A warm welcome to you.
Let us begin our practice by settling into a comfortable position.
This could be seated or lying down,
Whatever position you are naturally drawn to today.
And just noticing if you could be 10% more comfortable,
Making any final adjustments you need.
And as you close down your eyes and begin to draw your awareness inwards,
Can you welcome all parts of you who are here today?
Perhaps your tired self,
Yourself who has felt busy,
Distracted or self-critical recently,
Yourself who desires a sense of calm or peace.
And can you offer all these parts of you a gentle smile?
This universal sign of friendliness and warmth.
Breathing into this sense of smile now.
Allowing its warmth to soften the area across your eyes.
Allowing this sense of smile to land on your cheeks.
To spread down towards your jaw.
This sense of smile softening your entire face now.
This sense of smile landing across your shoulders.
Encouraging a sense of softening from the inside out.
Softening across your chest.
Allowing a sense of warmth to land here.
Moving deep into your stomach,
Your hips and pelvis.
This sense of warmth moving down your legs.
All the way to your feet and 10 toes.
Moving now down your arms.
To your hands and your 10 fingers.
Resting here in this sense of softening.
In this sense of warmth and friendliness.
Coming home to your own natural warmth and comfort.
Coming home to a sense of connection.
And drawing your awareness now to your breath.
No need to change your breath in any way.
Noticing the air as it enters your nose.
Noticing the air as it leaves your mouth.
Resting in the gentle rise and fall of your chest.
Resting in the natural movement of your belly as you breathe.
Air flowing in.
Air flowing out.
Connecting now with your entire cycle of breath.
With your inhale.
The pause at the top of your inhale.
Your exhale.
The pause at the bottom of your exhale.
Resting in this four-part cycle for a moment or two.
Remaining focused and curious.
Smoothing out the edges of your breath a little.
Thoughts may move in and out of your awareness but each time you are able to return to the natural ebb and flow of your unique breath.
Surrendering into this act of coming home.
Of connecting with your inner world.
Noticing any sense of peace,
Relaxation or comfort that comes with connecting with yourself in this way.
Resting here.
Drawing your awareness now to the universal nature of breath.
To this shared experience of breathing.
All humans,
Animals and even trees connected by the eternal flow of breath.
Air flowing in.
Air flowing out.
The entire world breathing.
And as we continue to offer our breath,
Our gentle and wise attention.
We notice the natural ebb and flow of each breath.
And we are reminded of the natural ebb and flow of the earth's great tides.
Our breath moving like the water in our vast seas.
Just as the tide washes over our sandy shores,
Your breath washes over you.
Resting in this natural movement.
Resting in the knowing that you are the tide within the ocean and the ocean within the tide.
Drawing your awareness now to the ever-changing experience of presence.
Noticing now how our inner world is always changing.
Physical sensations come and go.
Thoughts and emotions move in and out of our awareness.
Much like clouds on a summer's day.
Resting in the natural movement of presence.
Resting in the knowing that you are the clouds in the sky and the sky in the clouds.
And drawing your awareness now to the idea that just like nature,
We too have our seasons.
Just as leaves let go in autumn,
With each gentle exhale we too let go.
Just as animals hibernate in winter,
We too seek comfort in the warmth found deep within our inner worlds.
The growth,
Beginnings and life of spring are mirrored by our sense of joy,
Hope and transformation.
The warmth of the summer sun fills us with energy,
Relaxation and ease.
Resting in the awareness that just as seasons change,
So does the human experience.
Breathing into the nature of our human seasons,
With each in-breath an opportunity to let in.
With each out-breath an opportunity to let go.
In this safe environment you have created,
I ask you warm-heartedly what can you let go of in this moment?
With each out-breath a letting go.
Noticing any sense of lightness,
Of relief or freedom that comes from within this experience of letting go.
Resting here.
And from this space you have created within you,
What would you like to invite in?
With each in-breath an opportunity to welcome in.
Breathing in,
Inviting in.
Noticing now any sense of relaxation,
Of vibrancy or aliveness within you.
Allowing whatever has emerged for you to flow like a gentle river through your veins,
Leading to the sea of your heart.
Breathing deep into your heart.
Resting here in the natural flow of life.
Beginning now to deepen your breath.
Offering your body any gentle movements it desires.
And bringing your awareness back into the space you are in.
May your days ahead be filled with a deep recognition that you are part of the natural flow of life.
