Welcome to this meditation using personal mantra on thoughts,
Feelings and instincts.
This meditation is an extension of my circuit breaker on the same topic and if you enjoyed the circuit breaker I encourage you to try and expand the practice with this meditation.
If you haven't checked out the circuit breaker and if you find this meditation helpful do look it up because you can cultivate a similar experience in just 2 or 3 minutes throughout your day.
So first of all just settle yourself into your space,
Whether that's seated,
Lying down or even standing,
Whatever feels right for you at the moment.
You can gently let your eyes close or lower and soften your gaze.
And as you let your body settle for a few moments let your mind begin to rest on a word,
A feeling or an instinct that you need to cultivate at this present time.
You don't need to think about it too much,
Just go with the word that comes to mind and trust your own instincts in this moment.
Hold that word in your mind as you take a few deep breaths.
And visage the word expand inside you as you inhale and release the word out into the world as you exhale.
You might even like to say it out loud.
Repeat this a few times with intentional deeper breaths at your own pace.
In your own time you can let your breath fall to a natural rhythm.
Rest as it is and repeat the word at a steady pace in your inner voice.
Any speed or volume you like.
Just gently resting your attention on the fullness of the word and its natural rhythm.
What is the speed or volume at which your inner voice is repeating that word to tell you?
How are you instinctively guiding,
Conjuring that word,
That feeling inside you?
Without judgement just notice where that word is taking you.
If you find other thoughts,
Feelings,
Sensations arising that are taking your focus that's perfectly okay.
You can stay with them for as long as you need to.
Just know you can guide your attention back to this word at any time you want.
And when you're ready you might like to turn the word into a sentence by adding a simple I am or I will be or something similar in front of it.
For example you might say I am compassionate.
I am brave.
I am loved.
I will be kind,
Whatever it is.
Just repeat that sentence at a rhythm that comes natural to you.
And gently notice any tendency to focus on negatives or where you feel the word doesn't apply to you and just notice it with a kindness.
Don't judge yourself for it,
Feel bad about it.
Just be aware of it.
You can gradually return to all the ways that you are that word,
That you embody that word and it fills you as you inhale and you grant it back to the word as you exhale.
And if you'd like you can change that sentence to we are.
How does your reaction to the word change with we are rather than I am?
Do you notice any changes in your thoughts,
Emotions or connections to the word?
Again with no need to change it,
Just noticing.
And if this practice moves you onto another word,
Another mantra or your attention turns elsewhere you can go with that or you can reintroduce your mantra at any time you want to.
You may like to try saying it out loud if you haven't already,
Repeating it or changing the rhythm or pace and just exploring how it feels inside you.
How does the word feel in your head,
In your body,
In your mouth as you make the sound?
Where in your being do you feel the word most strongly?
And before ending the meditation you may like to take a few more deep breaths as we did at the beginning and say the word out loud as you release the breath but in doing so visualise either yourself and say I am the word or I will be the sentence you had before and visit the others,
The we are that you want to gift with that feeling,
That thought,
That emotion,
That instinct.
And when you're ready you can open your eyes and carry your mantra with you throughout the day.
