Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
I've said before that you will get the most benefit out of your meditation if you can make it a part of your daily life.
Learning to take advantage of all the little pauses in your day.
Each time you get in touch with your breath,
Your life is a little better,
A little calmer,
And your life is more balanced.
As a part of my daily practice,
I meditate every morning as soon as I wake up and before I get out of bed.
I've done this for over 30 years.
I find that doing this helps me to set the intention for the day.
It helps me to start the day feeling refreshed and calm with your mind clear and focused on the day ahead.
This is a wonderful way to start the day and it gets you off to a good start.
So close your eyes now as you settle in and let yourself start to relax.
It doesn't matter if you're sitting,
Lying down,
Or standing.
However,
If you do this morning meditation you'll be lying in your bed.
I generally lay on my back with my hands resting lightly on my chest over my heart.
I normally have my eyes closed,
But on occasion I do keep them open.
You can do whatever makes you happy and whatever helps you to feel most at peace in this moment.
Take in a deep breath and then gently exhale.
This is a time when you greet a new day.
Just continue to breathe naturally and don't force anything.
Breathing in and breathing out.
This is a time when you can be grateful just for being alive,
Just for being able to appreciate this moment in time.
Breathe in peace and calm.
Breathe in compassion and gratitude.
And as you breathe out,
Be thankful for being able to begin a new day.
Feel the air as it comes into your body.
Feel it as the air moves into you,
Filling you with life.
Use these precious moments in the morning to truly be in touch with yourself.
These are moments,
Just as your day is beginning,
When there are no expectations or demands and the only thing you have to do next is put your feet on the floor.
Relax your body as you slowly breathe.
Ease any tension in your face or neck.
Feel yourself coming fully awake and being aware.
Listen to the sounds that may be around you,
The ticking of the clock,
The snoring of your partner,
The meowing of the cat,
The wind in the trees or the rain falling on the roof.
There is no judgment in this moment.
You're just opening yourself up to the world around you.
Relax your arms and hands.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and just appreciate how wonderful it is to be alive and in this moment.
Relax any tightness in your chest or belly.
Let your legs and feet relax.
Don't clench your hands,
But breathe just breathe and in this moment be grateful for this breath,
This morning,
This time to be alive.
Your breath is like a river of calm,
A stream of tranquility and peacefulness.
It doesn't matter what's going on in the world right now,
It only matters what you do in this moment.
You control your breath and by doing that you control the way you enter into your day,
Breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
Relax your body and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
Listen to the flow of your breath.
Listen to it as the breath moves into your body and then moves gently out.
Your body is awake and alive and the whole day is ahead of you.
Just continue to breathe slowly in and slowly out.
I've said before that our minds are so powerful and we can tap into that power just by getting in touch with our breath.
There's no investment in money or equipment,
It just requires an investment in time and focus,
Time and practice so that it feels normal to you and you feel confident and comfortable.
Sniff the air and see what you detect as you continue scanning your body.
Maybe you're lucky and someone has gotten up before you and has made coffee or bacon.
This moment right when you're first waking is a perfect moment to get in touch with your breath and take stock of your body.
A perfect time to acknowledge just how lucky you are to be able to greet another day.
As you lay there in your bed,
Be open to whatever comes in the coming day.
In this moment there is no future.
It hasn't happened.
It doesn't exist and the past is gone and unchangeable.
Both past and future are things that only exist in your mind and they needn't occupy our thoughts.
It's a perfect time to be able to occupy our thoughts.
As you breathe in,
Feel the energy flowing in you.
It doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing,
Whether it's hot outside or cold or windy,
You are in this moment and that is all you need to know.
Getting in touch with your breath is something that you can perfect if you just decide to do it.
And by doing that one thing,
You can conquer anxiety and pain and sleep problems and so much more.
I have found peace within myself and you can too.
Now you are ready to start the day.
You are calm and centered and ready to face whatever the day has in store.
The Buddha said,
Every morning we are born again.
What we do today is what matters most.
And as we come to a close,
Open your eyes and come back into the room.
Notice how relaxed you feel.
Take one last deep breath and let it out through your mouth,
Letting it out of sight.
You are ready to resume your day,
Feeling a greater sense of peace and calm.
I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session.
Until next time.
Thank you.
.
