Settle into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
This could be a seated position,
Or maybe you're lying down or propped up on a wall or a cushion.
Choose whatever shape works for you today.
This is your time and you do not have to meet anyone else's expectations.
Once you're settled in,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Beginning to take this journey inward.
Imagine a pillar of white light descending from the heavens shining on you and bringing a complete sense of peace and relaxation to your physical,
Emotional and mental selves.
As the light lands on your head,
You release tension from between the eyebrows.
You feel your jaw unclench.
As the light continues to travel down your body,
You feel your neck relax.
Take a deep breath in and on the exhale let the shoulders sink away from the ears.
As you imagine the light traveling through the shoulders down to the arms and hands.
As the light moves into your chest and back,
Feel the tension releasing.
Allow a feeling of peace to settle over your stomach.
Imagine that light spreading into the hips,
Your calves,
Your ankles,
All the way down to your feet,
Removing all tension along the way.
Take a moment to enjoy this feeling of peace and stillness.
Today we'll practice the 4-7-8 breathing exercise.
This breath acts as a natural tranquilizer for the nervous system.
We will be breathing in through the nose for a count of 4,
Holding for a count of 7,
And exhaling for a count of 8.
This is a breath retention practice and if it's not comfortable to hold your breath for the full count of 7,
Release the breath as soon as you need.
We will practice 3 rounds together,
Then I'll give you a few moments to practice at your own pace and you can count as slow or as fast as you would like.
For this breath you'll keep the tip of your tongue against the ridge of the tissue behind your upper front teeth.
Start by completely exhaling through your mouth,
Making a whoosh sound.
Now close your mouth and inhale quietly through the nose for 2,
3,
4,
Holding your breath for 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7.
Now exhale completely through the mouth making that whoosh sound for 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8.
First mouth inhale,
Hold,
Exhale through the mouth,
Inhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold,
Exhale,
Hold,
Exhale.
Take the next few moments to practice this breath at your own pace.
Release this breathing exercise,
Returning your breath to a steady inhale through the nose and exhale through the nose.
Try to hold on to any peacefulness and stillness you cultivated through this practice.
These type of exercises help us quiet the mind,
Which can make it easier to tap into our deeper selves.
Let's go deeper by considering a question that is inspired by the archetype,
The lover.
Archetypes are key images,
Tendencies,
Personalities that tend to appear in every culture.
The lover archetype represents the heart,
The beloved,
And the devoted.
The lover appreciates and experiences the world through the senses and can inspire a sense of connection,
Expansion,
Devotion,
And awe.
It's common to look for the lover in other people,
But the true gift is finding the lover in yourself.
Are you experiencing your life through your senses,
Reveling in art,
Music,
Sense?
Are you fully present and awake with no expectations of what should be?
Are you simply appreciating what is?
Turn your focus inward and ask yourself,
How can I better love myself?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just allowing answers to come up.
How can I better love myself?
How can I better love myself?
As you practice bypassing the thoughts and listening to your deeper wisdom,
You will notice that you don't always hear words.
You may have gotten images,
Impressions,
Or even memories.
Anything that came up could have meaning.
Take a few breaths to process what came up for you and consider if you want to act on anything that you learned.
Listen to the following affirmation,
And whether you feel that it's true for you or not,
Repeat it to yourself and let it resonate deep within.
I cherish my capacity to love deeper.
I cherish my capacity to love deeper.
As we reach the end of today's practice,
Bring the palms together at heart center,
Slightly bow in your head.
Take a moment to reflect on your experience.
Were you able to connect with your inner wisdom?
Did you practice listening and being open?
Allow this experience and any insights you've gained to stay with you as you bring your awareness back to your physical surroundings.
Take your time and when you're ready,
Open your eyes and allow your body any movement that it needs.
