Take a moment to settle in,
Finding a position that feels supportive and comfortable for you in this moment.
Any posture that allows your body to relax and your breath to flow easily.
Allow your eyes to gently close,
And begin by taking a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
Followed by a long,
Unhurried exhale through your mouth.
Let your shoulders drop,
Let your jaw soften,
And allow the weight of your body to be fully supported by the surface beneath you.
Take another couple of deep breaths in and out,
And then bring your attention to the points of contact between your body and the surface supporting you.
Feel the weight of your body and notice the pull of gravity.
There's nothing you need to fix right now,
Nothing to think through or change at this very moment.
Simply allow yourself to arrive right here,
Right now.
Now sense your feet,
The heels,
The arches,
The toes,
And imagine your feet grounding into the earth,
Like roots growing downward,
Steady and strong.
Take a moment to appreciate how your feet keep you up all day long,
And the places they've carried you.
And then gently shift your attention upward into your legs,
Traveling up to your hips,
Your abdomen.
Notice any sensations here,
Warmth,
Coolness,
Maybe tightness or ease.
And allow whatever you feel to simply be.
Bring your awareness to your chest,
Feel your ribs widening and softening,
On each in and exhale.
Observe the gentle beating of your heart,
And then let your attention move to your shoulders,
Your arms,
Your hands.
Take a moment to appreciate everything your hands do for you in daily life.
Maybe you can feel the subtle hum of energy that's always present there.
And finally bring your awareness to your neck,
Your face,
The top of your head.
And allow your face to soften,
Releasing any lingering tension.
You are supported,
You are safe,
You are here.
Now tune in to the natural rhythm of your breath.
You don't need to breathe any special way,
Just notice it.
Notice the coolness of the air as you breathe in,
And the warmth of air as you breathe out.
If your mind begins to wander,
As all minds do,
Allow your thoughts to emerge and pass as if they're clouds in the sky.
And then gently return your attention to your breathing.
There's no need to judge or push anything away.
Each moment of noticing is a moment of presence.
Now imagine the breath traveling down through your body as you inhale,
All the way down to your toes.
With each exhale,
Feel a sense of grounding,
Like settling into yourself.
Inhale,
Arriving.
Exhale,
Grounding.
Shift your awareness to the sounds around you.
Notice any near or distant sounds.
None of them necessarily are distractions.
They are simply part of the present moment.
Notice the air on your skin,
The temperature,
The subtle movement of your breath.
And become aware of your internal world as well.
Any emotions,
Thoughts,
Or sensations that are here.
Just allow everything to be exactly as it is.
No resistance.
Just your gentle,
Open awareness.
Imagine yourself sitting at the center of your experience.
Steady and calm,
While everything else rises and falls.
Like waves around you.
You are the ground beneath those waves that come and go.
You are the quiet center.
Feel the simplicity of simply being.
Nothing to do.
Nothing to change.
Just awareness,
Breath,
Presence.
Imagine that with each breath,
The moments of stillness and calm expand.
Now gently start wiggling your fingers and toes again.
Feel your body in the space around you.
And observe any shifts.
Perhaps more softness,
More lightness and spaciousness in your body or your mind.
And take one final nourishing breath in.
And a long,
Grounding breath out.
Take a moment to thank yourself.
For creating this moment of presence and self-care.
When you are ready,
You may open your eyes.
And carry this sense of presence with you through the next moments of the day.
Or into a good night's sleep.
Breathe it in and live it out.
Thank you for sharing in this meditation today.
