Hello and welcome everyone to this guided meditation.
And as we get ready for the meditation today,
Just making sure that the space that you're in is free from distractions and that you've got a comfortable place to sit or to lay down.
Today's meditation is a mindfulness meditation,
So best experience seated where you can be reasonably alert.
But if you feel like lying down there's nothing wrong with that either.
Just got to be conscious about not falling asleep unless that's what you're aiming to do.
So settling into a comfortable position,
Wriggle and settle and make sure that your spine is comfortably erect,
That your back is supported and that your hands are either resting in your lap or on your thighs.
And just connecting in with your breath,
Taking a couple of deep breaths just to centre yourself.
In through the nose and out through the mouth,
Just a few calming breaths.
As we slow down and arrive in this space.
And with your eyes open,
Just gently gazing around the space that you're in and taking in the objects that come into your attention.
Pause.
And perhaps not noticing the object itself but maybe its shape or form,
Its colour or maybe even the shadow that it casts.
Just arriving in the space that you're in.
Moving from object to object.
Simply noticing the shape,
The colour,
The textures of the space you're in.
And when you're ready,
Just gently closing down your eyes and sensing the weight of your body being supported up through your cushion or the chair that you're in.
Sensing that support rising up from the floor below and all the way down to Mother Earth.
Relaxed.
Calm.
Being held here in this space.
Just settling that little bit deeper and getting that solid connection to the earth below.
Noticing other parts of your body that are in contact with the floor or perhaps resting on your body.
You may even notice the temperature in the room across your bare skin.
Slowing down and arriving in this space.
Giving this time just for you.
Noticing any smells or fragrances that you can detect.
Simply letting those smells float to you.
Observing.
Without engaging.
And noticing any taste that you can sense.
Perhaps just the tang of the saliva in your mouth.
Or maybe something you've recently eaten or had a drink of.
Simply connecting in and observing what's present for you.
Slowing down and arriving in this space.
Nowhere else to be.
Nothing else to do.
Noticing the sounds in the room.
Those near-in sounds.
Perhaps a heater or an air conditioner or fan.
May have some music playing in the background.
Just letting those sounds float to you.
And now letting your attention broaden to sounds outside the room.
Perhaps the sounds of nature,
Birds singing or a dog barking.
Perhaps passing traffic or other people going about their day.
Simply connecting in and accepting what's present for you.
Now turning your attention inwards to your inner self.
And connecting in with what's present for you.
Maybe your thoughts or how you're feeling right now.
Some emotions running through the body.
And getting a sense of the physicality of those sensations.
Maybe feeling it in the gut or tightness in the chest.
Simply accepting and connecting with your inner world.
Now bringing your attention to your whole body.
Being held here and supported.
Aware of the environment and the sounds and the tastes and the smells.
But integrated with the internal world.
As you arrive here whole and fully present.
And connecting in with your breath.
Noticing the simple air been flowing.
As you breathe in and breathe out.
Simply following the breath.
No need to alter it.
Simply connecting in.
As you breathe in and breathe out.
You may notice the breath the strongest at your nostrils.
As the cool air comes in and the warm air goes out.
Perhaps you may notice the air passing through your throat.
Or the sensations in your chest or belly.
With the rise and fall.
Simply connecting in with where you feel the breath the strongest.
And for today's practice.
Making that your anchor.
Where you feel the breath the strongest.
And should you find yourself lost in thought.
Which is quite common.
Just acknowledge the thinking.
And returning to the present.
Through your anchor of the breath.
Now taking your attention to the space that's occupied by your left foot.
Sensing the weight.
The space.
Any sensations.
Tightness or tingling.
Simply accepting what's present for you.
The left lower leg.
The muscles and the bone and the space that's occupied by the left leg.
Simply connecting in and accepting.
The sensations.
Any feelings or tightness or tension.
Simply becoming aware.
To your upper left leg.
The thigh and the hamstring.
The femur.
Simply connecting in.
Sensing the space of the whole left leg.
Now sensing the space of the right foot.
The sea of sensation.
Tingling or tightness.
Connecting in with what's present for you.
To the lower right leg.
And the space that it occupies.
Noticing any sensations.
Energy flowing.
Aliveness.
Now sensing your right upper leg.
The thigh.
The muscles and the skin.
And sensing the space that's occupied by the whole right leg.
Any tightness or tension or tingling.
Sense of aliveness.
Now sensing the space of your left hand.
The back of the hand and the palm.
And all your fingers.
Simply noticing whatever's present for you.
Tightness or a tingling.
A lightness or a heaviness.
To your wrist and lower part of your left arm.
And up to the elbow.
Connecting in with the sea of sensations.
That's the space occupied by your left arm.
The upper part of the arm.
And the whole left arm.
Now resting your attention now into the right hand.
And the space that's occupied.
Any tightness or tension.
Or perhaps a sense of ease and calm.
Little tingles at the tips of your fingers.
Just simply connecting with whatever's present for you.
To your right forearm.
Noticing the space that it occupies.
The skin,
Perhaps some hair on the arm.
And the lightness of sensations.
The right upper arm.
Biceps and triceps.
And energy flowing.
And the space occupied by the whole right arm.
Sensing a flow of energy up and down the arm.
Now resting your attention on your hips and pelvis and sit bones.
And the space that's occupied.
They sense the solid nature of the part of the body.
Sense of strength.
Simply accepting anything and everything.
And bringing your attention now to your torso.
The core of the body.
The heart space and the lungs and the heart.
The energy that flows from the centre.
And your spine holding you comfortably erect.
And your belly.
And the skin and bones.
And all of the sensations.
The aliveness in the body.
To your shoulders and neck and the space they occupy.
They sense a tightness.
As you rest your attention you may sense your shoulders just dropping away.
Your throat.
And to the space that your head occupies.
The scalp and the ears.
They sense your hair.
The aliveness and the sea of sensations.
And your brow and your eyes.
Your nose and the space it occupies all the way to the tip.
And to your mouth and jaw.
And the space it occupies.
And the teeth and gums and tongue.
The sea of sensations that's the physical body present and here.
Sensing your entire body now.
Whole and complete.
Aware of the aliveness and the energy and the sea of sensations that's your body.
Observing.
Noticing.
Separate.
The ability to observe the body and the mind.
And in this space of awareness.
You may like to listen to the following affirmations or repeat them silently to yourself.
In this sense of awareness being whole and present.
I'm at peace with myself and with the world.
I'm at peace with myself and with the world.
My mind is naturally calm and tranquil.
My mind is naturally calm and tranquil.
I am not my thoughts.
I am not my thoughts.
I am fully here and aware of everything.
I am fully here and aware of everything.
Gratitude increases my happiness.
Gratitude increases my happiness.
I am in charge of my emotions.
I am in charge of my emotions.
I look for positivity and it grows.
I look for positivity and it grows.
I am at peace with myself and with the world.
My mind is naturally calm and tranquil.
I am not my thoughts.
I am fully here and aware of everything.
Gratitude increases my happiness.
I am in charge of my emotions.
I look for positivity and it grows.
And sitting in this presence,
Now enjoy a period of silence.
Staying present and here and accepting whatever arises.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
I am here.
Gently arriving back into your body.
Sensing the weight of the body being supported up through your cushion or the chair,
Up through the floor.
Connecting all the way down to Mother Earth.
Noticing the clothing resting on your skin.
Other parts of the body in contact with itself.
Slowly coming back to the physical body at rest here in this space.
Noticing any fragrances,
Smells and tastes that you can sense.
And noticing the sounds that you can hear both inside the room and outside.
Awakening the body.
Perhaps introducing a few small movements.
Wriggling of the fingers and toes.
Clenching and unclenching of your hands.
Perhaps a gentle roll of the shoulders.
Or other stretches as your body is calling out for.
Just being gentle and slow and deliberate.
And when you're ready,
Opening your eyes and connecting in with the space around.
Being gentle.
Adjusting slowly as you come back into this present moment.
And as you slowly and connecting back in with the world around.
I'd like to thank you all for joining with everyone here today for this meditation.
