Welcome.
Let's take the next few moments to make yourself as comfortable as can be.
You might choose to lie down,
Settle into a couch,
Or choose whatever position feels most supportive for your body in this moment.
If there's anything that would make you more comfortable,
Like a blanket or something beneath your head or knees or anything else that will help you settle in,
Go right ahead and get yourself set up nice and cozy.
Once you've found your position,
Allow your eyes to gently close either all the way,
Halfway,
Or just softening your gaze on one spot.
Resting your eyes,
Beginning to turn your attention inward.
Begin to notice the places where your body meets the surface beneath you.
And allow just a little bit more of your weight to settle into that support.
You've already made the choice to step away from your usual rhythm and give yourself this time.
You don't need to rush into whatever comes next.
This is simply your time to arrive,
To breathe.
To let your body settle and to begin making a little bit more space for yourself.
Thank you.
As you move into a period of greater quiet,
There isn't a right way to experience it.
You don't need to know what you'll think about,
What you'll feel,
Or what might come up.
But for now,
Simply allowing your body and mind to settle into a little more stillness.
Begin to bring your attention more fully into your body.
Notice the weight of your head.
Let your jaw soften.
Allow your shoulders to drop away from your ears,
Releasing any effort you might still be holding there.
Let your arms become heavy,
Your hands relax.
And your fingers soft.
And bring your attention down through your chest and your belly.
And see if there's anywhere that you're still holding on or bracing.
And with your next exhale,
Allow that area to soften.
Let your hips become heavy.
Your legs relax.
All the way down your knees,
Your ankles,
Your feet.
You don't need to hold yourself up right now.
Just allow the surface beneath you to support more of your weight.
Now begin to notice your breath.
Your breath is right under your nose,
Always with you.
Just notice the air as it comes in.
And as it moves back out.
And the path that your breath takes along the way between those two points.
Notice any subtle movements as you inhale and exhale.
Perhaps some sound or not.
And notice where you automatically begin to breathe in and out through.
And then little by little,
We're going to begin to lengthen your breath together.
Take a nice big exhale,
Just clear the slate,
Start fresh.
And breathing in through your nose slowly for a count of 4.
1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4.
Exhale 4,
3,
2,
1.
Inhale 1 2 3 4 exhale 4 3 2 1.
One now same inhale two three four a little longer exhale five four three two one inhale one two three four now exhale six five four three two one Inhale 1,
2,
3,
4,
Exhale 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Now we let go of the counting.
And just let your breath be.
And just simply notice how your body responds after stretching your breath out,
Slowing it down,
And creating space.
Maybe there's a little less tension in your shoulders.
Little more weight resting beneath you.
Or simply a greater awareness of how you are feeling in this moment.
There's nothing particular you need to find.
Just notice.
And as your body begins to settle.
Allow yourself to set down some of the effort you've been carrying into this moment.
You don't need to sort through it.
You don't need to decide what deserves your attention and what doesn't.
For now,
You can simply stop holding quite so tightly.
There will be time for whatever comes next.
But right now,
In this moment,
This is enough.
Bring your attention back to the feeling of your body being supported beneath you.
Notice the back of your head.
The backs of your shoulders.
Your arms.
Your elbows,
Your wrists,
And your hands.
Your back,
Your hips.
Your legs and your heels.
Feel the weight of your whole body resting here.
For these next few moments,
See if you can release the need to hold yourself anywhere at all.
Letting the muscles around your eyes soften.
Relax the space between your eyebrows.
Soften your cheeks,
Your mouth,
And your jaw.
Letting go of muscular effort.
Allow that softness to move down through your neck.
And across your shoulders.
And notice how much tension can collect in this space without you even realizing it.
Let both shoulders grow a little heavier.
Your arms,
Your hands,
All the way down through each fingertip.
Just relaxing and softening along the way.
Bring your awareness to your chest.
Feel the natural movement of your breath here.
No need to control it anymore.
Just breathing.
Soften through your belly.
Let go of the need to hold or brace.
And allow your belly to rise as you breathe in.
And fall as you breathe out.
Let your hips become heavier.
Relaxing through your thighs,
Your knees,
Your calves.
Your ankles.
All the way down your feet to your toes.
Your whole body supported.
Nothing you need to hold up.
Nothing you need to do.
As you rest here,
Just begin to notice the sounds around you.
You don't need to identify each one.
Just simply notice sound as it comes into your awareness and as it fades away.
Notice the temperature of the air against your skin.
Feeling of your clothing.
The surface beneath you.
There is nowhere else you need to put your attention right now.
You spend so much of your time responding,
Remembering.
Planning what comes next.
Noticing what needs to be done.
But for these few moments,
You can set some of that effort down.
You don't have to make anything happen here.
You don't have to use this time perfectly or efficiently.
You don't even have to feel completely relaxed.
Just let yourself be here.
Breathing.
Resting.
Slowing down.
Allowing yourself to receive.
Some of the care and attention that so often moves outward.
Begin to imagine yourself somewhere in nature where you feel at ease.
It doesn't need to be anywhere you've actually been.
Allowing an image to begin to form naturally.
Maybe you're near the water in a quiet wooded space.
Or somewhere with an open view of the sky.
Notice what surrounds you.
Air against your skin.
Sounds in the distance.
There's nothing you need to do with this place.
Just allow yourself to rest here in this peaceful place.
Notice what it's like to have nowhere you need to rush to.
Nothing you need to respond to in this moment.
Nothing you need to figure out.
And see what else you notice here.
Just observe.
Allow your thoughts to roll in and roll out.
You are the quiet observer watching this happen.
Sometimes when things become quieter,
We're so used to filling the space that silence itself can feel unfamiliar.
You don't need to fill it.
You don't need to go searching for an insight or an answer.
Instead,
Just listen.
Imagine for a moment an old radio dial turning slowly through different frequencies.
At first,
You might hear mostly static.
Bits and pieces coming through.
Until little by little you begin to tune into a clear signal.
Your own inner voice can be a little like that.
With so much competing for your attention.
It can be difficult to hear clearly.
And as some of that outside noise becomes quieter,
You have the opportunity to tune in.
You You don't have to force an answer.
You don't even have to know what you're listening for.
Just give yourself the space to listen and to be.
As you move into this time of greater quiet,
Allow yourself to stay open.
Open to rest.
Open to noticing.
Open to whatever this time has to offer you.
Without needing to decide ahead of time what that should be.
And from this quieter place.
Begin to consider an intention.
Not another goal,
Not something else to accomplish or get right.
Just simply something you'd like to make a little more space for.
Maybe it's rest.
Clarity.
Patience.
Connection.
Gratitude.
Healing.
Or something entirely your own.
See what comes to you.
Words.
Feeling.
Simple phrase.
Or even just a sense of what you need more of in this moment.
Once something comes to mind,
Just let it be simple.
There's no need to question whether you've chosen the right intention.
And no need to figure out exactly how you're going to make it happen.
Just hold it gently in your awareness.
And quietly repeat it to yourself.
Feeling this intention.
And now notice what happens when you allow that intention to be there.
Without immediately doing anything with it.
You can simply listen and feel.
Your own inner wisdom doesn't need to shout to get your attention.
Sometimes we simply need enough quiet to hear it.
Allow yourself to remain curious about this quieter space might show you.
There is no particular experience you're supposed to have.
No particular way you're supposed to feel.
Can just meet each moment as it comes.
And for now,
Let your intention rest quietly with you.
Without effort.
Without pressure.
Just allowing it to be right here,
Right now.
Holding it within your awareness.
Your simple intention.
If you'd like to quietly repeat it to yourself again,
Go right ahead.
Now bring your attention back to the feeling of your body being supported.
The earth beneath you.
Notice your breath.
Arise and fall of your belly.
Your body being supported.
And see if there's anywhere that you're still holding tension.
Your jaw,
Your shoulders.
Your hands.
Your belly.
And with your next exhale,
Let a little more of that effort go.
And you've given yourself this time to slow down,
To listen.
And to rest.
And that in itself is enough.
Take a moment to notice something that you're grateful for right now.
It doesn't need to be anything big,
Just something that feels true.
Hold that feeling of gratitude.
And if it feels right,
Turn some of that gratitude towards yourself.
For making space to be here.
For listening to what you need.
And for allowing yourself to receive care too.
Take a slow breath in.
And let it go.
As you continue into this quieter space,
Remember that you don't have to make anything happen.
You don't have to feel the silence.
You don't have to use it perfectly.
You can rest.
You can notice.
You can listen.
If thoughts come,
Let them come.
If emotions rise.
Give them room.
Your intention is there whenever you'd like to return to it.
And so is your breath.
Right beneath your nose,
Always with you.
There is nothing you need to figure out.
Just allow yourself to stay open.
Your own inner voice.
And to watch your knee.
And as my voice becomes quiet.
There is nothing you need to do next.
Just simply continue from here.
Resting.
Listening.
And being.
