Welcome.
I invite you to find a comfortable position,
Whether that's seated on a cushion,
A chair or perhaps even lying down,
And just allow your body to settle into this present moment.
In today's practice,
I'll invite you to turn your awareness towards the most fundamental rhythm of being alive,
The breath.
The Hebrew word for breath,
Ruach,
Also translates to spirit,
Wind and life force.
The breath is central to so many wisdom traditions,
And for a good reason.
Modern science also confirms that conscious breathing directly calms our nervous system,
Improving heart rate variability and vagal tone.
Our breath is both mystical and physical.
We're simply here to notice what's already present today,
This breath that sustains us moment by moment.
So if you'd like,
I'd invite you to allow your eyes to begin to close,
Or perhaps just to soften your gaze.
And let's begin by taking our attention to the surface that's supporting us today.
Notice how that surface supports our weight,
Allowing our body to relax,
Bringing awareness to any tension that you may be carrying today,
Perhaps in the jaw,
The shoulders,
Or in the belly.
Not to fix it,
Just acknowledging the sensation with gentle awareness.
Taking a deep breath in,
And letting it go with a sigh.
Now bring your attention to your natural breath.
We're not trying to change the breath today,
We're simply observing it with curiosity.
Notice where you feel the breath most clearly,
Perhaps at your nostrils,
The rise and fall of your chest,
Or the gentle expansion in the belly.
The breath is always here,
Always flowing,
Like wind moving through the world.
It comes and goes without any deliberate effort.
We don't create the breath,
We receive it.
Each inhale brings fresh possibility,
New oxygen,
New life,
New energy.
And each exhale releases what's no longer needed.
Breathing in,
And breathing out.
Now I'd invite you to simply rest here with your breath for a few minutes,
Choosing either the sensation of the air coming and going from the nostrils,
Or the rise and fall of the belly.
Nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
Simply breathing,
Just being completely present with the breath.
If your mind wanders,
That's completely natural.
When you do notice that you've drifted,
I invite you to gently guide your attention back to the breath.
No judgment,
Just a simple practice of returning our awareness gently back to the breath.
So for the next two minutes,
Let's just sit in silence,
Observing the breath with every inhale and exhale.
As you continue to sit with the breath,
There's an ancient wisdom saying that I'd like to share,
And it reads something like this.
Guard your heart,
For it is the wellspring of life.
Guard your heart,
For it is the wellspring of life.
The heart here doesn't necessarily mean the physical organ,
But the center of your being,
The center of your awareness,
Of your inner life.
As you breathe,
Imagine breathing into that center,
That place where you know exactly what's true for you,
Where wisdom lives,
Quietly beneath all the noise,
Protected and safe.
With each breath,
You're tending to that wellspring,
Not forcing,
Simply creating space,
Allowing what's alive in you to grow and to be nourished.
Breathe into your center,
And just let whatever wants to surface,
Come up to the surface.
Perhaps a sensation,
A word,
Or an image.
In these final moments,
I invite you to notice how you feel compared to when we began today's meditation.
Remember the breath will continue long after this meditation ends.
It's always here when you need to return,
To feel more grounded,
More centered,
To remember your truth.
Let's take one more full breath together,
Breathing in through the nose,
And letting it go with a sigh.
When you're ready,
Allowing your eyes to open,
Bringing awareness with you as you move back into your day.
Thank you for taking the time to practice with me today.
May your day be filled with peace,
Joy,
And love.
