Sit in a balanced upright position,
Hands resting gently in your lap or on your thighs.
Remind yourself of your intention for your practice,
The positive benefits for yourself and others.
And gently close your eyes or gaze through hooded lids and take three slow deep breaths.
In through your nose and out through your nose.
Filling your abdomen and exhaling slowly,
Pausing slightly before deeply inhaling again.
Feel your body soften and relax as you do.
Now allow your breathing to settle back to its natural rhythm and simply observe your breath flying in and out.
Now notice any sounds around you or the sound of your own breathing.
You can take your attention out to the most distant and softest of sounds.
Now become aware of your physical body.
Feel the weight of the body on the surface.
Allow any sensations to be there as you notice the flow of your breath in and out.
Now move your attention to your feet.
Notice where your feet touch the surface.
With a gentle curiosity notice any sensations in your feet,
Your toes,
Heels,
All through your feet.
If you notice your mind wander,
Simply choose to bring your attention back to your feet and to the flow of your breathing.
Then bring your attention to your hands.
Explore the sensations on the surface and inside your hands.
If you notice your mind wander,
Simply choose to bring your attention back to your hands and to the flow of your breathing.
Now bring your attention to your shoulders.
If you notice your position has slumped at all,
Just gently correct your posture and notice any sensations in your shoulders and stay with them as you feel the flow of your breath in the background.
Now gently open your awareness to the entire body as you feel your breath flowing in and out in the background.
Now let's move on to the feeling center of your body.
Ask yourself,
How am I feeling?
Begin by bringing your attention to your throat.
Explore any sensations in your throat or notice a lack of sensation.
Just rest your attention on the throat and allow any sensations to come into focus.
And as you feel into your throat,
Be aware of the movement of your breath as you breathe in and out.
Now bring your attention to the center of your chest.
Notice the quality of the sensations in your chest.
Notice any sensations on the surface or deeper sensations.
There could be pressure,
Lightness,
Heaviness,
A feeling of spaciousness or some other feeling.
Just explore the sensations without judgment.
Be curious and allow them to be there.
And as you feel into your chest,
Feel the flow of your breath in and out.
Now bring your attention to your solar plexus just below your sternum,
Your breastbone,
And notice any sensations here.
You might experience softness,
Tightness,
Tingling,
Heaviness,
Some other sensation.
Be curious,
Don't judge.
Ask yourself again,
How am I feeling?
And as you feel into your solar plexus,
Notice your breath flowing in and out.
Now bring your attention to your lower abdomen,
Around and behind your navel.
Notice any sensations there.
There's no need to think about why any feelings and sensations are there.
Just allow yourself to explore them with a kind curiosity.
And as you explore the feelings in your lower abdomen,
Notice the flow of your breathing.
Now open your awareness to your entire feeling center,
Your throat,
Chest,
Solar plexus,
And lower abdomen.
If you find there's an area which feels more intense or vulnerable,
Just allow yourself to sit with those feelings and sensations.
And as you notice your entire feeling center,
Also feel the flow of your breathing.
Ahh.
If thoughts or feelings appear,
Simply note them.
Ah,
That's a thought,
That's a feeling.
Allowing them to pass and choose to focus your attention back on your next breath to a bodily sensation or to sounds.
And simply stay here for a few moments more.
I'll let you know when time is up.
Now when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
