Welcome to A Perfect Little Pause.
Let's begin by taking a moment to allow your body to settle into a comfortable position.
You may close your eyes or keep them slightly open.
Allow the spine to lift,
The shoulders to soften,
And feel the chair,
Floor,
Or cushion as it supports you.
Today we will practice taking a perfect little pause.
Begin by taking a full breath in and a long breath out.
Again,
Long breath in,
Pause,
And a long breath out,
And pause.
Repeat this for a few rounds of breath.
Long breath in,
Pause,
Long breath out,
Pause.
Notice what it's like to pause,
To simply pause.
Notice the experience of being still and present in this moment.
What do you feel in the physical body?
Notice any sensations,
Including the tactile quality of your clothing.
Notice the softness or hardness of the chair or cushion that you're seated on.
As you continue with this long,
Slow,
Rhythmic breath,
Become now aware of your senses.
What do you hear?
What do you smell?
Do you notice a lingering taste?
Watch where does your mind go?
Each time you notice the mind going somewhere else,
Invite in a new moment of pause.
It may be helpful to think perfect breath as you breathe in,
And perfect pause as you breathe out.
Perfect breath,
Perfect pause.
Let's continue to practice like this for about two minutes.
Breathing in,
Pausing,
Exhaling,
And pausing.
Coming back to this breath as you notice the mind begins to wander.
Observing where does the mind go?
Bringing yourself back to the breath,
Back to the pause.
Observing equally the sensations of the physical body.
Noticing also sound,
Scent,
Taste,
And so forth.
Noticing equally all of these things,
While at the same time connecting,
Anchoring with the breath.
Perfect breath in,
Perfect pause with the exhale.
As we near the end of this meditation,
Place your hands on your heart.
Take a moment to acknowledge yourself for taking this perfect little pause.
Take one more deep breath in,
One more long breath out.
Replace your hands to your lap,
Flutter your eyes open,
And may you move forward with grace.
If you wish to move forward with an art-based mindfulness practice,
I invite you to take a moment to create an image about pause.
This doesn't need to be an elaborate piece.
Perhaps it's a symbol,
Like a flower or a star.
If you're walking,
Maybe you notice an object in nature.
As you create this image about the experience of pause,
Think,
How can I invite more pause into the future?
What limiting beliefs hold me back from pausing?
Take a mental or physical snapshot of this image or object.
You might place it somewhere visible.
Use this to help remind you to take a perfect little pause the next time you need it.
Thank you so much.
