Find a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
This could be a seated position,
You may be lying down,
Or maybe you're propped up on a wall or a cushion.
Choose the shape that works for you today.
It's good to start this type of practice by listening to and honoring what your body needs.
As you settle in,
Make sure your body is relaxed.
We'll take a scan of the body,
Noticing if there is any tension or discomfort.
Starting with your feet,
Moving up through your legs,
Your torso,
Your shoulders,
Your arms and hands,
And your head.
If you noticed any tension or discomfort,
And if there is an adjustment you can make to ease that sensation,
Go ahead and make those changes now.
As you relax,
Turn your focus to the breath,
Inhaling and exhaling slowly and deeply through the nose.
Let's practice pursed lip breathing.
Pursed lip breathing is a simple technique that will help make deep breaths slower and more intentional.
The inhale for this breath is through a closed mouth for a count of two,
But when you exhale you will pucker your lips as if you are giving a kiss and breathe out for a count of four.
We'll do this together three times,
And then I'll give you a few moments to practice at your own pace.
Start with a full exhale.
Now keeping the mouth closed,
Inhale through your nose for one,
Two,
Now exhale through your pursed lips for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale,
Exhale,
Inhale,
Exhale.
Now take the next few moments to practice this breath at your own pace.
Release this breathing practice,
Returning your breath to a comfortable deep and slow inhale and exhale.
Imagine you're walking along a trail in the fall in the mountains,
Surrounded by trees that have just started to change colors on your way to visit your favorite waterfall.
Make this scene your own by fully visualizing it.
Is the trail you're walking on paved?
Maybe it's simply worn grass or a gravel path.
Is it morning,
The middle of the day,
Or the evening?
How does the sky appear?
Can you see the colors of the sunrise or sunset in the sky?
Maybe it's the bright blue sky of a sunny day.
Or maybe it's starting to darken into twilight.
How does it feel to be walking along this path?
Can you hear your footsteps?
Do you hear birds chirping and squirrels playing in the forest?
If you take a deep breath in,
Is the air crisp?
Can you smell the pine of the trees around you?
Notice that your trail opens out on a clearing,
Revealing a beautiful waterfall.
As you stand at the bottom of the falls,
Take a moment to envision what this waterfall looks like in your scene.
How high is it?
Does the waterfall straight down?
Or are there different levels or water pools before falling to the bottom?
Are the waters at the base clear blue?
Is the water calm or churning or breaking on rocks?
Find a comfortable place to sit at the base of the falls and take a few breaths to enjoy this peaceful setting.
Listening to the waterfall and following your breath.
Hold on to the peacefulness and stillness you've cultivated through this visualization practice.
The practice helps us quiet our minds,
Which makes it easier to tap into our deepest selves.
And now that you've cultivated a little more space between your thoughts,
You can sit with a question to see if your inner wisdom will respond.
Today's deep listening question is inspired by the archetype,
The judge.
Archetypes are key images,
Tendencies,
Personalities that tend to appear in every culture throughout time.
The judge is the critic,
The diplomat,
And the advocate.
This part of ourselves helps us discern what is safe,
True,
And just.
It's important that the judge stay in balance.
An out of balance judge can be the seed of fear,
Self-loathing,
And even racism.
An in balance judge can advocate for the underdog,
Show compassion,
And help others who are in need.
The difference between being in balance and out of balance is love.
Turn your focus inward as you consider,
Am I practicing compassion when it comes to myself and others?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just allowing any answers to come up from deep within,
Am I practicing compassion when it comes to myself and others?
As you practice deep listening,
You may notice that your inner wisdom doesn't always use words.
You may have gotten images,
Impressions,
Thoughts,
Memories.
Anything that came up could have a meaning.
Take a few breaths to process what came up for you and consider if you want to act on anything that you learned.
Now listen to the following affirmation and whether you feel it's true or not,
Repeat it to yourself letting it resonate deep within.
I am compassionate and understanding with the people in my life.
I am compassionate and understanding with the people in my life.
As we reach the end of today's practice,
Bring the palms together at heart center,
Slightly bowing 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 that you have 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 gentle movement that it needs.
