Hi there,
Welcome.
Take these first few moments to make yourself comfortable.
That might be sitting on a cushion on the floor with a nice tall spine.
You're welcome to sit onto a chair with the feet firmly planted onto the earth.
Or if today you feel like you need to lie down,
Go right ahead,
Perhaps a pillow under the knees,
Just for a little bit of softness in the low back.
And once you have found your position,
If it's comfortable for you,
Go ahead and close your eyes.
Or you can just soften them and let your awareness settle into any parts of your body that are connected to the earth,
To the cushion you're sitting on,
To the bed or floor that you're lying on.
Notice the sensation of that pressure on the skin.
And almost imagine yourself letting go,
Allowing yourself to be supported by whatever it is you're resting upon.
And then the attention may naturally shift around the body.
If your arms or legs are exposed,
Not covered by clothing,
Perhaps you notice the temperature of the air on your skin.
Or if there's a fan or a vent nearby,
Maybe you feel the movement of the air.
Perhaps it's warm or maybe a little bit cold.
All of these little moments of noticing just allow us to draw a little more into the present moment.
You become a little more mindful about what we experience in the here and in the now.
And if you're drawn to any other sensations,
Just notice that.
The same way you notice the seat on the earth or the air on the skin.
And even though we've found a position of stillness,
You may notice lots of movement within the body.
As the breath rises and falls,
So does the shoulders,
The belly,
The chest.
Might even feel it up into the head.
And as we inhale,
There's a slightly cool sensation.
And then as you exhale,
It's just ever so slightly warmer.
Experience the lengthening of the body,
Extension of the spine,
A softness in the shoulders.
And for a moment,
Maybe you pay attention to the features of the face,
The cheeks,
The jaw,
The forehead.
Notice perhaps the brow is furrowed.
Can you give it a little wiggle,
Let it soften.
Perhaps already in the few moments we've been together,
The mind has drifted away.
It's just doing exactly what it's meant to do.
And we just invite it back.
We have this beautiful anchor within the body,
And that's our breath.
You can come back to the rise and fall of whatever part of your body sort of steps forward.
Whatever part wants to be noticed.
This few moments of stillness,
Of silence that we've taken together is now yours.
You're welcome to re-listen to it over and over again.
And if you feel like you've really settled in,
Maybe stay a little bit longer,
Enjoy.
When you are ready to step off your mat or your cushion or your bed,
Whatever you're on top of,
And move back into your day,
Just take a breath or two before you do so.
And move mindfully,
Taking this sensation with you,
Wherever you go from here.
