Hey friend.
Thanks for being here.
Let's settle into our practice together.
Make your way into a comfortable seat.
Feel free to lie down or lean yourself up against a wall if you'd like.
Just wherever you are,
Place your body with intention.
We want to be cozy,
But also alert.
We want to be relaxed without creating more tension in the body.
So do your best to keep your spine nice and long wherever you are.
Create lots of space between your shoulders and your ears.
Soften through the muscles of the forehead,
The jaw.
Let go through the belly,
No sucking in or squeezing.
And let the rest of the body grow heavy.
Maybe you close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Inviting stillness as you're ready.
Your breath,
The only thing moving you.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Sweetly arriving into presence.
Into the here and now.
Noticing how you feel.
Observing your inner world.
Allowing thoughts to come and go as you do your best to bring your awareness back to this moment.
Back to your breath.
Imagine yourself on an early morning walk in the countryside.
The hour is just before dawn.
The world is quiet,
Except for the waking songs of the birds that call this place their home.
And the rustling of the breeze through the trees.
It's still dark,
But you know the way.
And as you walk towards your favorite tree on the edge of the meadow,
You feel the dewy grass on your feet.
The cool air on your skin.
You smell the fresh scents that only nature can create.
And as you come upon the tree,
You sit down beneath it.
Resting your back on its trunk.
Allowing the earth to support you.
Notice how you feel in this place held by the earth.
Really allow yourself to be in it.
To really be here.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
It's just you and your breath.
In front of you,
The sun begins to rise.
Peeking slowly above the horizon,
Its light spilling gracefully into the darkness that holds you.
Casting a fresh glow on your surroundings.
A shift in perspective.
Notice how the world around you changes.
The pockets of shadow that dance and create shapes.
The droplets of morning dew that sparkle in the sunlight.
The fears exposed.
The secrets made known.
The beauty revealed.
Notice how the sun beats against your own skin as it rises.
Feel the warmth.
The transformation within yourself.
Lighting up your world.
A bright,
Brilliant new beginning.
You emerge from the darkness exactly where you are,
Exactly as you are,
In stillness.
Your breath flowing in and out.
The world transforming outside of you.
Your heart beating within you.
A new beginning.
A fresh start.
The possibilities are expansive.
Allow yourself to believe in this feeling,
To surrender to this feeling.
As the scene transforms around you,
You are grounded in presence.
You are rooted in your brilliance.
A new world is upon you.
The same you with a new perspective.
Letting go of all that no longer serves you.
Shedding layers,
Ripping off masks,
Releasing doubt.
Evolving.
Until all that's left.
Is you.
You are so capable.
You are so prepared.
You are so worthy.
As the sun rises,
As the birdsong grows louder and the world wakes up.
You are opening yourself to receive whatever is on its way to you.
Opening yourself to your life.
Knowing with every beat of your heart,
With every inhale,
With every exhale,
You are exactly where you are meant to be.
You have everything you need to become the most expansive,
Most aligned,
Most joy-filled version of yourself.
In fact,
You are already there.
You are here.
And you are brilliant.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
Hello sun in my face.
Hello you who make the morning and spread it over the fields and into the faces of the tulips and the nodding morning glories and into the windows of even the miserable and crotchety best preacher that ever was,
Dear star,
That just happens to be where you are in the universe,
To keep us from ever darkness.
To ease us with warm touching,
To hold us in the great hands of light.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Good morning.
Watch now how I start the day in happiness.
And kindness.
Why I Wake Early by Mary Oliver Bring your hands together at your heart.
Palm to palm or palms to chest.
And just take a moment here to thank yourself for showing up.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Let's take one final deep breath in together.
And exhale,
Let it all go.
Thank you so much for sharing your practice with me and for allowing me to guide you.
It is the honor of my life to be still with you in moments like these.
Until next time,
Take care.
