The Year That Was 2020
A reflective practice, looking back on the year that was 2020. While for many this year was strange and stressful, there are always moments of light in the dark, and this practice will take you gently down memory lane, reflection on the moments that made this year special, instead of those you'd rather forget. This practice contains a period of silent reflection.
Transcript
So today's meditation is reflective,
Looking back on the year that was,
And certainly this year has been very different than the most unusual year many of us will have ever experienced,
But it's important to remember that it wasn't all bad.
There were moments of light in between the dark,
So we're going to just look at those and reflect and prepare to move forward in a few weeks with the new year.
So find a comfortable spot,
Settle down and we'll get ready to begin in just a moment.
So as you settle into this meditation,
Find a comfortable position for your body.
You may like to sit up,
Your legs crossed or straight in front of you with a cushion or pillow to support your hips.
You may prefer to place your back against a wall or even sit in a chair.
If it feels better for your body,
You can lie down resting on your back with your hands either by your sides or on your belly or it might even feel better to rest them on your thighs.
If you need to and it's cooler where you are,
You can place a blanket over yourself or wrap one around you if you're sitting.
If you're lying down,
You may like to place a bolster under your knees,
A pillow under your head and an eye bag over your eyes to further relaxation.
But take this time now,
Whatever position you're in,
To settle into it.
Get rid of any riddles or movement that are lingering and just find a nice comfortable spot to rest.
And as you settle into this position,
Allowing your body to loosen gently and settle down,
Take a note of the space around you.
If your eyes are still open,
You can take a moment just to gaze around the space.
Just noticing where things are,
The colours that are there,
The shapes,
Things that make up this room.
Gently allowing your eyes to drift closed when it feels good.
You can settle down now into that cool dark space behind your eyelids.
Sink deeply into it,
Giving your eyes a rest,
Your sense of sight a rest.
Becoming aware of the space and your position in it through your other senses.
Noticing those points of contact between your body and the floor or the surface beneath you.
The touch of your clothes or hair against your skin.
Any sounds around you inside or outside the space.
And anything you can taste or smell in the air.
Letting these things come to you as you continue to relax and settle down.
Your senses don't need to seek out this stimuli,
Just allow it to be there as it comes to you.
Weaning it all together.
Allowing it to settle if it needs to or drift away as it wants to.
No need to hold it,
No need to chase it.
Simply allow this feeling of the physical space to be there,
Part of the moment.
As you continue to relax.
And as you allow yourself to be in the space.
Just letting it come to you as it does.
Gently bring your attention to your breath.
Notice the way it's moving in and out of your body.
Even when you're not paying attention,
It continues to flow endlessly.
So settling into position now.
Releasing your body and getting comfortable.
Take three deep breaths,
As deep as is comfortable for you in your own time.
And you can gently let them out or if it feels good,
You can sigh them away and just focus deeply on the sound and feel and movement of your breath for the next three breaths.
Hew populist doubt is meeting,
Their Pebble amends the stir of smoking,
Resolution Billings,
And enormity of fantasy.
Allow that awareness of your breath to stay with you as you begin to deeply relax your body.
Breathing down into your feet and legs,
Unwinding the tension there.
So we need tightness.
Allowing your hips and pelvis to unlock.
Soften gently down.
Breathe into your buttocks and let these muscles relax.
Make your breath to your chest and your belly.
Breathing in deep gentle relaxation.
Letting out any tightness or tension that's lingering there.
Take your breath to your shoulders and then down your arms and into your hands.
Allowing the top of your body to let go,
Arms to be soft.
Any knots in your shoulders to unwind.
And then gently allow your breath to flow down your back.
Softening the muscles here,
Unlocking the vertebrae and tying any knots.
All the way up and down your back.
All the way up into the stairs.
So fall back to the knees.
One breath in and out,
Hoarding the body as far as it wants.
Bowing these places to soften as well,
Taking away any tension.
Before you breathe into your face,
Into your jaw and your cheeks,
Your nose,
Your eyes,
Your forehead,
Even your ears,
Just allowing your face to let go,
Allowing it to soften and settle down.
Letting any little knots by themselves,
Any aches gently slide away.
And then allow yourself to breathe into the top of your head and the back of your head.
Softening these hard places,
Releasing tension that may be lingering there.
Just allowing your whole body now to really settle down,
Taking the breath to any places that may need extra attention.
And just allowing everything to let go.
Letting any little knots by yourself to let go.
Letting any little knots by yourself to let go.
And as you rest here in your relaxed body,
Being gently mindful of your breath,
Consider gently the year that has been,
How it opened in January with so much promise.
Perhaps you did something fun at the beginning of the year.
And then as it rolled into February and March,
There began to be rumbles of something uncertain.
In April,
It seemed like everything ground to a halt and we rode into an uncertain winter,
Worried about ourselves,
Our friends,
Our loved ones.
And fear seemed ever pervasive.
Perhaps where you are,
It still might be.
And then we began to get ahead again and spring came and we started to find a semblance of normal.
Taking the lessons we'd learned from a winter lockdown and bringing them into our interactions with those around us,
Reveling in company,
Enjoying the sound of people's laughter,
Exploring places we may not have ever gone before.
And now as we move into summer towards the end of the year,
It is easy to dismiss 2020 as a washout,
As a year that could have been better.
And because it's easy,
It may feel like the right thing to do.
But for all the stress and the fear and uncertainty that 2020 brought,
Consider where there were points of brightness in your life.
Because not all 365 of these days have been dark.
Some of you 2020 may have been the opportunity you needed to pause,
To reset,
To evaluate where you're going and whether you want to continue moving in that direction.
It can be hard when things are chugging along as they do,
To take that time.
So if you had that opportunity this year and you chose to take it,
Well done.
You made a brave decision.
Perhaps 2020 was a year of momentous change.
Perhaps you began a new job,
Started your own business,
Got married or became a parent.
And life has changed in some fundamental or incredibly positive way.
If this is you,
Well done.
I'm glad you took the chance to make yourself happy.
Perhaps 2020 has been a year of completion,
Of finishing,
Of preparing to move into the next steps.
Perhaps you've retired,
Completed school or further education.
Perhaps you've finished a position and are moving to another one.
If this was your 2020,
Congratulations.
Move forward with confidence,
Knowing you can achieve anything.
So as you take this opportunity now to move into silence,
I invite you to continue your reflection.
Was this a year to pause?
A year of change?
A year of completion?
Perhaps there was something else there that's not been mentioned yet.
A moment in this year that shines brightly for you.
Allow yourself to reflect and gently sit these moments,
Letting the bells remind you when it's time to come back.
How do you present yourself to your memory?
You You You You Very gently now start to bring your awareness back to your breath And then back into your body You can start to wiggle your fingers and toes Release your shoulders have a stretch Letting the space slowly come back to you as you return The sounds,
The smells The feelings of things touching you The feelings of things touching you When you're ready you can gently open your eyes And find yourself back in your room Thank you
