Welcome to this guided reflection.
Find yourself in a comfortable seated position,
Eyes closed or with a soft gaze downward.
As we begin our journey within today,
Consider the following quote from writer Pico Iyer,
Who said,
In an age of speed I began to think nothing could be more invigorating than going slow.
In an age of distraction nothing can feel more luxurious than paying attention.
And in an age of constant movement nothing is more urgent than sitting still.
Check in with your frequency.
What's the weather like inside today?
Are you feeling still?
Stormy?
Basking in some rays of warmth and coziness?
Turn your attention now to your breath.
Breaking down the journey of air as it travels from the tips of your nostrils down through your throat,
Filling your chest cavity,
Reaching your navel,
Before moving back from navel to nostril.
If it serves you today,
As you're inhaling and exhaling,
Invite a slight constriction of the throat in victorious breath while keeping the breath soft and supple.
Inhaling and exhaling,
Equally in duration,
Through the nose,
Reaching the sound of the ocean for a few rounds.
Inhaling and exhaling,
Tune in to the subtleties of the air's journey.
The slight movement outward with your arms,
Perhaps,
As your ribs press into them.
Or the feeling of your navel pressing into your top or shirt as you inhale.
Seeing how the more attention we pay to the voyage of air through the streams and rivers of our body,
The more subtle and calm it will become.
As thoughts arise,
All mental distractions,
Sit back and enjoy the show,
Watching these manifestations as an innocent spectator,
Observing without engagement in what's unfolding in the theatre of your mind.
And as you reflect inward,
Observing your mind's movie,
Its latest performance,
Take a few breaths on your rhythm to luxuriate in how separate you are from all that you're witnessing.
You,
That innocent self behind it all,
A wholly independent entity that can be unshackled from your mind's activity,
Rather than pedalling it forward.
As that innocent spectator,
Seated and observant of your mind's theatrics,
You are that pure constant,
In a state of calm,
Of stillness,
That sees all the mind shows,
Seated behind the back row.
Softening into this reflection,
Are you detaching from the screen of your thoughts and your mind's manifestations?
Are you still watching the mind's performance,
Or have you jumped inside to play the protagonist?
Are you letting the thoughts dance and play on set,
Without attachment and without judgement?
Tuning back into the subtleties of your breath and the air's journey,
From nostril to navel,
And navel to nostril.
Because the antics of money- Obviously difficult times,
Ah.
Finding your position as that spectator,
The holistic observer of all the passing renditions performances and acting companies that your thoughts,
Worries and wider intrusions belong to.
Something that takes its place box,
As we move toward the final minutes,
Of this reflection,
Keep focused on observing your mind's performance,
Without judgment or participation,
Helping you to separate from the narratives,
The stages,
The casting and the whole production of your thoughts and mental noise.
Feel free to stay watching and observing,
And exploring new subtleties of your breath,
Following the voyage of air.
And when you feel ready,
Begin to deepen your breath,
Returning to the sound of the ocean.
Flicker your eyes,
Open as the curtain falls on your mind's last performance,
And begin to recenter with eyes softly open in your surrounds,
Asking yourself,
How do you feel?
And where are you?
