I'd like to invite you to just get comfortable,
Find a seat or maybe lie down and make yourself comfortable.
Already starting this extra piece of self-care right now for you.
And as you're settling in,
Making a decision whether you'd like to close your eyes or whether you'd like to keep them open.
And if you do that,
If that's more comfortable for you,
Then the invitation is to in a way let go of your focus and to bring your focus more inwards and lowering your gaze so you won't be distracted by whatever is going on around you.
Even as you're lying here or sitting here or standing,
If that's what you prefer,
Or walking even.
Checking in with yourself,
Checking in with your body firstly.
What's going on for you right now?
What's present?
Maybe bringing your attention to your feet.
Perhaps sensing the connection between the feet and the floor.
Sensing the weight of the feet,
Perhaps the weight of the whole body.
Then bringing your attention up through the legs,
To your sit bones,
Your seat.
Perhaps sensing the contact with the chair you're sitting on,
The surface you're lying on.
Also here perhaps you can sense the weight of the body.
And if you're sitting down,
Seeing if it's possible for you to let yourself be carried a tiny bit more.
Resting and relaxing as much as possible.
And if there's still tension in the body,
Then that's okay.
It doesn't need to go anywhere.
It doesn't need to change.
And moving your attention further up,
Around the spine,
To the shoulders.
Sensing the arms hanging off.
The shoulders maybe relaxed,
Maybe tense.
Bringing your attention further up.
The neck,
The throat,
The head,
Noticing what's there,
What's present,
What kind of bodily sensations.
Perhaps there's tension around the eyes or tension in the jaw.
Perhaps you can find a way to soften this tension,
Even if it's just a little bit.
And if not,
Don't worry.
And taking a few deep breaths in and out.
Breathing all the way down into the belly.
Filling the belly,
The lungs,
Exhaling out with the nose or through the mouth,
Whatever you want to call it.
And then after checking in with the body like this,
Perhaps checking in with the thoughts and emotions with the head,
As it were.
What kind of thoughts are around?
You have a busy mind,
A quiet mind.
And perhaps lingering in the foreground or background.
Checking your inner weather pattern.
Also here,
No need to change anything,
It doesn't need to be a certain way.
Simply doing your best to accept the way things are.
And then letting go of exploring and bringing your attention to your heart area,
Your chest.
Perhaps you can sense the heart beating,
Maybe you can sense warmth or maybe it's just the idea of the heart beating.
And then through this connection with your heart,
Seeing if you can maybe bring some gratitude into the body,
Into your experience of this moment.
I'm grateful for us sitting here together,
Connected from all around the world.
Thank you.
Perhaps some gratitude for your body.
Maybe there's illness or injury,
Maybe not.
But whatever is going on,
Be thankful for how our bodies are carrying us every day.
Literally and figuratively.
Helping us move to where we need to get to.
Helping us stay alive.
And then cultivating this feeling of gratitude,
Thankfulness.
Repeating the following sentences in your head or out loud,
Whatever you prefer.
Just placing your hands on your heart,
That's helpful for you.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be peaceful.
And may I be free.
And noticing whatever arises in the body,
In the mind.
And then bringing to mind someone that's dear to you.
A family member,
A friend,
A pet perhaps,
A colleague,
Partner.
Picture this person in front of you,
Smiling to them,
Them smiling to you.
And find something to thank them for.
Doesn't have to be big,
Can be so,
So small.
And then repeating the following sentences.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be free.
And then letting go of this person and bringing to mind someone you have a neutral relationship with.
It could be someone that works at a local supermarket,
Someone that you see every day or regularly on a daily walk for example.
Someone you have no strong positive or negative feelings for.
And finding something to thank this person for.
Maybe they have cheered you up unknowingly on a gloomy day.
And then repeating after me.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
And may you be free.
Noticing what arises in the body right now,
In this moment.
And letting the image of this person go and trying to bring to mind someone that you're experiencing some trouble with at the moment.
Maybe you've had a difficult conversation,
An argument,
Someone that's hurt your feelings but done something that upset you.
And seeing this person standing in front of you in their own human way.
This person that may have hurt you but this person that just like you also wants to be loved and accepted.
Wants to be seen for whoever they are.
This person that too has been hurt in their life.
Has goals and passions and might be going through things that you are unaware of.
And repeating the following sentences to them.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be peaceful.
And may you be free.
Now to checking in what's present in the body,
What arises.
Perhaps this is difficult for you and that's okay.
You're only human.
We try,
We fail,
We try again in everything we do.
Now as you're keeping this person in your mind's eye,
Also bringing back the neutral person,
The benefactor,
The friend,
And expanding and bringing into your experience the rest of the people you're close with.
Perhaps bringing in friends,
Family,
Colleagues in a circle around you.
And bringing in people from your village or city.
And expanding to the people in your country,
Your continent,
Our whole planet.
All sentient beings,
Humans,
Animals.
All those inhabiting our beautiful Mother Earth.
May all those beings be free from harm.
May all beings be held in loving presence,
Filled with loving presence.
May all beings touch great and natural peace.
May all beings be free.
May all beings be free.
May all beings be free.
