In this guided meditation practice,
It supports us in cultivating stability and steadiness in the mind and the body.
Using the breath and the sensations in the body as tools to bring balance to the body,
The mind and the spirit,
Allowing us to drop momentarily out of the ongoing narrative of the thinking mind,
Reconnecting and grounding to the wisdom of the body.
In exploring how your body feels today,
Choosing a comfortable,
Easy posture that allows you to be awake and settled.
Perhaps settling into a chair or your mat or coming into a reclined position.
Deciding what you need today to feel stable and grounded without straining.
Perhaps closing the eyes or lowering the gaze,
Extending the spine,
Neck,
Long,
Crown of the head towards the sky.
Shoulders melting away from the ears,
Feeling into the sensations as you roll your shoulders down and away from your ears.
Allowing your hands to rest comfortably on the thighs,
Palms down,
Feeling the sense of self-connection.
Relaxed,
Releasing any tensions in the fingers,
Sensing into the feet in contact with the floor,
Feeling that connection with the earth beneath you.
Allowing the lips to close and breathing in and out through the nostrils if that is available to you today.
Realizing the quality of your breath at this moment,
Just observing the inhales and the exhales.
Is the breath deep and full or more shallow?
Taking a moment to recognize your breath in this moment.
Perhaps smoothing the breath,
Calm and controlled breathing.
Taking a moment now to draw in some deeper,
Fuller breaths and sensing the lift of the belly on the inhale.
Then a slow release on the exhale.
Simply allowing for the inhale and the exhale.
Turning to the natural rhythm of the breath and allowing the breath to flow and circulate naturally without straining or forcing.
Inviting a sense of calm.
Notice how your body feels as you begin to relax into your natural breath.
Perhaps drawing your attention into what you're sensing in the body.
Feeling into and sensing the feet in contact with the earth.
The heaviness of the thighs,
Pelvis,
Hips.
Simply allowing this area to release and turning your attention towards the shoulders.
Softening.
And clenching your jaw and releasing any tension between the eyes.
Feeling into the vibrations of the body as a whole.
Notice any tingling or vibrations.
Any areas of tightness,
Just noticing as the breath moves through the body.
Intentionally choosing an anchor to rest your awareness.
Perhaps where the breath is in the body,
The belly,
The heart space.
Any tingling in the hands,
Sensing your sit bones heavy and in contact with the chair or the mat.
When the mind starts to wander as it does,
Pushing forward into the future with any planning or worry or perhaps replaying a memory from the past.
Just gently nudge and steady your attention back to your point of focus.
Notice if you can begin to loosen and soften an area,
Releasing grounding into the sensations.
Just being with what arises.
Know that the thoughts will come and go in the mind.
Consider meeting whatever is here with compassion and kindness as a type of observer.
Allowing yourself to root into these moments,
Connecting with your breath in your body.
Presence into your energy.
Bringing care and comfort to yourself.
Allowing a relaxation and release from the inside with an alertness.
Beginning to draw some deeper breaths here.
Feeling into the energy that radiates in your body.
Lengthening your spine.
Bringing your hands to connect at your heart center.
And if you're comfortable pressing your thumbs into your sternum and connecting with your heart space.
Notice how you feel right now.
Sensing the essence of what is here.
With your eyes closed,
Notice how it feels to be awake,
Alert,
Steady and stable with this sense of grounding.
Perhaps setting an intention and allowing this feeling to be carried with you throughout your day.
This concludes our meditation.
