Mindfulness meditation is simply the practice of bringing your focus back to the breath when your mind starts to wander.
So this simple awareness of breath is an act of self-love and compassion for the moment we find ourselves in.
And remember,
Meditation isn't an escape,
It's a doorway into who you are.
So today's practice,
Mindfulness,
Then is an invitation to the here and now.
When you're in the present,
There's a sense of connection,
A sense of gratitude,
A sense of awareness which infiltrates the rest of your day.
So,
Let's begin by getting settled in a comfortable position.
Gently close your eyes and take a deep breath in.
And release.
Allow this to be a brief moment of just checking in with yourself as you begin this practice.
Noticing any areas of the body where you may be holding on to any tension,
Frustration,
Any feelings of discomfort,
Physical pain,
Sadness,
Any resistance.
And just take a deep breath in and breathe into that place in your body.
Breathe in.
And release.
Take another deep breath in,
Breathe in into that space.
And release.
Honoring that truth that said yes today.
Honoring that voice within you.
Honoring all that it took to bring you here today,
Standing in your truth,
Standing in that light,
Standing in that force field of love that is within you and around you.
Take a deep breath in.
And release.
And now we'll begin the process of paying attention to this moment.
Moment after moment.
Breath after breath.
Remember the body's breathing.
In this particular moment,
It doesn't need your help.
The breath is happening presently.
The breath is not happening in the future.
It's not happening in the past.
It is now in this present moment.
And as you do this,
You may notice that your attention wanders.
So just stay with this for one or two breaths.
Then you may find yourself lost in thought.
This is completely normal.
You're not doing anything wrong.
This is simply what happens with the human mind.
Just gently redirect your attention back to your main focus,
Your breath,
Without any judgment.
That moment you're recognizing that you're lost in thought is actually a moment of mindfulness.
So just keep redirecting.
You get lost in thought and you bring it back to your breathing.
Just keep doing that.
And now warming up the practice of attention.
If you like,
You can place your hands on your heart or another part of your body as your body just continues to naturally breathe.
Your hands on your heart,
Your hands on your abdomen.
Or one hand on your heart and one hand on your abdomen,
Whichever you like.
Just feeling the gentle touch of the hands there.
The warmth of your hands.
The sensations of connection.
Just bring in this tender awareness,
This tender connection to the breath and to this body and just breathing.
You.
You.
You.
You.
You.
And now on the inhalation,
Sensing into the breath,
Feeling into the nourishment of this breath.
Breath literally nourishes our bodies,
Our minds.
Bringing oxygen into the body that sustains our life.
Breathing in this nourishing breath.
Breathing out,
Softening,
Relaxing into this moment.
You might also consider what you're needing in this moment.
Maybe love,
Strength,
Calm,
Ease,
Acceptance.
Breathing whatever it is that's nourishing and that you're needing.
Breathing out,
Softening,
Releasing,
Letting be.
Settling into this natural,
Soothing rhythm that's been there since the moment you were born.
You.
You.
As we bring this practice to a close,
Take this moment to acknowledge yourself for creating this space,
This time.
Having the intention of doing this for your own health and for your own well-being.
This is an act of self-love.
Meditation is a tool for reawakening and finding your space again beyond all the noise of the world.
So acknowledge and honor yourself for taking this time.
Thank yourself for being here.
And just allow awareness to rest in the body as a whole.
Sensing into the body as it is.
Being just as you are.
And remembering that when we meditate,
We transcend the energy of the world and step into a place of love.
You.
You.
