhale.

You have travelled inward.

From five sights,

Four touches,

Three sounds,

Two smells and one taste.

Walking the path from the outer world to the quiet centre within.

Rest here.

Steady.

You have arrived.

You are home.