Begin by finding a comfortable position.
Let your spine be straight,
Your shoulders low and relaxed.
Feeling whatever surface you're on supporting you.
Feeling your posture and your body steady,
Comfortable.
Softening the muscles around your face.
Now focusing on your breathing.
Noticing the sensations such as the air going in through our nostrils and out of your mouth.
Or noticing where the breath feels prominent in your body,
Such as your chest rising and falling.
Or maybe you even notice your whole body slowly responding to the pace of your breathing.
You're anchored to the present moment because the breathing is only happening right now.
If your breathing feels a little shallow or quicker than you realize,
Pay some attention to notice the details.
Does it feel good to slow down or deepen your breath?
Imagining it going all the way to your stomach and then breathing out from your stomach.
Perhaps you want to compare breathing out of your nostrils and breathing out from your mouth.
As you pay attention to your breathing and play around and make small adjustments,
Are there any sensations popping up that seems new?
And now notice what kind of thoughts are coming to you.
Since breathing is such a natural part of our lives,
You might be noticing a lot of unexpected details or thoughts when you pay this much attention to an ordinary action such as breathing.
You might even have thoughts like,
I don't know if I'm doing this right.
Why am I having thoughts when I'm supposed to be meditating?
Or I don't even know what I'm spending my time on.
And instead of being those thoughts,
Practice your kind curiosity.
And note that these are the thoughts you're having.
These are the normal activities that our thinking mind has,
Which is to generate thoughts and opinions.
Even though self-judging thoughts can be especially triggering or uncomfortable,
Here we are bringing in the courage to see them.
The courage to not engage,
But to acknowledge their existence.
Like doing roll call,
You can acknowledge each thought,
Each self-judging thought as they arise and then send them to the classroom because they have been noted.
You might also notice feelings and emotions coming up.
You might even notice more self-judging thoughts as you feel those emotions,
Such as I'm supposed to be calm or I shouldn't be so easily triggered.
Continue to do the same,
Which is to acknowledge them.
Notice this is one thought,
Accepting this is one feeling that has come up.
They are not arising to disrupt your life or to show you how imperfect you are.
They are coming up because you are courageously creating a space for them to surface and to be named and seen.
You are being kind and courageous,
Holding this space to process these thoughts and emotions.
It's possible you're feeling the opposite and maybe not a lot is coming to you.
This is your truth right now,
So also acknowledge and name it for what it feels like.
As you allow these thoughts and feelings arise,
Know that this could be a constant witnessing and cleansing of our internal world.
One day you might be scratching the surface and processing these thoughts and you feel better.
And after you feel better,
It's possible that you're surprised that there is more that needed to be seen.
What is the truth that needs to come out?
There is no need to suppress or change.
Just because you experienced the previous moment in one way,
Doesn't mean the next moment has to be a certain way.
Often we have to witness a surfacing thought or experience before realizing that there is something deeper,
Deeper and larger that needs to come up.
Now noticing our physical body again,
Do you notice any sensations that could be related to any self-judging thoughts?
Perhaps it's a tightness in your throat or tension in your stomach or maybe the tightening of your fist or fingers.
Noticing if there might be connections.
Now notice if any of your body sensations feels different once you recognize the connection or once you name some of your thoughts.
Now you can put both of your hands on a part of your body that felt tense or tight.
And experience the warmth and the sensation of care that comes with the touch.
You can tell yourself,
I'm here.
I am with you.
I am with myself.
I see you.
I see you.
Now anchoring yourself by focusing once again on your breathing.
Taking a few deep breaths as we wrap up this practice.
When you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
