So if you want to take your time to find a comfortable position,
So if you want you can sit up,
But you don't have to do that.
Really in this class this is handing over to you what would be the most nourishing thing for you.
So if you are using this class to wind down and fall asleep,
Maybe you're even in bed and you might want to lie down.
So really choosing what will serve you best,
Sitting,
Standing,
Sitting in a chair even.
And if you are upright,
Noticing how you're upright,
Is there a slump?
Is it possible to imagine yourself like a great oak tree with your feet,
Your legs rooting you down,
Grounding you down,
And then your spine like the trunk of the tree growing up towards the sky,
Reaching tall,
Breathing in,
You can lift the shoulder blades up,
Breathing out,
Sliding the shoulder blades down the back,
Letting there be space between the ears and the shoulders,
And we'll take a deep breath in,
And breathing out with a sigh,
Sinking into your posture,
Arriving here,
And if you're uncomfortable taking some time to move,
Knowing it matters that you're comfortable,
It can be nice to sit on something to lift the hips up,
And you might like to close the eyes,
Or perhaps having a loose gaze on the earth in front of you,
As we arrive here,
Arriving in this space,
As we demarcate this space as separate from the rest of the day,
A space where we don't have to do anything or there's nothing to achieve,
A space in which we can just bring the whole of ourselves just as we are,
No part left out,
And guiding your awareness to notice those parts of your body that make connection with the earth,
Sensing those points of contact,
Of connection,
The weight of the body is held by the earth,
Sensing into those points of contact,
Not the idea of the body on the earth,
But the felt sense in this moment,
Noticing what points of your body are resting on the earth,
How does that feel?
My body breathes for me,
Steady like a moving mountain,
Strong like a river,
I rest on the rhythm riding the rising and falling like a bird,
My emptiness draws fullness in,
And fullness falls again into nothing,
In the stillness between,
Between life and death,
Hope and despair,
I'm free,
As urges stir within me,
And I breathe life in and out into the world,
Through snake and ant and elephant lungs,
Through beast and bird,
We meet all living things in the air we share,
Air is made by breathing,
This thin blanket of breath,
Over all breathing things,
Which trees repair,
When you're ready,
Gently guiding your awareness,
Notice the breath,
Noticing this breathing body,
These gentle waves of movement,
When you're ready,
Taking a slightly longer breath in,
Pausing,
And then a long,
Slow,
Soothing breath out,
When you're ready,
Breathing in again,
Long and slow,
Pausing,
And breathing out,
You might like to bring in counting,
That's helpful for you,
Counting to four as you breathe in,
Pausing for five,
And releasing,
Letting go of the sink,
And taking a few of these soothing breaths in your own time,
As you breathe in,
Perhaps sensing the chest lift and open,
As the body breathes energy,
Breathes life in,
Breathes in this air that we share,
You may even notice that as you breathe in,
It takes a little energy,
Muscles engage,
But to breathe out,
Is to release,
Is to relax,
Is to let go,
As you breathe out,
Allowing the whole body to follow the breath,
Release and let go,
You may even like to let the mind follow the breath,
And let go,
When you're ready,
Beginning to release the counting,
If you were using this,
And letting the breath return to its own natural rate and rhythm,
Once more,
Sensing the body on the air,
And expanding your awareness now,
To take in the body,
Noticing your body just as it is today,
What are you bringing with you onto the mat,
Sensing into the whole of your body,
Those parts that might be calling for attention,
Those parts that might want a little tenderness,
As well as the parts of you that feel at ease,
Or perhaps feel very little,
And offering a softening,
Whatever you find here,
Releasing awareness of the body when you're ready,
And guiding your awareness to noticing what feelings or emotions are here today,
Knowing there's no right way to feel,
Being a curiosity,
An interest to how you are today,
What's here,
We may not be able to choose how we feel,
Perhaps we can choose how we meet that,
Can we welcome how we feel,
Offering a soothing,
Whatever emotions,
Whatever feelings you find,
And when you're ready,
Releasing awareness,
Emotions,
Feelings,
Removing your awareness,
Notice the mind,
How's the mind today,
What's the tone of the mind,
Perhaps the mind is busy,
Preoccupied,
Maybe the mind is exhausted,
Whatever you find here,
Noticing,
It's already here,
We may as well notice,
Offering and allowing,
Whatever you find,
And when you're ready,
Expanding your awareness,
Taking in the whole of the body,
Emotions,
The mind,
Taking in the whole of yourself,
Welcoming the whole of yourself into your practice,
Just as you are,
And offering the words soften,
Soothe,
Allow,
To however you find yourself,
Meeting yourself with this sense of softening,
Soothing,
Allowing,
And when you're ready,
Taking a deeper breath in,
And out,
Beginning to release this awareness of the body,
Emotions,
The mind,
And once more taking a deep breath in,
Breathing out with a sigh,
And as we come towards the end of this arriving,
This settling,
Beginning to bring a little movement,
The fingers,
The toes that have been still,
Bringing some movement to the body,
Is there any movement,
Any stretching your body would like,
And when you're ready,
Beginning to blow the eyes open,
And taking in the lights,
The colours around you,
That sense of sight.
