For whatever you had to do to be here in this moment.
For taking this seat with yourself.
It's worth acknowledging and celebrating your commitment.
And if you have any questions,
Feel free to ask them.
We greet a new body every day.
And by tuning in,
We learn what's here and we can welcome all of it with acceptance,
Loving kindness,
The idea and feeling of arms wide open.
When we cultivate that kindness,
When we cultivate that kind of acceptance and awareness,
We can move in a way that feels intentional and supportive based on what it is that we need.
This awareness has the power to shape our day,
Allowing it to unfold with a bit more ease.
Our inner attunement influences our experience with the outer world,
Giving us the opportunity to practice peace.
Welcoming yourself here now.
Please find whatever you need for comfort and support throughout the practice.
Feeling the physical body in the physical space,
Heavy through the sits bones,
Tall through the spine,
Allowing the crown to rest right over the base,
Softening the eyes,
A bit of space between the two bones,
A bit of space between the two rows of the teeth,
Letting go of any tension in the jaw.
Any burden or weight you may be holding in the shoulders,
I invite you to take a deep breath in and on your exhale,
Lay it down just for now.
Feel the foundation of the hips,
The legs and the feet,
Your whole body rooted and resting here.
Your awareness shifts from the body to the breath,
Observing the natural rise of each breath in and the gentle fall of each breath out.
And on your next inhale,
Imagine the breath coming in from the base of the spine where the weight of your body rests and traveling up the spine to the crown of the head.
And as you exhale,
The breath descends from the crown all the way to the base of the head.
And as you exhale,
The breath descends from the crown all the way down to the base or the root.
Inhale,
Root to crown.
Exhale,
Crown to root.
Finding your own rhythm here,
Allowing the breath to flow along this pathway.
If you feel yourself trying to catch or chase the breath,
Pause and begin again.
Inhale,
Root to crown.
Exhale,
Crown to root.
Breathing from your root,
This place of foundation,
Of solid ground and stability,
All the way up to your crown,
A place of wisdom and grace.
You can even visualize a stream of light that rises up the spine as you breathe in and travels back down the spine as you breathe out.
On your next exhale,
Allow the breath to descend from the crown right into the space of the heart,
This space of openness,
Expansion,
Unconditional love.
Soften your breath here.
And as from this space,
And as from this space that we'll engage in our self-inquiry,
Not always to achieve an answer,
But sometimes just asking the question or beginning the conversation is enough.
You can even place a hand on the heart for guidance and asking yourself,
How am I feeling in mind,
Body and soul?
That can be spirit,
Heart,
Energy,
Whatever resonates with you.
No judgment,
No narrative,
Just an honest assessment of where we are.
Trusting what arises in your awareness,
Imagery,
Sensation,
Emotion or thought.
Remain the neutral observer,
Just watching like clouds passing by.
And while mind,
Body and soul are all connected,
It can be helpful to explore these individually.
Beginning with how am I feeling in mind?
How am I feeling in body and soul?
How am I feeling in mind?
How am I feeling in body?
How am I feeling in soul or spirit?
Whatever arises,
Welcome all of it.
Trusting that it is coming from within.
Seeing what's here now,
Continue by asking,
What do I need?
What is it that I need?
Listening for any insight,
Hard truths or guidance that may be trying to reach you in the form of imagery,
Sensation,
Thought or emotion.
What do I need?
With this awareness and wisdom,
Your wisdom,
You can make self-honoring choices along the way.
Allowing both hands to rest on the heart now.
Offering gratitude for what showed up for you today.
Bringing the palms together,
Allowing the head to bow down towards the heart.
We bow to ourselves and each other.
When you're ready,
Allow the eyes to gently open.
A moment to be still.
Welcoming the world around you.
We'll close together with a cleansing breath.
Receive your inhale.
Generous exhale.
