Welcome to today's short meditation on finding more presence.
In this practice,
We're going to use our senses to bring us into the present moment for three good reasons.
Number one,
Being present makes us feel better.
A 2006 study in cognition and emotion found that depression is associated with our thoughts about the past and anxiety is tied to our thinking about the future.
But being present gives us relief from both.
The second reason is that the now is all there really is.
Everything else only exists as a figment of our imagination.
So being where you are is what living is all about.
It's just that we forget sometimes.
And number three is that the moment of presence is where all possibility lies.
It's the only time and place you have true agency,
Where you can choose what to think,
How to feel,
What you want to say or do or not do,
Or how you'll act.
All of it can only happen now.
So today we're going to focus on being here now.
So let's begin by releasing any tension in your body as you allow yourself to relax and close your eyes.
Try to let go of whatever's come before this moment and anything that's coming after as you gently ease into being here and now.
Let's take one deep breath in,
Inhale,
And exhale.
As you sit quietly,
Bring your awareness to your breath.
As you breathe,
Start to notice the sound of your breathing.
What does your breath sound like?
What does it feel like?
What other sounds can you notice around you?
Is there a fan heating or cooling the space that you're in?
Can you hear the quiet hum of electricity?
What other sounds are around you?
Or feel free to tune into the music or the nature sounds in the background.
Take another deep breath in,
Inhale,
And exhale.
I'd like you to put your hands on your chest and feel the rise and fall of your chest with each breath.
Use your senses to notice what's around you.
This is one way to bring you into the present moment,
Noticing what's here with you.
Feel what presence feels like now.
There's no drama.
You're not being pulled in any direction.
There's a quiet,
Calm stillness.
There's room to breathe,
Room to just be.
The present moment is where everything is okay,
Even if it's just for this moment.
This is also the moment where you have access to every motion under the sun.
How do you want to feel?
You get to choose how you feel in this moment.
Choose a feeling and see if you can conjure the feeling of that feeling right now.
What is the feeling you want to feel?
Is it surrender?
Is it freedom?
Courage?
Strength?
Maybe safety?
Love?
Satisfaction?
Peace?
Choose one feeling and sit with that feeling now.
Take another deep breath in,
Inhale,
And exhale.
Every time you come back to the present moment,
You get to feel better.
You get to really live by being right where you are,
And you get the opportunity to choose.
To choose what to think,
How to feel,
Or what to do.
So I invite you to come back to being present every day,
Or when you can,
All through the day,
And see what effect this practice has on your life.
Thank you so much for taking the time to be here with me today.
I'm Ilia Grace,
And until next time,
Trust in your practice and in your own inner guidance,
And allow the universe to work its magic.
