Allow yourself to close your eyes or settle your gaze.
Beginning to take a few deep breaths as you allow your body to relax.
The thoughts in your mind to fall back as you notice your body sitting here,
Not needing to do or strive or fix anything.
But noticing,
Feeling supported by the chair and the ground below you.
And allowing your attention to simply be with the ease of each in-breath and out-breath as one flows into the next.
With each exhale is it possible to let go a little bit more?
Breathing into your being,
Softening muscles and letting the swirling thoughts and the to-do lists fall back into the edges of your mind.
As you let the natural rhythm of each breath also fall into the background of your attention,
Is it possible to notice the overall feeling in your body in this moment?
Do you feel tight or tense or more open and at ease?
Throughout our lives we might notice certain benchmarks of what makes us feel okay or well.
Measurements that our mood depends upon.
If you're feeling okay or even happy in this moment,
You can use this moment as an example.
But if not,
Is it possible to recall a recent time in which you felt happy and at ease?
Was that moment only because life was going your way?
Was it because one of these benchmarks or measurements was met?
Have there also been moments or days where we have felt happy or well?
When that feeling simply arose without reason,
Regardless of the circumstances,
Was there a time where you noticed feeling connected to nature,
Feeling whole or connected to yourself?
Was there a time when you heard laughter that made you smile or felt warmth from an experience that wasn't even your own?
These moments of feeling happy for no reason do exist and we can learn to pay attention to them.
Your ability to be present with what is,
With the environment that is around us gives rise to that sense of well-being.
Even imagining a recent time where you felt pain or sadness,
Perhaps where we fear being all consumed by that discomfort.
Were there moments in that experience where you had a little more space to breathe,
Where you were able to smile or hear something else in addition to the noise of pain,
The heaviness of sadness?
Understanding moments of well-being and peace do not dismiss those painful feelings.
But through the practice of holding both in our awareness,
Recognizing beauty and well-being in addition to the discomfort of hardships,
Can not only help bolster and support ourselves through challenging times but can enhance the trust we have in ourselves,
The resilience to be with whatever is in this moment.
Mary Oliver writes in her poem about mysteries,
Truly we live with mysteries too marvelous to be understood.
How grass can be nourishing in the mouths of lambs.
How rivers and stones are forever in allegiance with gravity while we ourselves dream of rising.
How two hands touch and the bonds will never be broken.
How people come from delight or the scars of damage to the comfort of a poem.
Let me keep my distance always from those who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say look and laugh in astonishment and bow their heads.
The benchmarks that we create make us feel as though we should have all the answers,
That our life must fit in a neat little package or else we fail or are destined to be unhappy.
Can we instead practice in the ordinary and neutral times of being astonished as Mary Oliver says?
Can we practice being with ourselves to notice a sense of wholeness,
Of okayness,
Of well-being?
May all beings notice these moments of wholeness and being at ease.
May we all laugh in astonishment at unexpected arisings.
May we find comfort in our open,
Loving,
Present awareness.
May we learn to live in balance and equanimity.
Taking a few more deep breaths in and out.
Feeling free to gently move your body as you awaken back into this moment.
Come back into this room and when you're ready,
Opening up your eyes.
Namaste.
