Hello and welcome to meditation with Mandy Lawson.
Thank you so much for joining me.
So I invite you to find a comfortable seat,
Whatever that looks like for you today.
Maybe you're seated cross-legged with a folded blanket under your seat.
Maybe you're sitting tall in a chair.
Maybe you're on your knees with some support under your seat.
Just remember that any seat works,
Whatever is most comfortable for you.
Once you're comfortable,
I invite you to close your eyes.
If you're not comfortable with the eyes closed,
You can simply just lower your gaze.
I invite you to bring your awareness to your breath,
Noticing the air moving in and out at the nostrils.
And as you begin to slow down and bring your awareness inward,
You may begin to notice discomfort in the body.
Just take a few breaths and allow that to be.
Perhaps imagining tension letting go.
But don't let the pain or discomfort distract you.
Do your best to keep your awareness on your breath.
Following the inhale and the exhale with your attention,
Maybe even repeating in your mind.
As you inhale,
Inhale,
I am inhaling.
And exhale,
I am exhaling.
Notice if you have your shoulders tight or tense.
Just allow them to relax down with your next out breath.
Let your jaw soften.
And just focusing on the breath.
And as you focus on your breath,
You may notice thoughts coming in,
Moving out.
Every once in a while,
Thoughts want us to join them,
To distract us.
Notice what works best for you to allow that thought to go.
Perhaps putting it into a bubble,
Blowing that bubble away as you exhale.
Perhaps you imagine that thought being wrapped up in a leaf and buried.
Perhaps you notice some other way of gently releasing the thought and coming back to your breath focus.
Just noticing every time thoughts come in and take your focus away from your breath.
It's okay.
Be gentle with yourself.
Thoughts are going to continue to happen.
Once you realize,
Just come back to your breath.
And just focus on the breath.
And just focus on the breath.
And just coming back to the breath.
Just notice the feeling that happens around you to be there,
But not as a distraction,
Simply as a part of this present moment.
And just focus on the breath.
And just focus on the breath.
Gently checking in where your mind is.
Coming back to the breath if it's wandered.
And just focus on the breath.
And just focus on the breath.
Once again,
Just checking in.
Bringing the awareness back to the breath.
It's gone away.
Perhaps,
Allowing the breath to deepen slightly.
Just checking in with how you're feeling here.
Giving yourself the time to listen to what your body is telling you.
To connect deeply with yourself for stillness.
Bringing your awareness back to your seat,
Whatever you're sitting on.
Just checking in there again for the grounding and support that's being offered.
Just allowing your body to press down into that support.
Drawing the spine long and tall,
Reaching the crown of your head up.
Up,
Up,
Up.
Lengthening the spine.
And then as you exhale,
Gently lower the head down,
Just tucking the chin down and forward.
Take a moment now to set an intention for the rest of the day today.
Maybe it's to be more mindful and aware as you go through each interaction with others.
Maybe it's to take time to stop and listen to all that's happening around you.
I wish you a beautiful rest of the day.
Thank you so much for joining me.
Bye bye.
