Welcome to a meditation for more balance.
With today's meditation,
We're going to find balance in the physical body,
And then we're going to let that balance translate into the subtler layers of your being.
So we're going to start with a simple breathing technique to calm the nervous system and to really settle into the present moment before then moving on into a little guided journey throughout you.
So for the breath,
We're going to use a counted breath,
Which is a simple six count inhale,
Six count exhale.
And I will guide you through a few rounds of this.
If however,
At any point,
This breath feels too strenuous,
If it feels too long for your breath,
Feel free to shorten it down at any stage.
There's no shame in that.
And the effects of the breath will stay the same,
And they will only improve if you can approach the breath with a sense of balance and not a sense of stress or unease.
So when you're ready,
Find your meditation seat and close down your eyes.
Round down through your sit bones and find a long spine.
Take a moment to soften the whole body,
Soften the belly and pelvic floor.
Allow the shoulder blades to become heavy.
Soften the throat and unclench your jaw.
Maybe you move the jaw from side to side for a few times.
Soften your cheeks and ears.
Allow your eyes to sink heavily into their sockets.
And let your forehead soften as well.
Bring your awareness to your breath.
And see if you can effortlessly direct the breath into your belly.
The more softness there is,
The easier this belly breath comes.
If you don't yet feel quite connected to the belly or to your breath,
Feel free to place one hand on your belly as a simple reminder for the mind to where the breath goes.
I'm going to start to introduce the breath count.
So follow along for a few rounds.
And then once I give you the sign,
Continue to count yourself through a few more rounds.
So empty your lungs to prepare.
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Inhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
And continue like this.
Give your mind and breath a bit of time to settle into this specific rhythm.
Maybe you start to sense your shoulders or jaw tensing up again.
That's perfectly normal and yet you can let go of that.
You can start again with softness,
With ease.
If at any point the mind gets distracted,
Know that this is normal and that there's only one thing to do.
Start again.
Once you feel settled into the breath count,
Notice the qualities of the inhale and the opposing qualities of the exhale.
The rejuvenation,
The fresh start of each inhale.
Filling the body,
The lungs with fresh energy.
The release,
The letting go of the exhale.
Emptying the lungs.
Surrendering what is no longer needed physically and also mentally.
Every breath a perfect balance of coming and going.
Of beginning and end.
Each part is needed for the other to exist.
With your next round of breath,
Take the count back to four counts inhale,
Four counts exhale.
Notice how much more easeful the breath feels now.
Notice how that reflects in your physical body.
Maybe you can release the tension in your shoulders or in your pelvic floor a little bit more easeful now.
With your next round of breath.
Shorten the inhale to two counts,
And the exhale to two counts as well.
No matter the count you choose,
The balance of inhale and exhale coming and going,
Receiving and surrendering is still continuing.
Let go of counting your breath altogether.
Bring your awareness to the space just below your nostrils and begin to watch the breath passing through.
That that area be the center of your awareness.
Steady,
Consistent.
Approach whatever else is happening with a sense of ease.
You might notice thoughts or stories passing through your outer field of awareness.
Maybe you notice physical sensations,
Maybe emotions.
Whatever is there,
Allow it to be there.
Yet maintain that sweet balance,
The effort,
The steadiness to anchor your awareness in the space below the nostrils.
The ease,
The softness and surrender to let whatever passes through you pass through you.
Your physical body can be a great mirror image of the most subtle layers of you.
Notice where you're losing balance in your physical body.
Maybe you're straining your eyes,
Tensing all the tiny muscles surrounding your eyes.
Maybe there's tension in the shoulders.
Or maybe you go the other way.
Maybe you're starting to slouch in your spine.
You're giving up the strong foundation of your physical seat.
Balance center.
When steady and anchored in this space below the nostrils.
The rest of your awareness open receptive allowing for whatever needs to pass to pass.
Sit in this sweet balance for a minute longer.
Let you know when it's time to come back.
Let that go.
Begin to notice how you feel in your physical body.
How you feel mentally and emotionally.
Allow your awareness to really soak in how good it feels to have moved through this meditation.
Make a little mental note,
Why it is important to you to continue doing this,
To come back to your meditation as often as you wish.
And with that in mind,
Let's take one last deep inhale together.
Inhale through your nose.
Sigh it out.
And then when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes again.
Thank you for sharing this time,
Your energy with me.
I can't wait to meditate with you again.
