This is the remember yourself meditation.
In this meditation you'll be guided in remembering more of the fullness of who you are.
To begin please find a comfortable seated position near a window that will give you some visibility to the outside.
Once you're seated and comfortable please let your eyes close either partially or fully.
Taking a few easy breaths,
Noticing any areas of tension in your body and seeing if any of that tension might be ready to let go.
Not forcing yourself to relax,
Just noticing the tension and seeing if it might want to relax a little.
If you like putting a hand over your heart or in some other soothing place as a reminder to bring not just awareness but kind loving awareness both to yourself and to your experience.
Your hand can stay here at your heart or you can let it return to your lap,
Whatever feels right to you.
And now where you are please make contact with the earth beneath you.
Perhaps putting a hand on the floor right next to you.
If you're sitting in a chair you might feel the soles of your feet on the floor.
Knowing that right now this floor is your point of connection with the earth.
And as you make contact with the earth in this way,
Remembering the ways that the earth supports your life.
Maybe feeling how you can root down into the earth and feel grounded in this moment and how you can do that anytime you need to.
Or maybe recognizing the ways that wherever you are,
Every place you sit,
Every step you take,
The earth is your home.
No matter what,
The earth is home.
Letting that connection register as fully as you can.
And now gently and slowly opening your eyes and looking out of the window up at the sky.
Noticing how the sky is right now.
Maybe there are clouds or it might be clear,
Bright blue,
Pale soft blue,
It might be gray,
Might be stormy,
Or perhaps it's nighttime and you can see stars or the lights of airplanes.
Just letting the sky as it is right now in this moment register with you.
Just noticing.
Taking this time to pay attention to what's up there above you.
Absorbing it as fully as possible.
And now noticing the sun and its position in the sky.
Maybe it's a bright day and you can easily find it.
Maybe it's overcast or rainy and you can't tell exactly where the sun is.
Even if you can't see it directly,
Maybe you can sense its presence.
You might feel its gentle warmth on your face or on your arm.
You might see the light that filters through the clouds and casts soft shadows.
If it's nighttime,
You won't be able to see the sun with your eyes.
But maybe you can remind yourself that it is here with you,
Hidden in this moment at this time,
But still here.
Giving yourself the space to recognize the sun's presence,
However it is right now.
And see if you can find the moon in the sky.
Sometimes,
Even in the daytime,
We're able to see the moon.
If you are able to see it,
Notice its position in the sky and what phase it's in,
What shape it makes.
If you aren't able to see the moon right now,
Remember that it's here,
Hidden,
Pulling on the Earth's waters and tides.
Letting yourself have this time to remember the moon's presence as it is in this moment.
And pausing now to acknowledge and remember that the sky,
The sun,
And the moon are always with you.
They've been with you since the day you were born and for millions of years before that.
Closing your eyes again for a moment to let all that is above you register more fully.
And now slowly and gently opening your eyes again and noticing any plants or animals outside of your window.
Perhaps you see a tree or a rosebush,
Flowers,
Some weeds or grass.
Maybe you hear birds chirping or a dog barking or you see a squirrel running up a tree trunk.
Or maybe your own pet is sleeping somewhere nearby.
Noticing these beings,
They are here to sharing this moment with you and taking in whatever unspoken wisdom they seem to be sharing through their life.
And now closing your eyes and taking a few easy breaths,
Putting a hand on your heart and shifting your awareness to the people you are connected to in a way that feels supportive to you.
Bringing your ancestors to mind,
Particularly your benevolent ancestors.
Recognize their lives stretching back behind yours.
There's a way that your life is evidence and fruit of your ancestors lives.
Their joys and sorrows,
Their strengths,
Their struggles,
Their power,
Their resilience.
Remember that you are connected to them even though you may not have met them or even know their names.
So letting your connection to them register and letting yourself remember in a way that feels supportive to you.
And now taking some time to recognize your connection to the people who are alive in this moment.
Perhaps there are people who are present in your home or in your building at this place and time.
Bringing to mind too the people who live on your block,
Your neighbors.
Expanding out to the people in your neighborhood,
In your town or city,
In your state,
Country,
Continent,
And in the world.
Seeing if you can sense some of the ways that you are connected to all people and all beings all over the world right now.
How you are a human among humans.
Each of us with this same earth beneath our feet,
The same sky,
Sun,
And moon over our heads.
Each of us with ancestors stretching out behind us,
Supporting and informing us.
Just letting that register and continuing to breathe.
Recognizing also how we are connected in our physical bodies and what our physical bodies are made of.
Carl Sagan once said the nitrogen in our DNA,
The calcium in our teeth,
The iron in our blood,
The carbon in our apple pies,
Were made in the interiors of collapsing stars.
We are made of star stuff.
Remembering that we are made of star stuff.
You,
Me,
And every other being.
The planet itself.
Taking a few easy breaths as you let that in,
As best you can.
And then finally,
Remembering that life is uncertain and everything is changing all the time.
The earth,
The sky,
The sun,
The moon,
The plants and animals,
All people including yourself and everyone you know.
Planets,
Stars.
Life,
Whether expressed in subatomic particles or humans or galaxies,
Is constantly growing and moving.
And moment after moment we are invited to dance this dance of change and uncertainty,
Even when we feel like wallflowers.
So take a moment now to let this register as best you can.
Remembering yourself and the fullness and the mystery of who you are.
And then for now,
Letting go of this remembering and resting quietly in your own experience as best you can.
Allowing yourself to be just the way you are and to feel exactly the way you feel.
Knowing that there's no particular way that you're supposed to be and that however you feel is okay.
And as you feel ready,
Gently opening your eyes.
