As we prepare to begin this practice,
Taking just a moment to orient yourself in time and space.
And so this looks like looking around the room that you're in,
Noticing what is present,
Or maybe if you're outside in nature,
Noticing what you see.
What are your surroundings like?
Maybe what smells are there?
What's the temperature like?
And then once you feel settled,
Maybe allowing the eyes to close,
Or equally just lowering your gaze,
This helps to turn the attention inward for your practice.
And so now allowing your body to arrive just as it is in this moment,
Feeling a sense of the body being supported.
If you're seated on whatever you're seated on,
A chair,
A cushion,
A mat,
Or even a bed,
Or if you're standing,
Feeling the feet firmly planted in the earth,
Feeling fully supported by the earth.
And now checking in with your body,
Noticing how you're arriving to this practice emotionally,
And letting however you're arriving be okay.
There might be a sense of grief,
Maybe some overwhelm,
Maybe joy,
Lightness,
Ease,
Anticipation,
Tension,
Or uncertainty.
It's all welcomed here.
So welcoming yourself to this space.
Just as you are.
Now checking in with the body,
Noticing any physical sensations that might be present.
I'm going to lead you through a brief scan from head to toe just to see what is present in this moment,
And to invite you to notice areas where there may be unnecessary tension that you might be able to release just for this practice.
And so starting at the tip of the head,
And then working our way down.
To the face and the forehead.
The eyebrows.
Noticing if there is any unnecessary tension or furrowing there.
Inviting the body to release in that area.
Allowing the eyes to be soft.
Allowing the cheekbones to relax.
The jawbone to be soft and relaxed.
Allowing the tongue to lie softly in the mouth,
Relaxed.
Relaxing the neck.
Allowing the shoulders to be soft.
Checking in with the arms,
Allowing the arms to be soft.
To relax maybe,
Just gently lying in the lap or beside you.
Allowing the chest and the upper back to be relaxed.
Oftentimes we hold at the belly,
Maybe sucking in,
Seeing if that's the case in this moment,
And maybe inviting the belly to soften.
Allowing the pelvic region to be soft and relaxed.
Sometimes we tense at the thighs,
So seeing if there is any tension or bracing happening at the thighs and inviting the thighs to relax in this moment.
Allowing the legs to just relax.
The entirety of the leg,
Even the calves,
Allowing them to be soft.
The knees,
Allowing them to be soft.
Allowing the feet to be soft.
Relaxing the toes.
Allowing the entire body to be soft.
Inviting a sense of ease and comfort into this moment.
And now gently allowing the attention to settle on the breath.
Tuning into your body right now and seeing where is it easiest to feel those physical sensations of the body breathing.
And then simply allowing the attention to rest there on those physical sensations of the body as it breathes over and over again.
Simply allowing the body to breathe itself,
Not needing for the pace of the breath to be any slower or faster or any different than it is in this moment.
Trusting the wisdom of the body.
Settling in and allowing the attention to rest with the breath.
Following the inhale and then riding the wave onto the exhale.
Gently tuning into the body as it breathes.
Maybe even feeling a gentle sense of swaying or a sense that the body is being rocked by the rhythm of the breath.
And offering perhaps a hand over the heart or anywhere else on the body just allows you to make contact to bring a sense of compassion to yourself,
To your body in this moment.
Continuing to breathe.
Feeling the warmth of your own touch.
Sending yourself kindness and well wishes for ease,
Softness,
Continuing to ride that gentle wave of the breath.
And as we prepare to come to the end of this brief practice,
Maybe taking a couple more breaths,
Knowing that you can always return to the breath at any time.
And when you feel ready,
Taking your sweet time to allow the eyes to open if they've been closed.
Allowing any movement that the body might be calling for to return to the body,
Maybe a gentle stretch,
A neck roll,
A shoulder roll.
And taking the sense of ease and softness into the remainder of your day.
