I'm coming into a comfortable,
Easy seat and setting yourself up for this compassion meditation practice.
And this breathing exercise supports us in reducing stress and anxiety in the mind and in the body.
And you actually can practice this anytime during the day,
Just perhaps lowering your gaze and dropping out of the thinking mind and into the body and connecting with your breath in your body.
So beginning now and settling in with your breath.
Setting yourself up for this meditation.
Coming into a comfortable,
Easy seat.
Spine is extended and long,
Crown of the head towards the ceiling.
Shoulders are relaxed,
Down and away from the ears.
Just beginning to reconnect and recognize your breath as it moves through your body.
Taking a couple of deeper,
Fuller breaths and sealing the lips and breathing in and out through the nostrils.
Beginning to turn inward and closing your eyes or lowering your gaze and taking a moment to feel the sensations in your body.
Perhaps the weight of your body on the chair,
The soles of your feet in contact with the mat or the floor,
And your hands resting comfortably on your lap.
And letting go of any tension in the face,
The jaw,
And relaxing the space between your eyebrows and feeling your body relax and trusting in the awareness of your breath in your body.
Sensing any vibrations,
Perhaps a tingling in the fingers or noticing where there's no feeling,
Not judging,
Just noticing.
Noticing where there's any clenching or gripping in the body.
Considering if you can just release a little bit more and then return your attention to the breath as it moves through your body.
Saying to yourself,
I am inhaling.
This is my breath in my body.
I am exhaling.
This is my exhale.
This is this moment right here,
Right now.
Begin to notice when your attention drifts to your thoughts and releasing ideas of how it should be and just showing up and being present for all that arises.
Acknowledging the thoughts but not attaching to the stories.
And just turning our awareness back to our anchor,
Perhaps the tingling in the fingers or the belly and letting the thoughts drift away.
And if thoughts or difficult emotions arise,
Finding a place in your body where you feel this emotion or this loss,
Notice the quality of that space.
Does it feel tight,
Restricted,
Heavy,
Painful?
Now imagining just a sliver of space as you breathe.
Directing your breath into this space in your body and considering if you can make this space expand just a little bit.
Bringing more space and release into these tight areas.
And now bringing your attention to your heart space.
If it feels comfortable to you,
Perhaps placing a hand on your heart.
Breathing in a sense of calm,
A sense of balance,
A sense of restoration and compassion for yourself in this heart space.
Visualizing your breath moving through this heart space.
Breathing here,
Perhaps opening.
Drawing kindness and compassion into your body and into your mind.
Stop setting an intention of kindness and care for yourself.
Breathing.
And then when you're ready,
Reconnecting with your natural breath.
Restoring.
And blinking your eyes open.
This concludes our meditation.
