Welcome my friend,
I'm so happy that you've joined me.
Let's meditate together knowing that this is the most important thing that you could do for yourself today.
Come into a seat,
Allow yourself to settle,
Body becoming quiet and still.
Your eyes are open as you take in the space around you.
Feel the softening of your seat into the surface beneath you.
The touch of your hands resting in your lap.
Notice the sense in the air,
The taste in your mouth,
The sounds that you can hear.
Waking your senses up to all that this moment holds.
There is a gentle poise about you as your spine lengthens towards the sky.
A sense of support in the back of the body,
Steady,
Strong,
And a softness in the front of the body,
Receptive,
Welcoming.
Your eyes close or you can soften your gaze towards the ground,
But your ears are open to all of the sounds that you can hear around you.
Bring your attention a little closer in to notice the sounds that are immediately around you.
Draw your attention even closer in again to notice the sound of your own breath.
This conscious breath allowing you to tune into a calmer,
More relaxed and clear state.
Quieting the mind,
Massaging the heart,
Softening the belly.
Sense into your hands and bring the backs of the hands to come to rest onto your thighs.
Palms are facing the sky.
As you breathe in,
Your fingers and palms gently uncurl and open.
And as you breathe out,
The fingers curl inwards,
The palms soften.
Breathing in,
Fingers and palms open.
Breathing out,
Fingers curl inwards,
Palms soften.
Continue to open and close your hands with this rhythmical connection with the breath.
Inhale opening,
Exhale closing,
Inhale expanding,
Exhale contracting.
Exhale,
Exhale,
Exhale,
Exhale.
Let your hands come to rest in stillness but continue to rest your attention on the breath.
Allow yourself to be comforted by this natural,
Tidal movement of the breath.
Then bring your attention to come to rest at the base of the throat,
Bringing a very gentle constriction into the throat.
So it begins to feel as though you were breathing in and out through the throat rather than through the nose.
And notice the spacious,
Soft sound made by the breath.
Allow the breath to move into you evenly,
Soothing the lungs,
Softening resistance,
Following and listening to this oceanic sound of the breath.
As you listen to the breath,
Can you hear or imagine the sound so as you breathe in?
And the sound hum as you breathe out?
So on the inhalation,
Hum on the exhalation.
Release the constriction at the throat but continue to listen to the sounds of so on the inhalation,
Hum on the exhalation.
So hum is a yogic mantra reflecting the innate sound of the breath.
Rest your attention lightly on this mantra as you breathe.
Let's take a moment to relax.
Each time you breathe in,
Whisper to yourself in your own mind,
I am.
Breathing out,
Whisper to yourself in your own mind,
All of that.
Breathing in,
I am.
Breathing out,
All of that.
Let the body soften as it integrates this wisdom.
I am all of that.
These words are a reminder that you are an integral part of an expansive presence.
That there is a benevolent force moving through you,
Around you,
Holding you,
Breathing you.
I am all of that.
Release the mantra and allow yourself to rest here in the quiet,
The stillness,
Comforted by the tender rhythm of the breath.
If thoughts arise needing to know or analyse,
Just gently guide your attention back.
To this body sitting here,
To the breath.
Sense into your arms,
Into your hands and lift your hands so that they come to rest over your heart.
Gently lift your heart into your hands and allow your head to bow in honour of the wisdom of the heart,
Of this expansive self that you are.
Take a moment to express your appreciation for this opportunity to practice.
For all that you are,
For all that you give,
For all that you receive.
And to close our practice together today.
Some words from Desa Derrata.
Grow placidly amid the noise and haste and remember what peace there may be in silence.
You are a child of the universe,
No less than the trees and the stars.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Take care my friend and with love,
Namaste.
