Hello,
I am Dr.
Sayiba Aiko and I will be your meditation guide for the next 15 minutes.
During this time,
I invite you to become comfortable,
Still,
And relaxed.
We'll begin with a quote to contemplate,
Then we'll indulge in some breath work.
We'll go on a guided meditation and I will leave you with an affirmation.
So let's begin.
Today's quote is by Diane Aikerman.
I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it.
I want to live the width of it as well.
Well,
Really take those words in.
I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it.
I want to live the width of it as well.
What comes up for you when you contemplate these words?
I don't want to get to the end of my life and find that I just lived the length of it.
I want to live the width of it as well.
A few questions arise for me.
What's beneath the shallow surface of me?
What's keeping me on the shallow end of life?
What am I afraid of?
How do I remain present to every moment and keep the mundane from becoming ordinary and overlooked in my life?
So once I decided to slow down and become devoted to my inner harmony,
I discovered and began to appreciate the real source of beauty,
The key to experiencing the newness of life.
I understood real joy comes from my ability to be present in each moment.
Whether I'm driving in rush hour traffic or taking a trip,
Life feels good.
I no longer grapple or get frustrated at things that really would get me wound up.
I've cultivated peace and really began to see the beauty in each moment.
It's actually quite joy filled.
This came again for me willing to explore those questions and really sit with myself and be present in each present moment that life was offering me,
Whether it felt pleasant or not so pleasant.
I even asked myself,
What else might I have the capacity for?
And I lean into the responses that come up for me.
And so I know today's message can seem cliche and it's liberating.
To live well,
Connect meaningfully,
Love deeply,
Celebrate life,
Grieve,
Cry,
Dance,
Sing,
And laugh uncontrollably.
We must be present with everything that arises for us.
And allow it to take us to the depths of our own soul.
So right where you are,
I invite you to lie down if that feels comfortable for you.
Close your eyes or lower your gaze.
We're going to start with our breath.
Inhaling through pursed lips as if you're sipping through a straw.
And exhaling through your mouth.
As if you're sipping through a straw and exhaling out of your mouth,
Making a sigh.
And we'll do that a few times at your own pace.
And with each new exhale,
I invite you to just allow the tension,
The stress,
Whatever may be in your body to release.
Soften even more on each sigh and exhale.
Continuing that breath at your own pace.
And I invite you to release that breath,
Breathing at a slow,
Deep pace on your own.
Going to engage in a body scan,
Starting at the crown of your head.
Becoming aware of the sensations that are in your body.
So starting with the crown of your head,
Continuing to breathe deeply.
Noticing on each exhale what shifts in your body.
What sensations do you feel and do they shift as you continue to breathe?
Focusing on your crown chakra,
The top of your head.
What sensations are there?
And moving to your face and around your ears.
Noticing what sensations are there for you.
Are you clenching in your jaw?
Are you tight around your eyebrows?
Simply notice what sensations you're met with as you breathe.
And moving to your neck and your throat.
What's there for you?
Do you have an itchy sensation?
Your throat scratchy?
Are you relaxed?
Is it tight?
Simply become aware of the sensations that are there for you.
And then move to your shoulders and notice what's there.
Are they tense?
Are they soft and relaxed?
Simply notice,
Continuing to breathe deeply and slowly at your own pace.
And begin to go down your arms to your elbows.
And notice what is there for you in the upper part of your arms and elbows.
Any sensations there.
And then scan beneath your elbows and scan your wrists.
And notice what's waiting there for you.
And I invite you to move to your hands and your fingers.
Simply notice what sensations meet you there.
Notice any tingling.
And then move to your chest and notice what is there for you.
What sensations arise in your chest.
And move down your back and notice if you're holding any tension in your back.
What sensations are there?
And then move to your stomach,
Your upper abdomen.
And notice what is there for you.
Is there movement?
Might your stomach be growling?
What is there for you in your stomach?
Simply notice.
Observe what happens with each new breath.
And then move to your womb space,
Your sacral chakra,
Your space of creation.
And notice what's there for you.
Is it tight?
Is it clenched?
Is it relaxed and soft?
Simply notice what is there in your sacral chakra.
And then move to your glutes and notice what sensations are there for you.
Moving down to your hips and your thighs.
What sensations are you met with?
Has anything shifted from the time you began your breath work until now in your hips and thighs?
Simply notice what is occurring.
And then move to your knees and your calves and your ankles.
And notice what's happening in the lower part of your legs as you continue to breathe.
Any sensations there?
And lastly,
We'll move to your feet and your toes.
Noticing what comes up.
Any tingling there?
Perhaps there's a throbbing?
Simply notice what's occurring in your feet and toes.
And after you've scanned your entire body and noticed any shifts that occurred from the time we started until now.
Notice what has shifted since you really slowed down and tuned in.
And then place both hands on your heart.
And with both hands on your heart,
I invite you to take the deepest breath you've taken all day and sigh it out.
And then I invite you to ask yourself these three questions.
First question,
What do you need from me right now?
Ask yourself this question.
What do you need from me right now?
And listen for the response.
Next question.
How can I be more present with you every day?
Ask yourself,
How can I be more present with you every day?
And listen for the response.
Last question.
Where could I journey deeper?
Ask yourself,
Where could I journey deeper?
And listen for the response.
And then once you have received your medicine,
I invite you to take another really deep breath and sigh it out.
And when you are ready,
I invite you to open your eyes,
Raise your gaze,
Returning to the space.
Today's affirmation,
I am comfortable living beneath the surface and journeying into the depths of life.
So we'll repeat that three times.
I am comfortable living beneath the surface and journeying into the depths of life.
Twice more.
I am comfortable living beneath the surface and journeying into the depths of life.
One last time.
I am comfortable living beneath the surface and journeying into the depths of life.
I invite you to be mindful,
Breathe deep often,
And contemplate all the ways you can journey into the depths of your own life.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
