Viktor Frankl.
The author of A Man's Search for Meaning.
And holocaust survivor says.
Between stimulus and response.
There is a space.
And in that space is your freedom to choose a new response.
This meditation will assist you.
And creating space in your mind.
Your heart.
In your body.
And in your nervous system.
So let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
And if it fits for you,
You can close your eyelids.
And as you do,
Feel the solid ground beneath you.
Notice the points of contact between your body and the ground the seat.
The feet.
The heels the toes.
The hips.
The back body.
You might even notice the hands.
Elbows.
Shoulders and jaw hinge.
And take five slow steady breaths.
Remember,
Your body is breathing you all the time.
So you can't do it wrong.
And as you become aware of your breath.
Begin to notice.
Where do you feel your breath?
In your body.
Is it more in the front body or the back body.
Is it in the belly?
Or more towards the chest.
Was it in the right ribcage?
Or in the leopard cage.
Or is it somewhere in between?
And as we notice the breath,
You may begin to bring to mind the image of a glass of water filling up So the water pours into the low part of the glass.
In the middle.
And then the upper part of the glass.
And as the water pours out,
It pours out of the upper part,
The middle,
And lower part of the glass.
And so if it fits for you,
You can imagine your breath pouring into the lower part of your body.
Middle and upper.
And then pouring out upper.
Middle,
Lower.
Let's take these next few breaths in silence.
As you notice your breath.
We'll begin with the process of welcoming.
Welcoming yourself just as you are right now.
Welcoming sounds.
Sensations.
Welcome the points of contact.
Between the body and the ground.
Welcome.
Your feet.
Your knees.
Your seat.
The ribs.
Shoulders.
Elbows.
Fingers and hands.
Welcome the chest.
The root of the tongue.
The back of the scalp.
The crown.
Even the space across the forehead.
And once again,
Welcome.
Your breath.
And welcome thoughts.
Emotions.
Welcoming our experience just as it is right now.
Oftentimes or operating,
Whether consciously or unconsciously,
Out of habituated responses.
Emotional reactions.
Nervous system responses.
Underlying belief systems.
About what's possible for ourselves.
The world or ourselves in the world.
And even cultural or intergenerational patterns.
When we slow down and practice awareness.
Meditation.
Or any consciousness shifting practice over time.
We can begin to have more space between stimulus and response.
That is more space between our reactions.
Thoughts.
And even our beliefs.
And through this space over time.
We often gain the opportunity to choose responses that are more in harmony with our authentic souls.
And so as you notice the ground,
And the solid surfaces beneath you.
Come back to your breath.
Maybe.
Invite each breath.
To be an invitation to soften towards the earth beneath you.
You may become aware that your body is already breathing you.
You can't do it wrong.
And using your creative imagination.
Begin to visualize in front of you or off to the side a container.
It could be a shelf.
A chest.
A box,
A bag.
Trust the image that comes forward for you.
You'll know what's right.
As you see this container.
Observe its shape.
Size.
The colors,
Even the material that it's made of.
Begin to become aware that this container has plenty of space.
It's a container that can hold anything.
As you notice the ground beneath you and your breath.
You can imagine placing anything into the container.
That's causing doubt.
Stress.
Concern.
Upset.
Heaviness.
Anxiety,
Or anything that's been pulling at your attention in any way.
But that can't be resolved right here,
Right now,
In this moment.
One by one with patience.
Or maybe all at once.
Placing anything into the container.
Causing stress.
Doubt.
Upset.
Concern of any kind,
But that can't be resolved right here,
Right now.
Trusting that each thing will come forward in its own timing to be resolved.
And that some things resolve on their own.
This is not to avoid these situations,
But rather to see if we might create a little bit of space.
For ourselves As you imagine these things,
Situations,
Going into the container could be a person,
A task,
Anything.
You can affirm inwardly or aloud.
Besides these things in the container.
I am at ease.
As it resonates for you,
You can affirm inwardly or aloud.
Besides these things in the container.
I am at ease.
And again,
Besides these things.
I am at ease.
As you're ready,
Placing anything else into the container.
And imagine that it seals up.
Maybe it dissolves into the nothingness from which it came.
Maybe it gets shipped off across the state line or goes somewhere else.
Use your creative imagination.
You'll know the best place.
For it to go.
You can't do it wrong.
As you notice the ground beneath you.
Perhaps the temperature of your skin.
And your breath.
Maybe notice what tells you that the container is gone or somewhere different.
Bring the attention back to your breath.
And you can start to notice once again.
Your inhale and your exhale.
Maybe you become aware of the place at the top of the in-breath.
And how it turns right into the exhale.
Maybe notice the place at the bottom of the out-breath and how the exhale automatically gives birth to the next inhale.
Noticing that space.
At the top of in-breath.
Maybe lingering your attention there.
As it fits for you.
Noticing the space at the bottom of the out-breath.
Lingering the attention there.
Bring your attention back to your elbows,
Your hands.
Your feet,
Your jaw.
Notice any shifts that have occurred.
Through this time together or any awarenesses that are present.
And as we move towards completion.
Coming back to.
.
.
The quote from Viktor Frankl,
Between stimulus and response,
There is a space.
And in that space is your freedom to choose a new response.
Sometimes even these micro moments of pausing.
Can help us to create new neural pathways.
And nervous system responses.
That assist us in experiencing over time more ease.
Capacity.
Availability to ourselves.
So that we can be more available with ourselves and with life.
As it moves.
Through us,
Around us,
And in us.
Thank yourself for making the choice to take time with yourself in this way today.
Become aware if there may be any other self-honoring choice.
Would assist you in creating space today.
Maybe,
Maybe not.
You may choose to open your eyelids.
Or you can stay a bit longer with your eyes closed.
Remember,
It's the small things we do every day that make a big difference over time.
So think yourself.
Forgiving yourself.
Your own presence.
You can come back to this practice at any time.
So be it.
