Arriving in this moment.
And when you're ready,
Closing your eyes.
Then relaxing the edges of your eyes.
Breathing through the nose,
In and out.
Relaxing your jaw.
Relaxing your shoulders.
And noticing how your ribs expand and contract as you breathe here.
Then imagine you're breathing into your heart.
Really centered and grounded in this moment.
And as your body starts to get more relaxed,
You start to become more aware of your inner world.
There could be lots of thoughts going on.
Am I doing this right?
What will happen?
All kinds of things.
And just noticing,
Especially what's going on in your body right now.
Knowing that you've got your breath to anchor you in the moment at all times.
If anything feels overwhelming,
You can just start to come back to your calm and slow breath.
And then using this time to explore what is here.
The secret is not to judge,
But to allow what is here.
So often in our daily life we judge things as good or bad.
But for this exercise,
We're just going to explore and allow whatever is here to be here,
Just for this time.
So how is your body feeling?
The idea behind this technique is that when we let go of resistance and give these parts attention,
That's when change can happen.
Letting them be exactly how they are.
If there's tiredness,
There's tiredness.
It's all your unique experience.
And then moving on into your jaw.
Exploring what is in your jaw without judgment right now.
Just saying hello,
Hi,
I see you,
Whatever is here right now.
Remembering you've got your calm breath through the nose,
In and out.
As your system can calm down and relax.
And what does it feel like to relax your jaw?
If any sensations or emotions or thoughts come up,
It's the same drill.
Just acknowledging them and allowing them to be there,
Just for this time.
Maybe there's even something that your body wants to tell you,
Or you want to tell your body.
Your jaw to be specific.
But it can also relate to the whole body.
Taking three deep breaths into your jaw.
Seeing what happens when you can let go of resistance,
Just embracing whatever is here.
If that's good feelings,
That's bad feelings,
However we may have labeled them in the past.
Maybe even people pop into your head.
People that you're resisting.
Whatever it may be,
It's just what's happening for you right now.
And you can explore with curiosity,
Knowing that you're safe here in this moment with your breath.
Your whole system has just been broken.
Your whole system has just been waiting for you to start to listen and tune in.
It's a real gift to be able to be here,
Even if it doesn't feel comfortable.
Then tuning into your whole body again,
As it's resting here,
Noticing if it feels any different.
Just noticing what's going on.
Knowing that if you pick up on any tension,
You can care for yourself by breathing a bit deeper.
And then just checking in with your tongue.
How your tongue effortlessly moves up to the palate,
If it's not already there.
Gentle,
Almost like a magnet,
It is held up there.
This is so normal for you.
And the great thing is,
It takes you to a rest and digest state.
And out of fight or flight,
You're signaling to your body,
I am safe.
I am safe.
I am safe.
Your neck relaxes.
Your jaw relaxes.
Your eyes relax.
And your tongue is resting at the palate.
Your breath is calm and through the nose.
And then just tuning into your emotional world again,
Just seeing what happens as you're relaxed here.
It's going to be unique every time and every day.
Just giving yourself that care to listen.
Maybe there's some resistance to fully relaxing,
Or maybe you're just glad to be here.
Or both.
And remembering if anything does come up,
Letting go of the resistance is what creates the change.
Saying to any sensations or emotions,
Yes,
You are here,
I see you.
And then feeling what they feel like in the body.
And noticing how they may change until they eventually pass.
Breathing a bit deeper as your nervous system relaxes.
Or staying with what is there if it needs your attention.
We don't ever want to push anything away.
And when you're ready you could bring to mind three things that you're grateful for,
But you may also want to stay a bit longer with what's coming up for you.
And when you get to those three things that you're grateful for,
Really feeling that sensation of gratitude in your whole body.
Even washing over your jaw.
Letting it spread.
Soothing.
And imagining that feeling of gratitude rippling out to the people near you.
Your town.
Your country.
And the world.
All benefiting from your gratitude.
You may sometimes think you don't have much in effect on the world,
But you make a difference just by being you.
And then for the last five minutes just tuning in again into your body,
Into your jaw,
Just witnessing what is here.
Maybe you want to gift yourself some more calm breaths.
Just do whatever is good for you right now.
How you can care for yourself.
Remembering that your breath is calm and through the nose.
Maybe even as deep as into your pelvis when you breathe in.
It can be quite nice to just follow your breath as it goes in and goes out.
And just maybe on the out breath there might be something that your system wants to release.
But you don't need to push it out,
It will happen naturally if it's ready to go.
And the same thing for the jaw,
Just tuning in what is there.
Maybe on the out breath something wants to release.
There could even be a softening and a relaxing of the jaw happening,
But that doesn't need to be the case.
Whenever we have tension in the jaw what we really want is for that tension and that pain to release.
But we need to remember that pushing things out and not wanting them to be there creates more tension and resistance.
So as hard as it can be if we can get to a place of allowing and trust in our body,
That's how things can shift.
Listening to what is here,
Maybe hearing its message.
And for the final few minutes just listening if there is any message that your jaw or your body or your system wants to tell you.
And if something has come up just thinking what you want to take with you going forward from this practice,
From this meditation.
And then thanking your body,
Thanking yourself for being here.
Knowing that we've got all the time in the world to come out and you can just bring tension back into your feet.
Really gentle and slow body scan.
Up your legs,
To your knees,
To your hips,
To your belly,
Your left arm,
Your right arm.
Travelling up to your chest and your back.
Leaning a bit deeper if that feels good.
Until it travels up your neck and your face.
Your whole body is aware and awake in this moment.
When you're ready just coming back to join me in the room here with your awareness.
And taking your time.
