The attitude that can really support practice is one of softness,
Of friendliness towards yourself,
Towards the experience,
Towards what might or might not be.
Of saying yes,
Of being open to whatever comes up,
With kindness,
With care.
And it can be helpful to start a meditation by sensing a smile.
By sensing a smile at the eyes,
So that the eyes soften a little bit.
By sensing a smile at the mouth,
So there's a softening or relaxing of the jaw.
Maybe sensing the curb of a smile,
That kindness,
That friendliness,
Through the chest,
The heart space.
Not to cover over anything.
Just making space for what's there,
Opening,
Saying okay,
Alright,
Here we are,
Here I am in this moment.
A tenderness.
Letting the chest be open and soft and receptive to the breath.
The shoulders free to soften just a bit.
The arms free to hang.
No bags to carry now.
Burden down for a moment,
Which is surely worth a little smile.
Still sensing the smile,
The eyes,
The heart,
The chest,
The mouth,
Maybe even the belly.
Releasing the knots,
The to-do list knot,
The what will they think of me knot.
The uncertainty knot,
All the knots,
Softening,
Smiling.
Feeling and sensing the aliveness in the body.
Aware of the aliveness in your feet.
Aware of the aliveness in your legs.
In your bottom,
Pelvis.
Sensing the aliveness in your belly.
Back,
Chest.
Arms,
Hands.
You're alive.
There were times you thought you wouldn't make it and you're alive here,
Now.
Free to move.
With an energy body.
With its dance of sensations,
Gurgling,
Gas,
Twitches,
Itches,
All sorts.
Open and allowing.
Feeling the whole body alive in this moment.
Tingling,
Vibrating,
Pressure,
Flow,
Hot,
Cold.
Open and receptive to sounds that come and go.
Allowing everything to come and go,
Because change is the only constant.
Perhaps coming back to the in and out of the breath,
The rise and fall.
When you feel your mind wander,
When you sense your mind's gone somewhere down a rabbit hole.
Perhaps the breath,
Perhaps the sensations in the body.
Perhaps the shape and curve of a smile.
Perhaps finding an anchor to bring you home.
Keeping your practice simple.
Noticing when you've run away and gently coming back.
Choosing to be here with your body in this moment.
Choosing to be here with these sounds in this moment.
Choosing to be here with the dance of sensations in this moment.
Noticing what's happening and saying yes.
Okay,
Yes.
Allowing.
And gently,
With kindness,
Coming back when you wander.
Re-relaxing through the body if and when you need to.
Relaxing the shoulders.
The hands.
The legs.
The belly,
Those knots.
They come back.
And the heart,
Relaxing the heart.
Receiving everything with a yes.
May you be well.
May your heart and mind be free.
May you live with ease.
And may you know you're loved.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
