Hello and welcome.
What an honor it is to get to spend some time with you today,
Taking a few moments out of the busy life you lead to show up for yourself in this way,
To tune in,
To slow down,
To give yourself permission to really settle in and allow yourself to absorb all the benefits of this much needed moment of mindful awareness.
Finding yourself in a comfortable seated position,
Ideally somewhere quiet and free from distractions.
You want to have a straight spine but don't want to feel stiff,
Allow yourself to really set in and get comfortable now.
You are exactly where you're meant to be right now,
Dear one.
There is nowhere else you need to be and nothing else that needs your attention more than your own sweet soul right now.
Investing in yourself fully during these few minutes you have set aside for yourself today.
If you should be interrupted at any time,
Let that be part of the practice and flow through it with calm and ease,
Staying alert and using the breath as an anchor to this very moment.
The goal is not to perfectly anchor your attention to the breath but more to focus on the breath and when the mind does wander because that's what they do,
To eventually notice and without judgment,
Return your attention to the breath,
To the meditation,
To you.
Begin shifting your attention inward and you may choose to allow your eyes to close if that feels comfortable for you or you may rest your gaze on a focal point or a flame or allow your gaze to drift off past the end of your nose and begin to soften.
Noticing any thoughts moving through your mind and attempting to grab your attention.
Try not to judge or investigate these thoughts further.
Just notice,
Just observe what's your mind trying to think about.
Taking the opportunity to step outside of your experience and become the observer,
The student of self.
Any thoughts or feelings arise,
Again we're just noticing them.
Any feelings of pain or discomfort,
You can say there you are and that's how it is right now.
Bringing your loving attention to your experience.
Offering yourself grace and compassion as you step out of that autopilot we so often get into and allow yourself this precious moment of mindfulness,
Of calm.
Taking slow deep breaths down into the belly through the nose or mouth,
Whichever you prefer.
Tuning into all the so often unnoticed details of this nourishing exchange of oxygen.
The feeling of the air moving across your nostrils,
The expansion of the lungs in the belly on the inhale.
The diaphragm as it pushes the air up and out of the lungs on the exhale.
Noticing if your mind has wandered and gently without judgment returning it to the breath.
An option to use a count for support if you're struggling to slow your thoughts with the focus on the breath alone.
Counting to the top of each inhale until your lungs are to full capacity and then exhaling audibly to release.
So inhaling 1,
2,
3,
4,
5 and exhaling just letting it all go.
Offering yourself patience and understanding as you begin to find peace in the rhythm between the inhale and the exhale.
Taking as little or as much time as you have available to you today knowing that however you were able to show up for yourself was the perfect place to start.
Take care sweet soul and have a beautiful rest of your day.
