This is Jean Vitrano.
Thank you for joining me for this guided meditation.
This meditation I find can be helpful when we feel disconnected,
Separate,
Or in fear.
It is intended to help us remember that we are connected to everything that is,
That we can't be separate,
And that we can rest in our interconnection.
So to start,
Just get settled in a comfortable seated position.
Allow your eyes to close or find a place to rest your gaze with soft eyes.
And start by giving yourself a moment to simply arrive in your body in this moment just as you are.
Dropping into your seat,
You might connect to the ground underneath you.
So feel the contact of your feet on the ground or if you're lying down with your weight against the ground.
And allow the earth to support you.
Allow the earth to take your weight so you can feel stable and solid in this moment.
Find an easy length through your spine from your tailbone all the way up between your ears.
And notice as you come into stillness any places of tension.
So places where you might be holding or using more effort than you need to be.
And see what you can consciously let go.
You might check in with your hips.
Notice if you're clenching in your hips or your belly.
See where you can soften.
Allow your shoulders and your arms to truly rest.
In this moment they don't need to give out or receive.
They can simply rest.
Allow your chest to soften.
Letting go of defenses,
Holding,
Protection.
Knowing in this very moment you are safe.
Bring your attention to the muscles in your face.
Allow them to soften.
Your jaw can relax.
You might notice if your tongue is pressed against the roof of your mouth and what happens if you let it drop down.
It's okay if your lips part.
Allowing some space between your upper and lower teeth.
And in this moment not needing to see out.
Soften all around your eyes.
In the corners of your eyes.
Letting go behind your eyes.
And letting go of any effort between your eyes and into your forehead.
Right now you don't need to think very hard or plan or fix or go over.
Instead,
Invite yourself to have this space and this time to simply be.
To breathe in the present moment just as you are.
And so if you haven't already,
Go ahead and shift your attention to your breathing.
Which means simply to start to experience each breath.
Following the inhale.
Following the exhale.
Notice where the breath begins.
And see if you can stay with the full path of the breath.
So notice when the inhale becomes an exhale.
When the exhale becomes an inhale.
Whatever its pace,
Its depth,
You don't need to change it.
Just following its natural rhythm.
However it is right now.
Knowing it will change and it will change again.
Sensing the rise and fall of the belly and of the chest.
Just breathing in,
Breathing out.
And as we do this,
We'll listen to the sound of the bell.
Just letting the sound float in and fade away.
Breathing and listening.
The bell is ringing.
The bell is ringing.
The bell is ringing.
Now we'll work with some phrases.
And there's two parts to the phrase.
So you breathe in as you say the first part.
And as you breathe out,
You can say the second part.
And let the words follow the breath.
So you sense yourself breathing in and you say the words.
You sense yourself breathing out and you say the words.
There's a long version of the phrase or the short version.
Either one is fine.
As you breathe in,
This air that I breathe.
As you breathe out,
I am made of this air.
This air I am.
This air I am.
This air I am.
Recognizing that we are not separate from the air we breathe.
That we could not be here without this air.
We are made of this air.
As you breathe it in,
We send it back out.
And allowing each breath to nourish you.
This air I am.
As you breathe in,
Your mind wanders.
No big deal.
Just come back again.
Take the next breath.
This air I am.
This moment.
Feeling the whole body expand as you breathe in.
Softens back in as you breathe out.
Not needing to work hard.
Effortless breathing.
As you breathe in,
This earth I stand on.
As you breathe out,
I am made of this earth.
I am.
Recognizing that we are made of the minerals and plants of this earth.
That we are not separate from the earth.
This earth I am.
To feel connected,
All you need to do is sense your feet on the ground again.
Sense the earth supporting you,
Taking your weight.
Rest on the earth.
The earth rests on you.
As you breathe in,
This water that flows.
As you breathe out,
I am made of this water.
This water I am.
Recognizing that we are made mostly of water.
That there is no separation between us and the rain and the clouds and the bodies of water all around.
That we too can flow like water.
This water I am.
Letting our water nature be present.
As you breathe in,
This sun that shines.
As you breathe out,
I am made of this light.
This light I am.
This light I am.
Knowing that we depend on the energy and light of the sun.
That that light is in us.
And that we too can radiate that energy and light.
We are not separate from the sun.
The sun I am.
As you breathe in,
All people past and present.
As you breathe out,
I am made of their existence.
All people,
I am.
Connected to all of the people who came before us.
Our parents and their parents.
Our ancestors.
Without them,
We would not be.
Recognizing our connection to all people.
People we know,
People we do not know.
Knowing that we cannot exist by ourselves alone.
That our lives are affected by everyone.
And that we too affect everyone.
All people,
I am.
Seeing that we are much more than this body.
As you breathe in,
This love that surrounds us.
As you breathe out,
I am made of this love.
This love,
I am.
Breathing and in touch with the love that we receive and the love that we give out.
That we could not exist without love.
This love,
I am.
In this moment,
You might feel the warmth from that connection to love.
We cannot be separate from love.
As you breathe in,
Aware of the interdependence of all things.
As you breathe out,
I am not separate.
As you breathe out,
I am not separate.
Breathing in,
Breathing out.
Letting go of any sense of separateness.
Seeing ourselves in all things.
Seeing all things in ourselves.
Master butterfly Black and white And as we close this meditation,
You might take a moment to thank yourself for practicing for showing up,
For being present.
Be gentle as you open your eyes or as you let light back in,
Movement back in.
I thank you for your practice today.
