So I invite you to find a comfortable seat as you prepare for your meditation.
It's important that you are upright so you can sit in your comfortable chair or on your couch or meditation cushion.
Just as long as you're upright.
Once you are comfortable,
Please close your eyes.
Looking at this time as a beautiful gift you're giving to yourself.
Time out for you.
Time to pause and invite more peace into your life.
We enter into this time with no expectations,
Welcoming all sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions.
Just begin to check in with your physical body right in this moment.
How are you feeling?
Are you feeling any tension in the neck or shoulders?
Or anywhere in the body?
Take a moment to notice.
Then welcome in a deep full breath into your lungs.
Maybe even just sigh it out.
Receive another full breath in.
Let it slowly release out.
Allow a sense of ease to wash across your face and down through your throat and neck.
Let that sense of ease cascade down both arms and pool in the palms of your hands.
Yield a sense of openness across your chest and a softness in your low belly.
Just feel the pelvis.
Let it be heavy with a sense of sinking,
Releasing into the surface beneath you.
The legs heavy,
A strong stable base supporting your upright position.
Now tuning into your breath.
Allow the breath to be natural.
Just notice where you feel it most in your body.
For some people it's the movement that draws their attention.
Perhaps the movement in the belly,
The ribs or the chest.
For others they're more drawn to the sensation of the breath entering and exiting the nostrils.
Take a few moments to see where you connect with this beautiful life force energy.
Feeling the wave-like quality of the breath moving in,
Moving out.
Each breath continuing to soften and release the residue of busyness and stress and tension.
Keeping a gentle and firm awareness on your breath.
Allowing the breath to calm and quiet your nervous system.
You may have noticed that your mind wanders off to thoughts.
This is very normal.
Kindly and gently again and again and again simply escort the mind back to witness the breath.
Don't try too hard to focus on the breath but rather keep a gentle awareness on it.
For a few more minutes.
Now I invite you to begin adding in the mantra of So Hum.
This will be repeated silently to yourself.
Mantra means tool for the mind,
Instrument of focus.
So inhaling silently say to yourself So and exhaling Hum.
Inhaling So,
Exhaling Hum.
Inhaling So,
Exhaling Hum.
Continue to silently repeat it to yourself.
Soon as you become aware that your attention has moved away from the mantra.
Remember to be kind and simply come back to hearing the whisper of the mantra in your ear.
It's helpful to keep the mantra synced with your breath.
Please continue.
Otherwise,
Just let it appear at whatever pace feels right.
It's like you're hearing the mantra being whispered to you.
I'll keep track of the time and meet up with you on the other side of this silent oasis.
And now releasing the mantra.
Keeping the eyes closed and sitting for a few moments.
Noticing how you might feel.
Noticing any sensations or thoughts or emotions.
I love this poem by Donna Falds.
It only takes a reminder to breathe.
A moment to be still.
And just like that,
Something in me settles,
Softens,
Makes space for imperfection.
The harsh voice of judgment drops to a whisper.
And I remember again that life isn't a relay race.
That we will all cross the finish line.
That waking up to life is what we're born for.
Many times as I forget and catch myself charging forward without even knowing where I'm going,
That many times I can make the choice to stop,
To breathe and be and walk slowly into the mystery of life.
It's important to come out of your meditation very slowly,
So don't rush.
If you'd like to sit a while longer,
Please do so.
When you take this renewal of energy,
This gift,
This blessing into your life now,
I hope you enjoyed this time out for you.
Namaste.
Thank you.
