Settling into a position that is comfortable for meditation.
Whether that is sitting or standing or lying down.
Checking in and see how you were feeling in this moment.
Being aware of your spine and ensuring it is as long and straight as possible and that it feels relaxed and supported.
Shifting your body if you need to to get the position that feels just right for you.
You might like to slightly tuck your chin to get some extra length in your spine.
You might like to bring a gentle smile to your face which allows your jaw to relax.
Tune in and see if you notice the relaxation as it happens.
If you can manage allowing your shoulders to soften and drop down and away from the ears a little.
Finding a comfortable position for your hands whether that's in your lap or comfortably by your sides.
Remembering you can adjust your position anytime you like.
This is your meditation so honouring whatever it is that you need to do.
Tuning in to your sense of vision.
If your eyes are closed you can keep them closed and visualise the space you're meditating in in your mind's eye.
Or if you find it easier you might like to open your eyes and take a look around the room you're in in as much detail as possible.
As if looking around the space you are in for the first time.
Taking in all the objects and colours and textures and spaces between the objects.
Being aware of how far away or how close things are to you.
If it feels comfortable for you gently allowing your eyelids to close.
Observe how it feels as you do this.
Your shutters to the outside world close and now your focus becomes inward.
Allow your awareness to flow to your sense of hearing.
Allowing sounds to come to you being with whatever it is you notice in this moment.
Perhaps you might like to search out any sounds that are off into the distance.
Or observe sounds closer by or perhaps within your body.
While also being aware of the silence between sounds.
Drifting your awareness to your mouth and explore your sense of taste.
You might like to swallow or move your tongue around in your mouth being present with whatever you are experiencing in this moment.
Opening to your sense of smell.
Perhaps there are fragrances present,
Perfume or the smell of your clothing or a candle.
Or maybe there is an absence of smell.
What is your experience right now?
Tune in and notice.
Becoming aware of the surface beneath you and the parts of your body that are touching the surface that is supporting you.
Notice where there is heavy pressure and light pressure.
As you observe see if you can allow yourself to sink into the surface that is supporting you just a little bit more.
Can you feel the sensation of your clothing on your skin?
And compare this to where there is no clothing covering your skin.
Perhaps you can even feel the gentle light touch of the air upon your skin.
Tuning in and becoming aware of your breath without the need to change anything.
Observing your beautiful life force that has been with you all day.
Having gratitude for your breath as it flows in and out of your body.
Allowing your awareness to shift to the gentle rise and fall of your stomach with each inhale and exhale.
Again feeling thanks and gratitude towards your breath.
Now allow your awareness to rest in your chest area.
Observing as your lungs expand and contract with your inhale and your exhale.
Bring your awareness to your nostrils where your breath is entering and leaving your body and rest here for a moment.
Becoming aware of your entire breath cycle and observing it with gratitude.
Observing the natural flow and rhythm of your breath in this moment.
Tuning in and seeing how it feels to be connected with your breath.
And allow your breath to be your anchor to the present moment.
If your mind wanders at all during the meditation this is okay.
You might like to take note of what has caught your attention and then smile at your mind while you kindly and gently bring its awareness back to your breath or to the meditation.
And know that you can do this as many times as you need to.
Remembering that your mind is simply doing what it is used to doing.
And it is your job during the meditation to become aware when your mind has wandered off.
And then gently bring its awareness back to the meditation.
With practice this will become easier and easier.
Have compassion and gentleness for your mind and assure your mind that it is okay for it to rest with awareness on your breath or the meditation.
Whatever works for you.
Continually bringing your mind to the present moment as much as possible.
Becoming aware of your head,
Shoulders,
Arms and hands,
Your chest,
Upper abdomen,
Lower abdomen,
Pelvis,
Hips,
Legs and feet.
Holding your whole body in awareness as you prepare to observe and have gratitude for your digestive system.
Tuning into your jaw,
Your mouth,
Your teeth and tongue while you marvel at all that happens in this part of your digestive system.
Your jaw and teeth and tongue all working together along with saliva at this early phase of digestion.
Allowing in a sense of gratitude to this area of your digestive system.
Now allowing the energy of gratitude to flow to your epiglottis which gets moved into position to ensure your food travels down your esophagus rather than your windpipe.
How amazing and important this little piece of cartilage is.
Thanking and appreciating your epiglottis for all that it does.
While you now allow your awareness to flow down your esophagus which joins to your stomach.
Being aware of your stomach towards the left of your upper abdomen.
Being aware of your digestive juices and enzymes at work here as you digest meals.
Tuning into the protective layer of mucus that lines your stomach.
Being aware and feeling a sense of gratitude to the muscles of your stomach that churn your food.
Being aware of all the amazing processes that happen within your stomach.
Becoming aware of the organs near your stomach that support the digestive processes.
Your liver and pancreas and gallbladder.
Having gratitude for all that they do.
The incredibly complex tasks that are carried out during digestion.
Becoming aware of your stomach again and allow your awareness to flow to your small intestine.
Making your way all the way through your small intestine having gratitude for everything that happens.
The nutrients that get absorbed into your bloodstream to be used by your body.
How fantastic and amazing the digestive system is and all of this is happening without you needing to do anything.
Allow your awareness to flow from your small intestine to your large intestine.
Any water or nutrients not absorbed in your small intestine are absorbed here and waste is prepared for removal.
Having gratitude for your large intestine as you follow the length of your large intestine to the rectum where your waste is stored.
Allowing your awareness to rest here and feel grateful.
Finally allowing your awareness to rest on your anus where your waste is released.
Putting gratitude for this part of your digestive system.
Allowing in gratitude for your digestive system and all that it achieves.
Each part so important and so many complexities.
Now following your digestive system once more.
As you hold each part of your digestive system in your awareness allow your gratitude to flow through your digestive system.
Allow your energy of gratitude to flow into your mouth.
Holding gratitude for your jaw and teeth and palate and tongue.
Flowing the energy of gratitude to your epiglottis down your esophagus.
Flooding it with gratitude and thanks as it links up with your stomach.
And again becoming aware of the organs associated with digestion.
Your liver slightly towards the right side of your body.
Your gallbladder below your liver.
Your pancreas that sits behind your stomach.
All playing their important role in your digestive system.
Bringing your awareness to your small intestine.
Following the length of your small intestine with as much awareness and gratitude that you can manage.
All the way until you reach your large intestine which includes your appendix or where your appendix would be if you've had it removed.
And from the right side of your lower abdomen following your large intestine as it makes an upside down U shape.
Up the right hand side of your abdomen.
Across the top of your upper abdomen.
And down your left hand side until you reach your rectum where the waste is stored ready to be released.
Now allowing your awareness and gratitude to rest with your anus where your waste is released from your body.
What an incredible and amazing system.
Holding your whole digestive system in your awareness.
Having gratitude and perhaps being in awe about all that happens each and every time you eat food.
Such complex processes and you can just allow it to happen.
Feeling appreciation and gratitude for your digestive system.
Holding your entire gastrointestinal system in your awareness.
Continuing to build more and more gratitude,
Thanks and appreciation.
And allowing this gratitude to expand and flow throughout your digestive system.
Take a moment to rest in gratitude and awe for your digestive system.
Allow your digestive system to bathe in a sense of gratitude and appreciation.
Be present with this energy of gratitude for a moment in silence while you allow your awareness to rest on your digestive system.
As you continue to feel immense gratitude for your digestive system you might like to place your hands on your belly.
You also might like to feel gratitude towards your digestive system before each meal.
Remembering and appreciating all that it does each time you eat.
Becoming aware of your body as a whole and being aware of all the systems in your body that take care of you each and every day.
Becoming aware of your breath and noticing your inhale and exhale allowing it to anchor you in this present moment.
Tuning in and see how you are feeling towards your digestive system.
Begin to notice any sounds in your environment.
Distance sounds and sounds that are close by.
Perhaps sounds within your body.
Becoming aware of the surface that your body is resting on.
Feeling how it is supporting you.
Noticing the parts of your body that are touching the surface and the parts that are not.
Tuning in to your hands and feet,
Your fingers and toes and give them a gentle wriggle.
Allowing any movement into your body that feels right for you.
Taking your time and honouring the process of becoming present and aware in your body.
You might like to rub your hands together to create warmth and then place them on your digestive system or other parts of your body that would like your attention and gratitude.
When you're feeling ready,
Opening your eyes and becoming aware of the space you are in.
And as you move through the rest of your day,
Staying in as much gratitude for your digestive system as you can manage.
