Hello and welcome.
This practice is meant to give your mind a rest.
Whether you've been working,
Studying,
Or stuck with anxious thoughts,
This practice will help you slow down and connect with your body.
Let's get settled.
Come into a seated position or lie down on your back.
When you feel comfortable,
Welcome stillness into your limbs.
Let your gaze soften or close your eyes.
Now it is time to rest.
Bring all of your attention to your ears,
Becoming aware of sensations in and around the ears,
The earlobes,
The inside of the ear.
Notice the layers of sound around you.
Follow any sound that catches your attention.
Allow yourself to become completely immersed in the experience of listening.
Focus on the sound of your breath.
Can you isolate the sound of an inhale,
The sound of an exhale?
Pour your attention into the experience of breathing.
Notice the movements in your torso.
Begin to count your breath like this.
Inhale 10,
Exhale 10.
Inhale 9,
Exhale 9.
And if you reach zero,
Begin again from 10.
Inhale 10.
Shift your attention from the breath to the body.
Invite your awareness to flow through your body,
Bringing attention to various body parts as I name them.
During this rotation of consciousness,
Observe any sensations present in your body.
If this experience becomes uncomfortable,
Bring your attention back to your breath.
Beginning with the back of the body,
Begin to sense the back of your head,
The scalp,
Awareness moving down the spine,
Moving through each vertebra in the neck,
The upper back,
The right shoulder blade and the left shoulder blade,
Moving down through each vertebra of the mid-back and the low back,
Sensing the back of the pelvis,
The buttocks,
The back of the legs,
Down the right leg,
Down the left leg,
Sensing the back of the heels,
The back of the body resting,
Sinking into the support of the surface beneath you,
Shifting attention to the front of the body,
Awareness coming to rest between the eyebrows,
Feeling sensation in the face,
The forehead,
The cheeks,
The chin,
The base of the throat,
The right shoulder and the right arm,
The left shoulder and the left arm,
The tip of each of the fingers,
The left shoulder,
Bringing attention back to the torso,
Sensing the lungs and the ribs,
The navel,
The belly,
The hip joints,
The front of the right leg,
The front of the left leg,
The tip of each of the toes,
Awareness saturating the front of the body,
Awareness flowing through the whole body,
With compassion and neutrality,
Observe yourself,
Notice and acknowledge any sensations,
Feelings,
Emotions,
Or thoughts that may arise,
Welcome these experiences to rise and dissipate like waves washing in and washing out,
Recognizing that some days the waves are tumultuous and other days the waves are calm,
Allow yourself to ride the waves,
If you feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed simply bring your attention back to your breath,
Know that you are always in control of your experience,
For the next minute we'll rest in open awareness.
You bring your attention back to your surroundings,
Flutter your eyes open and begin to bring movement back to your body,
Stretching slowly and gently,
I hope this provided you with a well-deserved break,
I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments,
Thank you for meditating with me today.
