Hello and welcome.
My name's Nicola and I'm going to guide you in a silent mantra-based meditation today to take you into the stillness and silence.
So please get yourself really comfortable now.
Maybe first of all have a little wriggle or shake off any excess or uncomfortable energy and when you're ready sit yourself comfortably down with your spine straight and supported if you need to.
Feet flat on the floor to keep your back comfortable and use blankets and cushions to keep yourself warm and comfortable.
And if you can't sit with your spine straight then that's absolutely fine.
Just get yourself into a comfortable position,
Perhaps with your head up slightly if you can,
So that we're in the restful awareness of meditation and you're less likely to fall asleep,
Enabling us to gain all the wonderful benefits of meditation.
So make any self adjustments that you need to and just start to relax now.
Perhaps take a deep breath in and sigh out any tension and just let go of anything that you no longer need to hang on to.
Let go of anything that you can come back to later.
This time is for you and everything is just as it needs to be.
So let's do a little body scan first just to relax ourselves,
Bringing our attention to the areas of our body and relaxing them and releasing any tension as we go.
And if you like you can imagine a light traveling down your body if this helps.
So let's begin with the crown of the head.
Breathe in and as you breathe out feel yourself relaxing a little more.
Relax your face,
Your jaw,
Neck and shoulders,
Arms and hands.
Relax your chest and stomach.
Relax your pelvis,
Thighs,
Knees,
Ankles,
Feet and toes.
And let anything unneeded flow now out of your toes away from your body into Mother Earth.
And we'll now ask ourselves some soul questions to help us connect with ourselves at a deeper level.
So gently repeat each one silently and then just listen to whatever answers come up without judgment or evaluation.
So please bring your awareness now to your heart center,
The area of your chest and ask yourself the first question,
Who am I?
Who am I?
Just silently ask yourself this question and notice the responses that come to you without forcing anything.
You may experience thoughts,
Feelings,
Images or sensations or nothing at all.
Whatever happens is perfect.
Simply ask the question and rest in being.
Just be.
You may not know the answer but this is the perfect time to start this dialogue with the universe.
Who am I?
Now ask yourself what do I want?
What do I want?
Ask the question and allow the responses to come to you.
It may be in the form of thoughts,
Feelings,
Images or sensations.
Just notice whatever comes to you without forcing anything,
Without judgment.
Simply ask the question and pay attention.
What do I want?
Anything you'd like to see fulfilled in your life at this time.
What do I want?
The next question is what is my purpose?
My Dharma.
What is my purpose?
How can I help?
How can I serve myself and others?
What is my Dharma?
My purpose?
Again just ask the question and allow any thoughts,
Feelings,
Images or sensations to come without forcing anything.
Just be open and now ask yourself the final soul question.
What am I grateful for?
What am I truly grateful for?
Allow any responses to come to you.
Now take a deep breath now and as you exhale and breathe out,
Release those questions and answers to the universe and bring your awareness back to your breath.
Simply observing the inflow and outflow without trying to control it in any way.
So just focusing on your breath.
If you notice your attention drifting away to thoughts or noises,
Just gently come back to observing your breath.
And we'll now introduce an ancient Sanskrit mantra to help us go deeper into our meditation.
And the mantra is So Hum and that can be translated as I am.
So now silently begin repeating the sound So Hum.
So Hum.
So Hum.
Silently repeat the word So as you breathe in and Hum as you breathe out if this is comfortable.
So with the inhalation,
Hum on the exhalation.
There's no need to force or concentrate.
Just have simple awareness of the sound So as you inhale and Hum as you exhale.
And your breath may get faster or slower,
Deeper or shallower.
And however it changes,
Just observe it innocently,
Silently repeating So Hum.
And whenever your attention drifts to thoughts in your mind,
Sounds in your environment or sensations in your body,
Gently return to your breath,
Silently repeating So Hum.
Don't look for any experience or wait for something to happen.
Just simply and innocently go with the flow.
I'll watch the time and I'll ring some soft chimes when it's time to stop repeating the mantra.
So when I do this,
Just keep your eyes closed and continue resting easily.
And I'll give you further instruction.
Enjoy your meditation.
Please keep your eyes closed and stop repeating your mantra.
Just continue resting comfortably.
You can begin to take a few deeper breaths now.
Stretch and move gently if you wish.
And when you're ready,
Please slowly open your eyes.
I hope your meditation was comfortable.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
Namaste.
