Allow yourself to move into a comfortable position for meditation,
Sitting or lying down.
If it's available and easeful for you to place your hands on your heart,
That might be supportive.
But most importantly,
Place your body,
Your arms,
Your hands in a way that feels comfortable.
Begin to watch your breath,
Following the movement of breath in through your nose or mouth,
Down the throat,
Into your lungs,
And then follow the breath back out through your nose or mouth,
Even following it further into the space around you.
And take a few rounds here just watching,
Inhaling and exhaling,
Observing the movement and quality of breath in and out of your body,
Allowing your mind to be curious about the way the oxygen in your breath is received by your lungs.
Can you place the sensation of receiving oxygen from your in-breath?
And when you exhale,
Can you allow your mind to be curious about what happens to the carbon dioxide that you release with the breath?
Feeling the movement of breath,
Following the breath,
Receiving through your inhale,
Exhaling and releasing the breath back into your environment.
And while you continue to observe,
Feeling the sensation of the breath,
Being curious about the breath,
Perhaps you can also bring your awareness to the presence of plants in your area.
Maybe you have plants directly around you,
Or outside your window,
Off in the distance,
Or down the street.
But allow yourself to be aware that there are plants and trees somewhere,
And that these plants are also respirating,
Breathing.
And with each breath,
You are receiving some of their oxygen.
Can you trace your breath,
Beginning at the point of a plant's leaf,
All the way into your lungs?
And as you exhale,
Can you follow your breath out,
Back to that same plant?
With each breath,
An exchange,
Giving and receiving.
Taking seven breaths of exchange and connection,
Watching the breath as it travels,
Can you become curious about when your breath becomes a part of the plant,
And when that plant's respiration becomes a part of you?
Isn't it wonderful to know that this connection has been there all along,
Even though you may not have been aware?
A couple more breaths.
You can allow a part of your attention to continue following the breath,
As you bring another point of attention to the center of your chest,
To your heart center,
Feeling the connection with your breath in the heart space,
Imagining the heart center as if it contained a small flame,
An inner light.
Each breath allows that light to grow.
With each breath,
The light grows larger,
Brighter.
Following the breath,
And watching that inner light growing brighter,
Like your own personal sun,
Beginning to feel that light shine into the space of your body.
Each breath,
Inviting that light to pour into every corner of the body,
Every shape of the body,
Filling with your inner light,
Filling your awareness.
Continuing to breathe,
And inviting that light to expand beyond the edges of your skin,
And remember that your skin is also breathing,
Feeling the breath through your skin,
And allowing that inner light of awareness to radiate into the space around you,
Allowing this radiant inner light to create a feeling of warmth around you.
Continuing to breathe,
And feeling the warmth,
The energy of that inner light,
As if you could also receive that warmth.
Continuing to breathe,
Watching and feeling the breath,
The light,
And the warmth filling the space around you,
As if you are in the center of a bright,
Glowing ball of light.
Maybe you can begin to let this light pulse with your breath,
Inhaling and expanding the energy of the heart in all directions,
Exhaling and feeling it wrap close around you,
Like a blanket,
Inhaling and feeling the energy expand,
Pulsing out,
Exhaling and drawing in close around the body,
Just being with your breath,
Feeling the energy of the heart space,
Remembering the connection with the plants and trees around you,
Watching your inner light,
Bathing in your inner light,
Receiving the breath,
Just like that.
Imagine for a moment what it would be like to bring this radiant light and the connection to your breath into whatever you have planned today.
What would it feel like to radiate this light,
To receive this warm energy,
To remember your connection with the space around you,
The plants and trees,
The air itself?
Take some time in your own way to prepare yourself to bring this light and this feeling back into your ordinary awareness,
Bask in the glow of your awareness,
Allow yourself to remember where you are,
Begin to deepen your breath,
Still feeling that flame within your heart as you wiggle your toes and fingers,
Maybe giving yourself a bit of a stretch,
Finding your way back,
Welcoming yourself back,
Nourished,
Radiant and connected.
