So coming to sit nice and comfortably,
Or laying down,
Whatever feels good for you in this moment.
And let's close down our eyes.
And just begin to focus on your breath.
Meditation can help your brain release endorphins,
Natural pain relievers.
The muscles and tissues around your joints can become more relaxed.
And so your brain can be in a calmer state so that you feel less pain.
But as with yoga,
Meditation is also a practice.
And your body and mind experience benefits even when it feels as though you didn't meditate very well.
So if you're struggling today with any cramps or pain in the body,
Or if the mind feels super busy,
Just know that this is all part of the experience,
Or part of your practice each time you come onto the mat.
Now begin to notice your breath.
Directing your attention to the experience of breathing.
The sensations of the in breath.
And the sensations of the out breath.
Noticing the air coming in and out of your body.
Chest and belly rising and falling.
Firmly but gently directing your full undivided attention to this experience of breathing,
Whatever that means to you.
Noticing the air coming in your body and the air coming out.
Paying attention to this full cycle of breathing.
And on your deeper breaths,
Focus your mind on letting go of bodily tension as you exhale slowly and deeply.
Perhaps you want to take a few audible breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth through pursed lips.
Let's take two more if you wish.
Deep breath in.
One more.
If you've noticed that your mind wanders off,
That's perfectly natural.
The mind may wander away many times.
And if you've noticed your mind wandered,
Take note and then gently but firmly bring your attention back to your breathing.
Coming back to the experience of in breaths and out breaths.
The full cycle of your breathing.
This is the process,
The practice of focused attention on your breath.
Now begin to visualize a place where you feel content and calm.
This might be somewhere you visited or an imagined scene of somewhere you'd like to go.
And it doesn't come easily for everyone.
And it might feel a little awkward at first.
But with a bit of practice,
Visualization will start to come more naturally.
So with this visualization in your mind's eye,
Begin to use your five senses to add as much detail to this image.
What do you hear?
Can you smell any relaxing fragrances such as trees,
The ocean or something cooking?
Are you warm or cool?
Can you feel the air on your skin?
Is the sky bright,
Dark,
Stormy,
Full of stars or raining?
And as you utilize all these senses,
Imagine yourself moving deeper into this image and feeling more calm and peaceful.
And continue breathing slowly as you look around the scene you've created,
Fully experiencing it with all of your senses.
With each inhale,
Imagine peace and harmony entering your body.
And then visualize tension and stress,
Leaving your body as you exhale.
You can stay in this visualization for a little bit longer.
And when you feel ready,
You can leave your vision knowing you can return to it at any time to help reconnect to this calm,
Soft feeling in the body and in the mind.
Namaste.
