Welcome,
And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.
As most of you know,
I've been meditating for 53 years,
Since 1970.
And for about the last 40 years,
I've meditated first thing every morning.
It's a part of my daily practice.
I meditate every morning as soon as I wake up and before I get out of bed.
You could also do it sitting on the side of your bed as well,
But to me it's important that either way,
You do it first thing.
I find that doing this helps to set the intention for the day.
It helps to start your day feeling refreshed and calm,
With your mind clear and focused on the day ahead.
I found that by doing this every single morning,
That no matter what the day may bring,
No matter what the weather is,
Mentally I have nothing but blue skies.
You're in the right place,
At the right time,
And a new day awaits.
Close your eyes now,
And settle in,
And let yourself start to relax.
Just pretend that you're just waking up.
Normally I'd say it doesn't matter if you're sitting or standing or lying down,
But if you're doing this in the morning,
You're probably going to be lying down or sitting on the edge of your bed,
Whatever makes you most comfortable.
I generally lay on my back with my hands crossed over my chest,
With my hands over my heart.
And again,
Normally I have my eyes closed,
But on occasion I keep them open.
You need to do whatever makes you happy,
And whatever helps you to feel most at peace.
Take in a breath,
And then gently exhale.
This is a time when you can greet a new day.
Just continue to breathe naturally,
And don't force anything.
Breathing in and breathing out,
One breath at a time.
This is a time of the day when you can be grateful just for being alive,
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.
And use these precious moments to be truly in touch with yourself.
These are moments just as your day begins,
When there are no expectations,
There are no 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.
Unclench your jaw and unfurl your brow.
Relax your neck and feel yourself coming fully awake and being aware of the world around you.
Now listen to the sounds that may be around you.
The ticking of the clock,
The snoring of your partner,
The meowing of the cat,
Or the wind in the trees,
The rain tapping on the window or on the roof.
And in this moment there is no judgment.
You're just opening yourself up to the world around you as you greet a new day.
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.
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.
Listen to the flow of your breath as it moves gently in and 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.
Listen to the whole world as you wake.
Breath the air and see what you detect as you continue scanning your body and gently breathing.
Maybe you're lucky and your partner has made coffee or bacon.
Perhaps you can smell flowers that are growing in the yard or your partner's perfume.
It doesn't matter.
Just be there and take it all in.
This moment,
Right when you're first waking up,
Is a perfect moment to get in touch with your breath and take stock of your body and your world.
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.
As you breathe in,
Feel the energy flowing into you.
It doesn't matter if it's raining or snowing,
Whether it's hot or cold or windy.
You are in this moment,
And that is all you need to know.
You are greeting a new day.
The world is alive and so are you.
I've said this many times before,
But our minds are so powerful,
And we can tap into that power just by getting in touch with our breath.
It doesn't require an investment in money or equipment.
It only requires your investment in time and focus,
Time and practice,
So that it feels normal and you feel confident and comfortable.
Getting in touch with your breath is something you can perfect if you just decide to do it.
And by doing that one thing,
Mastering your breath,
You can conquer anxiety and pain and sleep problems and so much more.
You can set yourself up for success by simply starting your day like this.
I have found peace within myself,
And so can you.
Now you're ready to start the day.
You're calm and centered and ready to face whatever is in store.
You're ready to get up and find out what's going on in the world.
The Buddha said,
Every morning we are born again.
What we do today is what matters most.
As we come to a close,
Open your eyes and come back into the room.
Notice how relaxed you feel.
Take one deep breath and let it out through your mouth,
Letting out a sigh.
You're ready to resume your day or begin your day feeling a greater sense of peace and calm.
I encourage everyone to get in touch with their breath many times throughout the day,
Even if just for two or three minutes.
And doing so first thing in the morning will get your day off to a wonderful start.
Please try it and see for yourself.
I hope this has been a beneficial and calming session,
And I'm so glad that you've joined me in this moment.
Till next time.
