Welcome to this meditation on the topic of presence.
In the next 10 minutes,
We'll explore the subtle art of being here,
Now.
Fully awake to each moment,
Without rushing ahead or lingering behind.
Allow yourself to settle into the space around you,
As if you were a tree deeply rooted into the ground,
But with branches reaching out to gently feel the breeze.
And you may choose to close your eyes and to begin to notice your body just as it is.
No need to adjust or fix anything.
Simply notice the weight of your body against the surface you're resting on.
Feel how gravity is gently holding you in place,
As if the earth is cradling you,
Saying,
You belong right here.
Now,
Bring your attention to your feet,
Feeling the sensation of where they make contact with the ground or surface,
And without effort,
Allow your awareness to move upward through your legs,
Hips,
Torso,
Chest,
And arms,
Acknowledging the aliveness in each part.
Notice the rise and fall of your shoulders,
The length of your neck,
And the space behind your eyes.
Imagine your body as a vessel gently filling with presence,
Like a cup being filled slowly without spilling over.
And now shifting your attention to your breath,
Feel its natural rhythm,
Not forcing or changing it,
Just observing.
Notice how the breath feels as it enters through your nose,
Cooling the back of your throat,
Expanding your chest,
And gently releasing again.
With each inhale,
Imagine your inhaling presence,
Breathing in the essence of now.
With each exhale,
Release anything that doesn't serve this moment.
You might imagine your exhale as a soft sigh of relief,
As if you're shedding layers of distraction,
Leaving you only with the simplicity of here.
By now,
You may notice how your mind has travelled in and out of presence.
This is natural,
Like a river flowing,
Thoughts come and go,
But the current of presence remains beneath it all.
As we begin to close,
Return to the breath and to the simplicity of the air flowing in and out.
Each breath is a chance to come back,
To start again.
Presence is not about being perfect,
It's about noticing when you've wandered and gently returning to the here and now.
Imagine your breath as a soft anchor,
Gently pulling you back wherever and whenever your mind drifts away.
As you slowly open your eyes,
Bring this sense of presence with you.
Know that you can return to it at any time,
With just a single breath,
A single moment of awareness.
Take a deep,
Nourishing breath in,
And a long and heavy exhale.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
I hope you have a beautiful day ahead,
Or a beautiful evening.
Namaste.
