Sit as you like,
Comfortably.
Your eyes can be closed or half open and capped with a downward gaze.
Just in your hands comfortably,
In your lap,
Either palms up for more energy or palms down for more grounding.
Relax your body.
If during the meditation you need to shift your position,
Feel free to do so mindfully.
And if you feel like you need to open your eyes,
You can do that as well.
Just return them to closed when you're ready.
Remember to let go of expectations.
Every meditation is different.
And especially be kind to yourself.
Let's first take some long,
Slow,
Deep breaths.
Inhale slowly through your nostrils.
Feel your abdominal area first.
Then the chest cavity.
And then the clavicle area.
Visualize expanding your body 360 degrees as you inhale.
Exhale slowly through your nostrils.
Beginning with the clavicle area.
Then the chest cavity.
Then the abdominal area.
Contracting your navel toward your spine to clear your lungs completely.
And take a few breaths matching the length of your inhale with the length of your exhale.
You can do this by counting.
Three,
Two,
One on the inhale.
And three,
Two,
One on the exhale at your pace.
Now allow for your breath to be natural.
And throughout the rest of this practice you'll breathe naturally,
Ideally through your nose.
I will now ring the bell to invite us to begin our meditation.
So with your eyes closed you might notice that you're more aware of the sensations in your body.
I'd like to begin every meditation with a body relaxation practice.
Feel your body from the inside out.
Focusing every sensation as I call your attention to the areas of the body.
And as you focus on each body part,
Relax any tension you may find.
First relax your scalp and your forehead.
Relax your eyes.
Relax your entire face.
Even your ears.
Tune in to the sensations.
Let go of any need of facial expression.
Relax your mouth,
Tongue,
Chin,
And jaw.
Tuck your chin in slightly,
Allowing for the back of your neck to lengthen just a little.
Let your shoulders move down and away from your ears.
Let your arms hang comfortably,
Relaxing your hands and your fingers.
Now relax your hips and your pelvis.
Let them relax with gravity as you notice how you're being supported by the chair or the cushion.
Feel your spine reaching from the tailbone to the base of your skull like a tree reaching for the sky.
Relax your upper back.
Relax your lower back.
Now bring your attention to your chest and diaphragm.
Relax your chest and diaphragm.
And your belly.
Now relax your right leg from hip to toes.
Noticing any sensation in the leg.
Relax your left leg from hips to toes.
Now scan your body a second time from head to toes.
And as you do the second round,
Let your attention rest on areas of your body that you normally would disprove of or avoid or areas where you find pain,
Discomfort or illness.
Investigate all areas of your body with awareness.
Find places you would normally skip over like your earlobes,
Knuckles,
And backs of your knees.
It's important to do this with a non-judgmental attitude as you explore the sensations.
If you have an area of illness or disease,
You may notice that you want to change or heal it.
Perhaps you send light to it or wish it were different.
Instead of thinking about doing something,
Gently return your attention to the area you are focused on and simply feel the actual sensations of that area of the body from the inside out.
As you experience sensations in your body,
You may find you begin to tell yourself a story about a specific area.
My knees hurt,
My stomach's too big,
Or I'm too tired to do this.
Once you realize that you're storytelling,
Gently return your attention to the area you're focused on and simply feel the sensations of that area from the inside out.
Being present with pain or discomfort without trying to change it is called bearing witness.
Bear witness to any discomfort.
As you scan the body,
Feel free to pause on areas that are comfortable or areas that lack sensation and simply feel those areas of the body from the inside out.
Welcome whatever you feel.
Even if you don't have any sensation at all,
Welcome that too.
When thoughts about the future or past distract you from your focus,
Return your attention back to the body's sensations.
We'll continue to meditate in this way for a few more minutes and I'll keep track of your thoughts and Scorpions for you to acknowledge.
You You So I I will now ring the bell to invite us to return to the space.
Bell rings.
Keeping your eyes closed,
You can come back to this moment.
Allow some deeper breaths,
Bringing your awareness to your body and the environment.
You can keep your eyes closed for a few more minutes and enjoy this state of being.
And when you feel complete,
Please open your eyes.
Thank you for watching!
