Hi,
My name is Sarah and thank you for joining me for this meditation practice.
Today's practice is an exercise in connecting to the present moment.
Sometimes we can feel stress when we focus too much on the past or become too preoccupied with the future.
Giving our mind an opportunity to come into the present moment can offer a window of peace,
Even just for a short time,
Where we notice that there is nowhere to be,
Nothing to do,
But to drink in this precious present moment.
So to begin our practice,
Just take a moment to either come into a comfortable seat or take a moment to lay yourself down.
We're going to spend these first few moments just connecting to the body and bringing our awareness into the space.
So as you start to settle in,
Just taking a moment to notice if there's any areas of tension or tightness sitting within the body and just starting to invite the sensation of softness in.
Now start to bring your awareness to the space around you.
Are you inside or are you outside?
Are you sharing the space alone or with somebody else?
Can you start to feel the earth beneath you?
Can you tune into the sky above you?
Can you start to settle your awareness on any sounds that you might be hearing?
Are the sounds soft or are the sounds loud?
Maybe there's no sounds at all.
Maybe you're choosing just to tune into the sound of your own breath,
Noticing the breath as it slowly draws in and noticing the breath as it slowly draws out.
And now you might choose to experiment with the breath,
Noticing how it feels to deepen the breath as you draw in and lengthen the breath as you draw out,
Feeling the body expand as you breathe in,
Feeling the body contract as you breathe out,
You might just let the body breathe in its own natural rhythm,
Just continuing to focus on how the breath feels as it moves in and moves out.
Otherwise,
I'm going to start to guide you now through our deep belly breaths,
Really focusing on expanding and lengthening the breath as we breathe.
So to begin,
Just start to find a nice slow deep breath in and then a full deep breath out.
And then as you start to take your next inhale,
Feel the low belly expand with breath,
Feel your breath move all the way up through your nose,
Take your next inhale,
Feel the low belly expand with breath,
Feel your breath move all the way up through your midsection towards your collarbones.
Now as you start to exhale,
Release your breath from your collarbones,
Your midsection and feel the contraction of your low belly as you breathe out.
As you inhale,
Feel the low belly expand with breath,
Pull the breath up through the midsection all the way towards your collarbones.
As you exhale,
Release from the collarbones,
The midsection and the low belly.
Inhale,
Low belly,
Midsection,
Collarbones.
Exhale,
Collarbones,
Midsection,
Low belly.
Inhale,
Low belly,
Midsection,
Collarbones.
Exhale,
Collarbones,
Midsection,
Low belly.
I want you to find just a few more rounds moving at your own pace,
Finding a rhythm that supports you to find steadiness and ease as you breathe.
You might choose to visualize a gentle wave rolling in and a gentle wave rolling out as you feel the breath moving through your body.
As you keep focusing on the breath,
I'm now going to ask you a few sacred questions to help you connect to this present moment.
Just know that there's no right or wrong answers.
We're just here to get a little curious and remain open to any answers that may arise.
Do you agree that you cannot step into the past and change it?
Do you agree that you cannot step into the past and change it?
Do you agree that you cannot step into the past and change it?
Do you agree that you cannot step into the future to force it?
Do you agree that you cannot step into the future to force it?
Where will you place your attention today?
Where will you place place your attention today.
Here we are in this precious present moment.
What will you do to honour it?
What will you do to honour it?
Now I would like to offer you an affirmation to take you a little bit deeper into this practice.
Working with affirmations not only allow us to cultivate the intention of the affirmation,
But can work to be an anchor for the mind as we settle into stillness.
Our affirmation for today's practice is Be here now.
Be here now.
Be here now.
Silently repeat the affirmation over and over again.
And if you notice at any point in time that your mind wanders away to thoughts or feelings or stories,
Just know that this is perfectly normal.
And just see if you can start to bring your awareness back to the affirmation.
We're going to settle here in silence for a little bit of time,
But when the time is ready,
I will gently call you back.
Thank you.
Be here now.
Just start to release the affirmation and allow the mind to settle.
Just taking a moment just to notice how you feel after the practice.
We're going to end our practice now with the breath cycle.
So as you feel ready,
Just taking a moment to find a nice slow deep breath in and then a full deep breath out.
Take your time to move as you finish up from your practice.
And I just want to say thank you so much for joining me today.
Have a beautiful,
Beautiful day.
