Hi friends,
This is Kimberly Novosell-Ravareza,
The founder of Flourish Meditation,
Coming to lead you a 8 or 9 minute meditation practice today.
Thank you for joining me.
Wherever you are,
Allow yourself to find a comfortable posture,
Something you can maintain for about that amount of time,
And of course if you do need to shift and move throughout this practice,
You are very welcome to do that.
You might be seated in a chair,
Or on the floor,
Or lying down somewhere,
Even at your desk or driving the car.
Sometimes that few minute commute is the best time we have for some self-care,
Some reflection,
Some quiet time.
Alright,
If you're feeling settled and you're not driving,
Go ahead and close your eyes.
Take a couple of breaths that are gentle but deep,
Full,
Easy breaths,
Into your belly and then out from your belly.
It might take a few before it really feels like you're able to access that expansion of the belly,
Of the lungs,
Before you find all the space that you actually really have within yourself for breath.
Deep inhale,
Big exhale.
And then let go of the drawing in and pushing out of the breath and let your breath be totally natural and at ease.
It's maybe a little bit deeper than it was before we began,
But regardless,
Just let it come and let it go.
Spend a few moments here with yourself.
Notice your body,
If there's any tension that can be released,
If you can find a softer way of being.
Notice what feelings are present in your emotional body or maybe even in your physical body.
Notice your thoughts.
You might feel the hamster wheel of the mind looking for the next thing to think and the next thing to think.
Feel yourself slow it down,
Slow it down.
There is nothing needed of you right now other than to just be here.
Take a few moments here to just soften in all the ways.
There's nothing required of you other than to just be you.
What would it feel like to be a softened body free of tension moving through the world?
How can you carry that with you today and onward?
What would it take to be aware of your emotional body as the feelings arise and become physical?
Can you notice them?
Can you honor them?
Can you allow them to move through?
Can you continually practice the slowing of the thoughts?
The goal is never to clear the mind of thoughts or to stop thinking thoughts.
The brain is an organ and its job is to think,
But can you slow the pace?
Can you stop the reaching for the next and the next and the next?
What comes up for you when you think of moving through the world in a softer way?
What might that invite in for you that's wonderful?
What fears or hesitations arise?
You may even imagine holding those hesitations in your hands and letting your grip soften.
We can't always be free of restriction,
But we can work with it.
Hold it lightly.
As we prepare to close this practice,
That's the message I want you to take forward for yourself today,
This week,
And beyond continually asking yourself,
How can I move through the world in a softer way?
In some moments,
It might be dropping your shoulders and softening your facial expression.
In others,
It might be using gentle words with yourself and others.
It might be sitting down to notice your thoughts,
Your feelings,
And the pace of your mind.
How can you move through the world in a softer way?
With that,
Take a deep inhale,
Big exhale.
Take a few more deep breaths at your own pace.
Bring some movement into your body,
Maybe a stretch or a sway.
When you're ready,
Flutter your eyes open.
Thank you for your practice today.
