Hello and welcome.
Before we begin today's practice.
I'd like to share a gentle reminder.
This time.
Is entirely yours.
And you are the highest authority in the room.
Traditional meditation often asks for strict stillness or deep focus.
But today?
Here,
We prioritise your comfort and your nervous system's safety above all else.
There are no rules here.
And there is no way to do this wrong.
And as we move through this session,
Please know that you have full permission to adapt anything I say.
If a prompt doesn't feel right for you today,
You can choose to ignore it.
If closing your eyes feels uncomfortable,
Feel free to keep them open or with a soft gaze.
You are always welcome to stretch.
Change your posture.
Fidget.
Walk around?
Or pause this recording whenever your body asks you to.
You are safe.
You are in control.
And you get to decide exactly how you want to rest with me today.
Let's begin,
Whenever you are ready.
So take a few moments now to make sure you don't get cold.
Grab a duvet or a blanket.
And please make sure you've got warm feet.
And then the second most important thing is to make sure you're comfortable.
You can do this practice on your bed or in your bed or you can do it on the floor or in a chair.
And just make sure that you've put strategic cushions underneath you,
Perhaps under the base of your spine.
As I know for me,
That's where I get uncomfortable.
Put a cushion underneath your head if you want to.
So comfort is key.
I want you to be able to fully relax without anything irritating or annoying.
So when you're ready.
.
.
Just lie down,
Settle in,
Settle back.
Get comfy.
On your back is best if that works for you.
Or on your side,
Whatever works.
And then just let your legs stretch away across the floor,
Across your bed,
Wherever you are.
And let your arms come out slightly.
So they're just away from your sides.
Palms facing up if that works for you.
And just take a moment now to adjust,
Have a little wriggle.
See what you need to do.
Stretch like a cat.
To make sure that you are able to then just.
.
.
Find a sense of stillness.
But also please don't think that you can't move while doing this work.
So if you feel like you need to itch something or have another stretch or move to be comfortable,
Just do.
Please don't think you have to lie there in uncomfortable places.
It's just really important that you're able to soften and settle.
So we're going to explore a visualization.
An imagination exercise.
I invite you.
To imagine a place that feels deeply comfortable.
Or supportive for you right now.
And this is your personal space.
It could be anywhere in the universe at any time.
It could be somewhere that you've been before.
And that you love going.
It could be somewhere that you've never been but have always wanted to go.
Or it could be somewhere that you've just created,
Out of nowhere,
In your imagination.
In your mind's eye in this moment.
So wherever and whenever this place is.
Allow it to be exactly what you need today.
The light.
The temperature,
Imagining it just the way you would want it to feel right now.
And this is a space entirely dedicated to your rest.
The only things present here are you.
The sound of my voice,
And this time.
And anything or anyone you might choose to invite here.
To help you feel at ease.
You are the author of this space.
And you hold complete control over who or what you do.
Enters here.
And in this place.
The Invitation.
Is to find a sense of calm.
Comfort.
Safety.
Or security,
Whatever level of ease is available to you today.
Because this space belongs to you.
Whenever you're here or whenever you might return here in the future.
This is a place where you can just rest.
Any unwanted or heavy feelings can step into the background for a while.
And you don't have to fix them.
Or force them away.
You can simply allow them to rest.
Outside of this space.
While you take a break.
Giving yourself permission now.
To connect with a sense of confidence.
Of E.
Or quiet.
Whatever positive feelings show up now.
For you.
Even if it's just a tiny spark of quiet.
You can welcome it in.
And whenever you return here,
If you do,
Whether it's for minutes or hours or just a brief moment,
This sense of comfort and support is here for you in this space that you have made today.
And here.
You can completely recharge your batteries,
Your physical batteries,
Your emotional batteries.
And your intellectual batteries.
And you can return to this supportive place,
Your personal space.
Whenever you want to,
Whenever you need to.
Simply by closing your eyes or Finding that soft gaze.
Relaxing and settling into your own imagination,
Into your own space of comfort.
Just like you're doing right now here in this moment with me.
Where there is nothing for you to do.
And know where else you need to be.
And now in this place,
In this moment.
Noticing with a lazy easy curiosity.
Just bringing your attention now back to the natural unhurried rhythm of your own breath.
Noticing the quiet rise and fall.
Of your chest or belly,
Exactly as it is.
No need to change anything.
Just being present.
Noticing the air coming into your nostrils,
Cool.
And noticing the air as it leaves your nostrils,
Warm.
And noticing the space at the end of the out-breath.
Where nothing much seems to happen.
Until you feel the desire to breathe in once more.
And then slowly beginning to expand your awareness outward.
The feeling of the air on your skin.
The ambient sounds in the room.
And perhaps the distant world outside.
Feeling the solid unchanging support of the floor or the bed or the chair beneath your body.
Anchoring you gently right here.
In this present moment.
And when you are ready.
There is no rush at all.
Perhaps you might begin to introduce some tiny gentle movements.
Wiggling your toes.
Gently moving your fingertips.
Or perhaps taking a slightly deeper,
Refreshing breath.
And if your eyes have been closed.
You can slowly invite the light back in.
Allowing them to open.
Letting your surroundings slowly come back to you.
Into focus.
And if your gaze has been lowered.
You can start to let it lift,
Taking in the space around you.
And taking a moment now to thank yourself for giving your body and mind this time to rest.
And recharge today.
And I'd like to invite you to carry this feeling of support with you.
As you go about your day today.
Thank you for practicing with me.
