Find a tall and comfortable seat.
Find yourself in a place that feels both alert and at ease.
You can start to close your eyes slowly from top to bottom or pick a gazing point in front of you on the floor.
Start to bring your attention to the breath.
It's flowing easily,
Naturally,
In and out of the nose,
In and out of the lungs,
In and out of the whole body,
So naturally.
Just knowing exactly what to do.
You might notice any areas of obvious tension and see if you can allow some softness there.
Can you relax into the present moment wherever you are,
Whatever is going on around you or within you.
It's almost like the exhalation is a continual reminder to soften into the moment,
To soften into your body.
You might also bring your attention to a sense of loving awareness that can hold this entire experience with a sense of acceptance and kindness,
Whether that loving awareness comes from within you,
A higher source,
Or the imagined presence of a loved one.
Breathing in and out.
You can let the present moment and the physical sensations of the body or the breath be an anchor to guide you back to your experience if and when your attention wanders.
Inhale and exhale.
Notice in this moment how are you feeling about yourself right now.
How are you feeling about your body?
How are you feeling about your heart?
Just how are you feeling in general,
Checking in,
Just like you would check in with a friend.
You might ask yourself a little bit further,
What are the expectations you might feel are placed around yourself right now?
It could be expectations around the way you look,
The way you act or present yourself.
Just being curious and allowing whatever comes up to be held in that space of loving kindness as best you can.
Just note if there are any emotions attached to or that come from these expectations.
Letting them shift and ebb and flow with the breath.
Not trying to force any answers,
Just letting them arrive.
You might notice if you feel these emotions or sensations anywhere in your body.
It's often the belly or the chest,
But it could be anywhere.
Could it be possible to send your breath or send some love to that place in the body or to those emotions,
To whatever you're feeling,
Wherever you're feeling it.
Again softening into the moment with the exhalation,
Softening into the body with each breath,
Whatever is coming up for you.
Just continue to give yourself the space you need to sit with these inquiries and reflections.
Anchoring back to the present moment.
You find your attention wandering elsewhere,
Remembering that space of loving kindness that's holding this experience for you.
After allowing yourself that time to be with your current or your past discomforts or any future anxieties,
Ask yourself where else you might be able to soften or what might help you to soften a little bit further into yourself,
Into the moment.
Whether that help and support comes from a mindfulness tool you know or a person or a higher power.
Maybe it just comes from a vision of being somewhere that makes you feel safe and happy.
Maybe it's just simply by letting the breath deepen a little bit.
Maybe it's by curling the corners of your mouth up and taking a small smile.
In the spirit of softening,
What might it be like to love the parts of your body inside and out that are bringing you any discomfort or dis-ease?
And if loving feels difficult,
How can you at least allow them to exist?
So they could be held in that general space of loving awareness.
If there's pain somewhere,
Physical pain,
You might envision space,
Loving space around the pain or the discomfort or the dis-ease.
I heard somewhere recently that love is like being a witness to beauty.
What do you find beautiful about your body?
What do you find beautiful about yourself,
The way you are,
Your personality?
What do you find beautiful about your soul,
Your spirit,
Your heart?
Let yourself be witness to your own beauty here,
Whether through the eyes of yourself or a higher power or a loved one,
How does it feel to be held in this love by witnessing your own beauty just by simply existing exactly as you are?
How might you continue to love yourself by turning back to nature,
To your truest self?
Whenever you are battling the ability to befriend yourself or your body or whatever struggles are keeping you from your own light.
This is a poem by Donna Faulds.
Why wait for your awakening?
Why wait for your awakening?
The moment your eyes are open,
Seize the day.
Would you hold back when the beloved beckons?
Would you deliver your litany of sins like a child's collection of seashells prized and labeled?
No,
I can't step across the threshold,
You say,
Eyes downcast.
I'm not worthy.
I'm afraid,
And my motives aren't pure.
I'm not perfect,
And surely I haven't practiced nearly enough.
My meditation isn't deep,
And my prayers are sometimes insincere.
I still chew my fingernails,
And the refrigerator isn't clean.
Do you value your reasons for staying small more than the light shining through the open door?
Forgive yourself.
Now is the only time you have to be whole.
Now is the sole moment that exists to live in the light of your true self.
Perfection is not a prerequisite for anything but pain.
Please,
Oh please,
Don't continue to believe in your disbelief.
This is the day of your awakening.
Bring the attention gently back to the breath.
You can place a hand over the heart and the belly if that feels comfortable for you to do so.
Just being witness to your own beauty,
Your wholeness,
Your awakeness.
And remember,
You can always come back to this moment,
This sense of loving presence,
Whatever your relationships,
Whatever you look or feel like.
It's always there for you.
And thank yourselves for taking this courageous journey into knowing and loving yourself more deeply,
And in doing so,
Being more open and willing to love others without so many conditions.
If it feels comfortable for you to do so,
You can take the hands together,
The center of the chest.
It's a symbol of gratitude for yourselves,
For each other,
For the body that you're blessed with.
And thank yourselves just for showing up.
Namaste.
