Hello and welcome.
In this short practice,
We are going to slow down and settle into the present moment.
We'll start by grounding ourselves,
And then move into a gentle breath and body awareness.
There's no right or wrong way to do this practice.
It's simply about coming home to the here and now,
Again and again,
And building present moment awareness.
Let's begin by getting comfortable.
You might be sitting on a chair,
On a cushion,
Or lying down,
Whatever works best for you right now.
Allow your spine to gently lengthen,
As if there's a thread lifting from the crown of your head,
And let your shoulders relax,
And rest your hands where it feels natural.
If it feels right,
Go ahead and close your eyes,
Or soften your gaze and find a spot to rest it on.
Now bring your attention to where your body connects with the surface beneath you.
Feel yourself being supported by whatever is underneath you,
And noticing the points of contact,
Such as your feet touching the ground,
Your back or legs supported behind you,
The air touching your skin,
Maybe cool,
Maybe warm.
Take a moment to simply be here,
In this moment.
You may even give yourself a gentle reminder,
Saying something like,
I am here,
I am supported,
Right now,
I am okay.
Let those words land in your body,
Breathe into them,
Feeling the steadiness of this moment.
Now let's bring our attention to the breath.
Take a few deeper breaths than usual,
Slow and steady.
Inhale through the nose,
Filling the belly and chest with air.
Exhale gently through the mouth,
Letting go,
And softening the body as you do.
Let your breath settle into its natural rhythm.
There's no need to control or change anything,
Just notice the breath moving in and out.
With each exhale,
Feel yourself arrive a little more fully in the present.
And with each exhale,
Let go of anything unnecessary you're carrying right now.
Your breath is always here for you,
As a gentle anchor to come back to now.
If your mind has been wandering throughout this practice,
That's totally okay,
Totally natural.
When you notice it,
Simply guide your attention back,
With a soft word or reminder such as,
Be here.
Be present.
This breath.
This moment.
Now turn your attention inward and check in with your body.
Gently scan from head to toe,
Just noticing what's present.
You don't need to fix or figure anything out,
Just be curious.
Noticing if there's any places of ease or tension,
Warmth or coolness,
Tingling or tightness,
Stillness.
Whatever's here,
Just notice it.
And see if you can even meet it with a little bit of kindness.
You can try saying something to yourself like,
This belongs.
It's okay to feel this.
If it feels soothing,
You can place a hand over your heart or anywhere that feels like it needs a little extra care.
Feel your own warmth and presence and let it bring some comfort.
Now gently return your attention to the breath again.
Let it be your home base.
A gentle reminder that you are here right now.
You're alive.
The energy in the body is the essence of what it means to be alive.
So take a few more moments to simply be.
And to experience what it's like to bring your awareness to this moment.
And really connect with what's happening right now.
Nothing to figure out,
Nowhere to go.
Just this moment,
Your breath and your body filled with the energy of being alive.
Letting it be just as it is.
If you're ready,
Slowly bring movement back into your body.
Wiggle your fingers or toes,
Maybe roll your shoulders or stretch a bit if it feels good.
Feel free to open your eyes gently,
Taking in the space around you.
As you move into the rest of your day,
Know that this presence,
This grounded awareness,
Is something you can return to anytime.
So I hope you carry a sense of calm,
Clarity and compassion with you for the remainder of your day or evening.
Thank you for listening and take care.
