Allow yourself to close your eyes or soften your gaze and begin to take a few deep breaths in and out.
As you breathe,
It's impossible to let go of any tension,
Tightness that you might overtly be carrying and let them go with each exhale.
Noticing the way you're settling into your chair,
Settling into your being and bringing your attention to this natural rhythm of this simple inhale and exhale.
Expanding your focus to incorporate your entire being sitting here breathing.
Not needing to do anything differently,
Modify or change anything.
But accepting who you are and what it is that makes up you as a whole.
Is it possible to bring to mind a few qualities that you hope to share with the world,
That you hope others see in you when you interact?
I know there might be many,
But if you can identify just a few,
Allowing them to settle on your heart,
Allowing yourself to feel confident in those qualities,
Self-love for those qualities.
Trusting that the aspects that you truly love about yourself are being communicated and shared with the world.
On the next breath,
Is it possible to switch your focus and identify a few characteristics or qualities that you are not incredibly proud of,
That perhaps you are aware of trying to hide or avoid a few traits that you would prefer the world not to know?
And again,
Limiting just the identification of just a few of those qualities.
Can you place those qualities on your heart?
Perhaps send gentle currents of acceptance,
Even love.
That these qualities were born from a very valid reason and help to make you who you are.
Without them,
Those positive qualities may not be allowed to exist.
And by accepting those qualities that we are not proud of,
Help us to lead a more authentic and balanced life.
We are enough.
The traits that we put out to the world and the shadow qualities that we tend to keep in the shadow.
They are each just enough to complete our wholeness.
Is it possible to notice that once we can accept and even give love to these qualities that we so often try to avoid or deny?
We create a feeling of equanimity or trust in ourselves that we are still okay.
That we don't have to fight those qualities within us.
We don't have to make them go away.
Let the qualities we love about ourselves continue to shine.
Without our shadow qualities,
Such as our feelings of upset,
Fear,
Longing,
We wouldn't be able to appreciate the beauty around us.
The peacefulness that arises when watching sunsets.
The hope that is born when we watch a sunrise.
Without resisting what is,
It frees us up to be mindfully aware of all the subtleties that exist within us.
It allows enough space to enjoy what is already here.
In the wise words of this story,
May we all feel enough sun to keep our attitudes bright,
No matter how gray the day may appear.
May we have enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.
May we have enough happiness to keep our spirit alive and everlasting.
May we have enough pain to,
So that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.
May we feel enough gain to satisfy our wanting.
May we experience enough loss to appreciate all that we possess.
And may we witness enough hellos to get us through the final goodbye.
Allow yourself to take a couple more deep breaths in and out.
Moving your body ever so slightly to come back to this room,
To come back to the wholeness of ourselves.
And when you're ready,
Opening up your eyes.
Namaste.
