Hello Friends.
I'm so happy you're here.
When creating a new habit,
The hardest part is often showing up.
But you have already done that.
You are here.
So that's out of the way.
Now I'm going to ask you to let go of any expectations you may have of meditation.
We're not here to clear our mind or to transcend any part of the human experience.
You don't need to believe in anything in particular to meditate.
And honestly,
I'm not even necessarily here to teach you how to meditate.
You already have everything you need.
Your body,
Your breath.
This moment.
The willingness to show up for yourself.
You already know what to do.
I am here simply as a guide.
To hold this space for you.
To be still with you.
And to remind you.
We're born knowing how to be present.
As we grow older and life happens,
We forget.
But being present.
Is our natural way of being.
So we're just returning.
One last thing.
There is no right or wrong way to meditate.
You can't be bad at meditating.
If you are here with yourself,
Breathing and noticing,
Then you are meditating correctly.
Alright,
With all of that being said,
Let's get started.
Make your way into a comfortable position if you are not there already.
This could be seated on a pillow on the floor.
On your couch,
In a chair,
Or even lying down.
Just coming into a comfortable position where you can lengthen and or sit tall through the spine without creating any additional tension.
We want to be alert and aware while still being able to relax through the body.
If you're on the floor and want to scoot your back up against the wall for a little support,
Great.
Just find what works for you and know that you can always adjust at any point during practice.
You aren't stuck in any particular position.
This time is for you.
So make it work for you.
No one's watching,
No one's keeping score or giving you an evaluation.
Just take some time to be with yourself and your breath.
That's all this is.
Once you land in your chosen position to start,
We're going to invite our awareness inward by noticing how we feel.
Maybe you close your eyes or soften your gaze just to minimize outside distractions.
And check in with your body.
With your mind.
Your emotions.
Ask yourself.
How am I?
How do I feel in this moment?
And notice what comes up.
No judging.
No filtering.
We're just gathering information.
Just observing.
Maybe we begin to notice our breath.
Noticing the sounds and sensations of breath.
Noticing how the breath feels moving through the body.
How it ebbs and flows.
How it shifts and transforms as we bring our attention to it.
And if it feels good,
Maybe we sweetly invite our breath to deepen now.
Breathing slow and smooth.
Filling all the way up as we inhale.
And letting everything go as we exhale.
Just keeping it soft and easy.
Or just breathing.
Notice if you are holding tension anywhere in the body.
And using the soft flow of your breath,
Invite it to release.
Feeling your body grow heavier and more at ease with each breath.
Or at least imagine the possibility of this sensation.
Softening through the muscles of your face.
Unclenching your jaw.
Feeling your shoulders relax away from your ears.
Allowing your belly to soften.
Let your fingers and toes relax.
Your limbs heavy.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Your mind will likely be noisy.
With thoughts racing through.
And that's okay.
That's why we're here.
Together,
We will practice noticing these thoughts.
And then actively,
With kindness,
Guide our awareness back to our breath.
Back to the sensations in our body.
Back to this moment,
As it is,
As many times as we need to.
This is the practice.
And you are doing great.
Just take a few more moments,
Dancing with presence,
Just like this.
Noticing and breathing.
Noticing.
And breathing.
Coming back.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Geese appear high over us.
Pass,
And the sky closes.
Abandon,
As in love or sleep,
Holds them to their way.
Clear in the ancient faith.
What we need is here.
And we pray.
Not for new earth or heaven,
But to be quiet in heart and an eye clear.
What we need is here.
What We Need Is Here,
By Wendell Berry.
Slowly bring your hands together at your heart.
Pressing your palms into one another or bringing your palms to rest over your heart.
Let's check in one last time.
Notice how you feel.
This practice is very simple,
But it's definitely not always easy.
And there are so many benefits.
But each time you sit down to meditate,
You may not feel calm.
You may not feel peaceful or at ease.
Some days your mind will be louder than others.
And that's all okay.
The important part is showing up.
The important part is committing to yourself in this way.
Committing to strengthening your self-awareness muscles so that you can show up in the world,
In your life,
In a more present and mindful way.
Taking care of yourself so that you can take care of others.
It may not always feel good as you're sitting down to meditate.
And some days it might be absolutely infuriating.
But I promise,
Even if it doesn't feel good as you're sitting with your eyes closed in meditation,
The benefits are still there.
Showing up for yourself.
Practicing presence.
Practicing intentional breathing.
No matter how it feels in the moment.
Will do you good.
Just keep showing up and I promise you that you will begin to notice a difference in how you feel.
Let's take one final deep breath in together.
And exhale,
Let everything go.
Shake it off.
You just meditated and you did amazing.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
And I hope you practice again with me soon.
It is such an honor to guide you and to be still with you.
Until next time,
My friend.
Take care.
