I'm beginning to notice the breath.
Perhaps noticing how with the out-breath the body sinks more into the earth.
The muscles release and relax as we breathe out.
Once more sensing those parts of the body that touch the earth.
Those points of sensation.
Perhaps allowing your awareness to rest your body on the ground.
Maybe noticing the breathing body.
Maybe noticing sound opening to a full soundscape that surrounds you.
Or needing to pick out one sound in particular.
But opening,
Noticing,
Allowing sound to come to you.
Perhaps someone you may like to bring to mind now.
Someone that you feel warm towards.
Perhaps someone you have a simple relationship with if possible.
Bring to mind a loved one,
A dear friend,
Maybe a pet.
Someone you feel friendly,
Kindly,
Warmth towards.
Perhaps holding them in your mind's eye.
Noticing how it feels to think of them.
As you breathe in now,
Being in a kindly,
Warm awareness.
Being in a gentle,
Breathing in a gentle kindliness.
And as you breathe out,
Sending out,
I'll wish you towards this friend of yours,
This loved one.
Breathing in the energy into the body.
One for me,
I'm breathing out,
One for you.
Breathing in gentle,
Kindly compassion for yourself.
Breathing out,
Sending compassion to your dear friend.
Breathing compassion in for yourself.
Breathing out,
Sending compassion,
Sending kindness to this dear friend.
This is to a dear pet.
Noticing how it feels in the body to do this.
Noticing also,
Perhaps this doesn't feel right for you today,
Feeling uncomfortable.
Knowing you can always return to the body on the ground.
Perhaps the sounds surrounding you.
Breathing in one for me,
Breathing out,
One for you.
You can always play with this ratio.
Keep breathing in three for yourself,
And one for your friend.
One for yourself,
And three for your friend.
Whichever feels right,
Playing around with this,
Making this your home.
This is your practice.
Noticing if the mind's wandered off.
This is okay.
This is the nature of mind.
Nothing's gone wrong.
Perhaps noticing where the mind's gone.
And seeing if it's possible for gentle and kindly awareness to guide your awareness back,
Back to this moment.
Back to the body on the air.
Back to awareness of your friend,
Yourself.
Breathing in compassion,
And breathing out sending compassion for this beloved being.
And coming towards the end of this practice,
You need to let go of where this loved one is,
This loved one.
And turning to awareness of the body on the air.
And letting go of your awareness into the hands.
You may like to move the hands now,
Placing one in the abdomen and one in the heart.
Making yourself a being here,
For showing up,
For doing something in your own deepest worldview.
And thanking also all of the people around the world who are practicing with you right now.
And this community,
This ever growing community.
Knowing that compassion,
That you're connected with today,
Is like a perfume.
This practice,
Often daily practices,
Benefit all of those we come into contact with.
They perfume the air around us.
I mean,
It's just a little practice.
And thanking also all those who came before,
Who practiced before,
Who brought these teachings to us.
And checking in with yourself.
Perhaps you'd like to end the practice now.
Perhaps you'd like to stay on after the practice,
Practicing with me.
If you're choosing to close the practice now,
Taking a deep breath in,
Now.
And then you're going to move into the fingers and toes.
Perhaps leaving the eyes closed if they've been taken.
Bending the knees and very slowly rolling to one side.
Knowing there's no rush.
It feels to be here,
Gently pushing through the hands,
And then your own time coming back up to the seated position.
Breathing in.
Between the hands to the heart,
Making a deep breath in,
And as you breathe out,
Chanting a single one.
Namaste.
Thank you very much for being here.
Namaste.
Namaste.
