So we'll go ahead and get started.
Coming into a comfortable position.
Assuming most of us will be sitting in a chair.
So lining yourself up,
Resting your feet firmly on the floor.
Knees over the ankles,
Spine long,
Neck long.
Roll your shoulders up towards your ears,
Back.
Really exaggerate that movement and then let them drop down.
Creating space between the shoulders,
The neck,
The ears.
Resting your hands comfortably in your lap.
Or maybe one hand on your stomach and one hand on your heart.
Whatever's comfortable for you.
And deciding if you want to have your eyes open or closed today.
If you choose to close them,
Just gently close them.
If you choose to have them open,
Not looking at anything in particular.
Not focusing on anything.
Just letting your gaze be soft.
And then noticing the alignment of your body.
The places where your clothes are touching your body.
The places where your feet,
Your back,
Your hands.
Wherever you are touching the surface.
Being really aware of those anchoring points.
And for a few beats,
Just noticing your breath.
What does it feel like to be sitting here,
Breathing today?
Where do you notice your breath?
What does the breath feel like?
Letting the breath become a little bit deeper,
Trying to bring it further down towards your belly.
Feeling the stomach inflate like a balloon.
And deflate.
If it helps to count,
You can try a four count inhale and a four count exhale.
Just evening it out.
Letting the breath be deep and slow.
And as your mind starts to wander,
Just gently bring it back.
Back to your breath.
Back to those anchoring points of your body.
And the mind will keep wandering.
Just gently keep hurting it back with kindness.
Not dwelling on it,
Not beating yourself up.
Realizing that that is the practice.
Returning again and again.
Our minds aren't used to this kind of stillness.
The singular focus.
We're not used to multitasking.
Following rabbit holes.
So every day when we sit in our meditation practice,
We're learning something new.
We're teaching our brain to think differently,
To work differently.
We're learning new pathways.
And that can be really challenging.
And I want you to acknowledge that as you return your mind to the breath again and again.
And quickly take stock.
Noticing if there's anywhere that you've tensed up,
Your shoulders have crept up towards your ears,
If your jaw is tight,
You're clutching your fingers,
Your toes.
See if you can soften those places.
You can build that length in your spine and your neck.
You can release that gripping.
And then turn your attention back to your breath.
With kindness.
With that new softness.
Maybe with a little smile on your face.
The paradox is that it's difficult to keep focusing on one thing,
But we also don't have to make it hard on ourselves.
You can try and bring as much ease into it as possible.
Balancing on that edge.
Focusing on your breath.
And then compassion and kindly.
That's a difficult thing to do.
Sometimes it's different.
Some days,
It'll just feel smooth and easy.
And some days it'll be a struggle.
Some days it's constantly bringing yourself back and back and back.
And then just.
And then start to let go the focus on the breath.
Let the breath come naturally.
Let it do its own thing.
Bring your awareness down to your feet,
Where they're pressed against the floor.
Notice the sensation of your feet grounding down to the floor.
Your ankles,
Your calves and shins,
The knees,
And the thighs.
Where your thighs are touching the chair.
Where your seat is touching the chair.
Your hips,
Pelvis,
Your belly.
Maybe the breath in the belly.
Not focusing on the belly and the breath.
Solar plexus and chest.
Arms and hands.
Your back,
Your neck,
Your head and your face.
If the elbows or the hands are touching the chair,
Notice those you place on the back that's touching the chair.
Notice the clothes on your skin.
The air on your skin.
Take a deep breath in.
And let it out with a sigh.
If you had your eyes closed.
Slowly and softly let them open.
Scan one more time through your body.
Let it out if anything feels different.
Thank you so much for joining me.
I hope this helped.
May you have peace in your thoughts.
May you have strength in your words.
May you have joy in your hearts.
Have a wonderful day.
