Music Taking a moment now to find a dignified and upright posture.
Sitting in a chair or cushion with both feet flat on the ground.
You may choose to lay down or stand.
It's up to you.
Allowing the eyes to gently close or softening your gaze down to the floor if that feels right for you.
And checking in now for just a moment with the sensations of the body.
Letting go of what came before,
What will come after.
Taking a pause for yourself.
Nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
No one to be.
Breathing into the face,
Neck and lungs.
And as you exhale,
Letting any tension or tightness flow out of the body.
And again,
Breathing into the face.
Letting the eyes soften and relax,
The tongue relax back into the throat.
Breathing out,
Letting the shoulders drop even slightly.
Riding down through the torso,
Letting the next breath move through a relaxed and softened belly.
Breathing now into the legs.
Letting them rest,
Held by the earth.
Feeling centered,
Present,
Awake and relaxed.
Breathing into the arms,
Down to the hands and fingers,
Just resting them gently held by your lap.
Gently resting on your sides,
Wherever they may be,
Held by the ground and the earth.
And now,
Taking your awareness into the body and noticing the sensations of the breath.
Letting your attention rest where the breath feels most pleasant or most vivid for you.
If it's helpful,
You may take two or three deep breaths into the lungs,
Just to sense that place in the body where you can feel the breath the most.
Might be the chest or the belly,
Perhaps the nostrils or the upper lip.
If it is subtle or difficult to tune in,
You might try placing a hand gently on your belly or the chest,
Feeling the rising and the falling naturally,
Like waves of the ocean.
The breath moves in and out.
Now letting yourself feel the next three in and out breaths.
As you feel each breath,
Let the mind calm.
Let the body relax.
Not trying to control the breath or breathe in any particular way.
Just trusting the abundant wisdom in your body to breathe itself.
And now expanding your attention from the breath as an anchor to include your body as a whole.
Breathing into the whole body,
Noticing what is present for you.
What thoughts might be arising in the mind.
Feelings or emotions that might be there or sensations felt in the body.
Observing the fullness of life in this moment.
Not trying to change anything,
Just accepting what is here,
Because it is here.
You may have noticed that the mind wanders off into thoughts,
Thinking,
Imagining.
Imagining,
Planning,
Thoughts about the past,
Thoughts anticipating the future.
All of which take you out of this present moment.
That's perfectly fine.
This is what the mind does.
Not to judge or berate yourself.
And when you notice you've wandered in your attention away from presence,
This is the moment of mindfulness.
And when you notice this,
Just gently and lovingly guiding your attention back to your anchor,
Back to the breath and sensing the aliveness in the body.
Just breathing,
Sitting in stillness.
And now,
Inviting you to bring your attention to your heart space.
Checking in with your heart and asking yourself,
What is my deepest intention?
In my work at this moment?
In my life?
My relationships?
What matters most?
Tuning deeply in,
Asking the wisest,
Deepest part of yourself,
The part that knows,
What is most important for me to remember now?
And let go of striving for any answer,
Just listening in with a vast openness,
Like the sky to whatever arises.
You may notice an image arise.
An emotion,
Perhaps.
Words in the form of a thought.
Perhaps just one word that serves as a theme,
Like trust,
Surrender,
Relax.
And it's perfectly fine too,
If nothing seems to appear,
Not to worry.
Just settling into presence and deepening your attention to connect with yourself.
This is a profound and helpful practice that cultivates presence.
And nourishes the capacity to feel awake and alive in the now,
Opening to move with the flow of life itself.
Over time,
This practice can help us touch into the wisest part of us that already knows,
To the deeper wisdom that we are between the thoughts in this stillness,
That is loving awareness that holds it all.
Allowing yourself the space to be just as you are,
Breathing in and breathing out,
Connecting with your true self,
Right here in this moment.
The moment the practice will come to a close and the sound of the bell will signify its ending.
And in this last moment,
Sensing your body as a whole,
Breathing,
Alive and fully present with what is.
The bell.
