Welcome to today's meditation.
I'm Salome and I'm the queen of overthinking.
In all seriousness,
I'm truly an expert at it.
But meditation has been one of the few things that helps me steady my busy,
Restless mind.
So I really wanted to record this for those days where quieting your thoughts feels absolutely impossible.
Before we start,
You might want to dim the lights or light a candle if that helps you settle in.
And let's begin.
Find a comfortable seat where your spine can be upright but relaxed.
You could also be laying down if that's more comfortable for you.
Let your hands fall naturally wherever they land is fine.
Close down your eyes and take a slow breath in through your nose and sigh it out through your mouth.
Do that again.
Slow breath in,
Gently out.
Notice the weight of your body fully supported by the ground beneath you.
Now slowly scan through your body.
From the top of your head,
Down your shoulders,
Palms,
Your hands,
Down to your fingertips,
Your chest,
Your belly,
Your hips,
Your legs,
Your ankles,
Your feet,
And your toes.
If you find any tension,
Breathe gently into that place and let it soften.
With your eyes closed,
Bring awareness to your senses.
Think about five things that surround you right now.
Five things that you could see if your eyes were open.
It could be an object,
Clothes you're wearing,
Some shapes or colors around you.
Visualize them in your mind.
Now notice four things that you can feel.
Four things that you can feel.
Might be the texture of your clothes,
The ground,
The chair,
The bed beneath you,
The temperature of the air on your skin,
The rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.
Now tune into those sensations.
Tune into three things that you can hear.
Three things that you can hear.
Might be voices,
Clothes sounds,
Fireware sounds,
Even just the sound of your own breathing.
Then,
Sense two things that you can smell.
Two things that you can smell.
Perhaps the air in the room,
A hint of soap,
Simply freshness.
Finally,
Notice one thing that you can taste.
Even just a natural taste in your mouth or maybe your toothpaste or the last thing you drink or ate.
Let all your senses gather you into this present moment,
Steady and whole.
If your brain jumps from one thought to another,
Don't worry,
That's normal.
Do not force anything,
Do not resist.
Observe the thoughts,
Let them go.
Like waves in the ocean.
Relax your face,
Relax your jaw,
Relax your shoulders.
Focus on your breathing.
Now,
Picture a quiet surface of water.
Maybe a lake or a quiet ocean.
At first,
There may be ripples moving quickly.
But with each of your breath,
Imagine the ripples slowing,
The water settling into calm.
Notice how your breath feels like a gentle anchor,
Steady and reliable.
We'll finish with a simple breath pattern.
Inhale for four,
Hold for five,
Exhale for six.
The pose and the longer exhale help your body settle.
Shift your body from a fight or flight to a rest and digest mode.
I'll guide you through three rounds before letting you relax.
Start by inhaling through your nose,
Exhale out of your nose.
Inhale for two,
Three,
Four,
Hold for one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Inhale two,
Three,
Four,
Hold one,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Exhale two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Repeat a couple more times at your own pace.
Come back to a natural pattern of breath.
In and out of your nose.
Feel the calm spreading through your body.
Take a deeper breath in and a long breath out.
Remember if your mind wanders,
Just focus on your breath again.
Come back to the stillness within you.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Carrying this calm and safety with you for the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for joining today and let's do that again soon.
Lots of love.
