Hi there,
My name is Sean and thank you for joining me for this practice.
This meditation is a practice on tapping into the intuition of the body.
For many of us,
Myself included,
We were raised in a way that separated us from the body.
Instead of living in the body and sensing what is here,
We were led to live in the space of the mind.
But our body is full of wisdom,
Just waiting for us to listen to and feel into.
So in this practice we are looking to open up to and tap into the intuitive wisdom of our body.
So let's begin by moving into a comfortable position,
Something that is easeful and yet still allows you to stay awake.
So this could be an upright position,
Sitting on a chair or a cushion,
Allowing your spine to stand tall with your chin slightly tucked.
Your hands can rest softly on your knees or in your lap.
And if a seated position doesn't feel good in your body,
You can also lay down your body long with your arms to your side.
And if it's comfortable for you,
You can allow your eyes to gently close.
So begin by taking a long full breath into the body.
And then open your mouth and let a steady full breath out.
Again,
Taking a long full breath into the body and a steady full breath out the mouth.
And then begin to bring your awareness into this moment by becoming aware of the space around you.
So noticing sounds in the distance and noticing sounds in your close proximity.
There's nothing to do with these sounds,
Just simply notice they're rising and falling in the space that surrounds you.
And as you notice the sounds around you,
Slowly come to sense into the body.
So shifting from sound into the sensations of the body,
Sensing into the space of the body,
The sensation of temperature on your skin or the texture of clothes on your skin,
Maybe the weight of the clothing or the pressure points of the surface beneath you that is holding you up.
And as you notice these sensations,
Begin to work inward,
Filling your body with awareness.
So maybe letting the awareness fill your belly,
Noticing the rise and fall of the belly with every breath,
Letting the awareness fill your heart space,
Feeling the beat of your heart,
Allowing awareness to fill your whole abdomen and chest,
Noticing the breath that is moving throughout your whole body,
The subtle movement of the chest or the rise and fall of the belly.
And just noticing the effortlessness of your breath.
There's nothing you're doing or trying to create here,
Not trying to make something special happen and not trying to find something.
You're just meeting the breath with a soft gentle presence and letting that softness open up to the whole body.
And as you let awareness fill your body,
You can come to ask yourself,
What is it that I need most right now?
Directing your awareness to stay within the body,
Open up and notice what answer naturally arises in this space.
So there's no need to search or question or judge what might come up.
There's no need to do anything with what arises,
Whether it be a sensation or a thought or just open space.
Allow yourself to stay open to receive the wisdom of the body.
It's quite possible that you might find your attention is drifted from the body and become caught in thought.
So if you find yourself caught in the thought,
Allow yourself to notice this without judgment.
Simply pay note and then return back to your breath,
Sitting with your breath with the inhale and the exhale and then opening back to the spacious awareness of your body.
And as you settle back into the space,
You might ask yourself again,
What is it that I need most right now?
Opening this question up to the spaciousness of the body and again letting your body respond.
And now allowing yourself to get more specific with your question,
Allow yourself to ask,
What quality do I most need right now?
Maybe it is the quality of kindness or compassion or patience or forgiveness.
Maybe it's the quality of rest or focus or courage.
Maybe it is the quality of listening or strength or determination.
Whatever it may be,
Simply open to your body and allow it to provide you with a response,
What quality do I need most right now?
And staying open with a kind and curious sincerity to receive whatever arises.
And maybe the answer is very clear or maybe it is vague.
Maybe there's no answer at all.
Whatever your experience is,
Know that there is no right or wrong.
So continue to stay open to the wisdom of the body and continue to stay out of the thinking mind.
And again,
If you find yourself caught up in thoughts,
Allow yourself to notice the thinking and then return your attention back to your breath.
Sitting with the breath for a few inhales and exhales and then again opening up to the spacious awareness of your body.
And wherever you find yourself right now in your practice,
Very gently bring your attention back to your breath,
Allowing whatever has come up to be held with compassion.
Again,
Taking another slow full inhale in and on the exhale open your mouth and let something go.
And slowly bringing awareness back into your body,
Noticing the space of your body and the space around your body.
If your eyes are closed you can slowly blink them open,
Bringing yourself out of the practice and back into the rest of your day.
Thank you so much for letting me create some space with you today and for trusting me to guide you on this practice.
I hope this practice provided you with a moment to drop into your body and to connect with it and to receive whatever your body has to offer.
And I hope that you will take this practice with you into your day,
Finding little spots throughout your day to settle and drop back into the intuition of your body.
Take care and be well.
