Start by taking an easy breath and finding a tall and comfortable seat.
With each exhalation,
Allowing any areas of obvious tension to release.
And once you feel settled in your seat,
Tall and alert,
You can let the eyes close from top to bottom or pick a gazing point in front of you.
Just simply notice the breath.
Allow the attention to flow with the waves of each inhale and exhale.
And whenever the attention leaves,
You can invite it back to the breath to connect yourself with yourself and with the present moment.
Notice how the thoughts move just like the waves of the breath.
They travel in and out of the awareness and the present moment naturally,
Fluidly.
Let the thoughts move freely.
Let them flow with each inhale and exhale.
Notice any emotions that might arise alongside of your thoughts.
You might notice if you feel them in your body and where you might feel them in your body.
For example,
Tension or tightness in areas like the belly,
Chest,
Or neck.
Maybe it's a softness of the hands or the feet.
Just be aware.
Let any emotions that arise flow like the waves of the thoughts and the breath as easily and fluidly as possible.
If it's helpful,
You can name or label whatever comes up for you.
Happy,
Sad,
Joyful,
Frustrated,
Excited,
Anxious.
Know that whatever emotion arises is welcome,
That nothing you feel is wrong.
That you can feel whatever you're feeling and be safe here and now as part of this human experience in this moment.
Continue to breathe calmly in and out of the nose as a gentle anchor,
As a gentle space to receive whatever is coming up for you,
Whatever emotions arise,
Whatever you feel in your physical body that might be attached to the emotion.
Inhale and exhale calmly.
Begin to bring your attention to a thought,
Emotion,
Or situation that is difficult or challenging for you.
It can be something from the past that you still feel,
Something that's currently giving you a hard time,
Maybe even something you're anticipating that's making you feel anxious in the moment.
Allow yourself to feel any emotions that relate to this difficulty.
Notice if and where you feel it in your body.
If it's helpful,
You can even just name it simply as feeling if it's helpful for you to remain both calm and at ease and alert.
Imagine what you might say to yourself if you were a close friend or a loved one.
It can be a word or a short phrase,
Something as simple as,
I love you,
You're doing a great job,
You're not alone,
I'm here for you,
I wish you well,
I acknowledge your pain,
I see and hear you.
Hold yourself and this difficulty with a sense of compassion,
Just like you would do for someone you love,
Just like someone who loves you would do for you.
Breathing calmly in and out of the nose as an anchor to return to the present moment.
Now bring your attention to something positive,
Someone you love or something,
Someone you are grateful for,
An ideal circumstance or a thought,
An emotion you desire to feel moving forward,
Something that makes you feel good.
And just notice where you feel this love and this light in your body,
Or if there's maybe a color associated with it,
Maybe it's simply a bright light in your heart,
Maybe it's a softness in the muscles that can tense typically in the chest or around the shoulders and neck,
Maybe it's just a smile that comes onto your face more naturally.
This love and light is our essence.
Underneath our breath,
Thoughts and emotions,
Even the physical sensations in the body,
We are simply love.
And as you continue to be held in this loving,
Kind and gentle space,
The space that welcomes every emotion,
Every experience,
The challenges and the desires,
Remember that we have the ability to access this love and sense of compassion,
Whether we are experiencing joy or sadness,
Excitement or fear,
Gratitude or anger.
Remember that we don't have to be perfect or prove our worth in order to receive this love and compassion and acceptance.
Just let yourself feel that for a few breaths here.
Maybe it's a sense of relief.
And now give the steering wheel to the universe or source,
Nature,
Whatever you feel is a higher power and release the expectations of the details that come in between accepting and maybe even releasing the old thought and emotion and challenge,
While also living in the new thought and emotion and desired experience.
And as you let go of that outcome,
Continue to breathe with the feeling of this desired experience for a few more moments,
Your ideal circumstance,
Even alongside your challenges,
Doubts or other undesirable moments.
See if you can let it all exist in the realm of infinite possibility and easeful,
Accepting breath.
When we allow our emotions to flow like the breath and hold each one of them with as much compassion as possible,
We condition our mind to bring love into our hearts and into our lives as a whole with less judgment,
More awareness.
Meditation teacher Tara Brock says that everything belongs.
Teacher Jack Kornfield says that human incarnation is a mystery to experience,
Not a problem to solve.
If it feels natural for you to do so,
You might place a hand on your heart or your belly or your hands together near your chest and repeat these phrases to yourself out loud or silently.
I accept and learn from all that arises in my life.
I receive all aspects of myself with attention,
Kindness and compassion.
Invite your attention gently back to the moment,
Perhaps using the breath as that anchor again.
Notice your body,
Breath,
Sounds,
Sensations,
Where your attention might have wandered off to if it did leave the present moment.
Letting your whole experience exist,
Letting yourself exist in this moment just as you are.
Namaste.
