This is a meditation to help you calm and clear your mind and find focus.
It can be done any time of day and it's a great practice for when you feel overwhelmed or anxious or stress.
When feeling this way,
It can be helpful to take some time to step back,
To pause and get centered in the present moment before making a decision or going forward in your day.
I invite you to find a comfortable seat for meditation.
Make sure that your feet are supported,
Perhaps resting on the floor.
Take a couple of deep breaths.
As you inhale,
Finding a long spine,
Making sure that you can breathe freely.
Take a few moments to ground and center yourself in the present moment.
Feel your sitz bones on whatever surface is supporting you.
Feel your feet touch the floor or whatever's beneath them,
Perhaps sensing warmth or vibration between your feet and the earth.
And from this place of groundedness,
I invite you to close your eyes if that's comfortable for you or simply soften your gaze.
Begin to draw your awareness inward.
Bring awareness now to the inner mind,
To your thoughts.
Bring to mind an image of calm strength.
Whatever comes to mind that embodies the words calm,
Strength for you.
This could be a person in your life,
Perhaps a grandmother or mentor,
Friend.
Could be something in nature,
Such as a rock or a large tree,
Mountain.
If nothing comes to mind,
It could simply be the words calm,
Strength.
Take a moment to see this image fully in your mind's eye.
Realizing any sensations in the body that arise as you envision this image of calm strength.
Perhaps you soften through the shoulders.
Begin to settle in with a little more ease.
Let go of the image now and begin to draw awareness to your breath.
Breathing in and out through your nose.
Taking a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Releasing shoulders,
Jaw,
Softening your forehead.
Letting go of any areas of obvious tension in the body.
On your next breath in,
Breathe in through your nose and gently exhale through pursed lips.
Not forcefully,
Just gently blowing the breath out through your lips.
Exhale through your nose and gently exhale through pursed lips.
It might be helpful to envision blowing bubbles through a wand.
Continue to breathe in this manner for the next few breath cycles.
Breathing in through the nose and exhaling gently through pursed lips.
Notice your out breath begin to extend,
Grow longer.
Allow the breath to be gentle.
As you breathe in,
Breathe in deeply into the belly and exhale through pursed lips.
Continuing.
Notice if the body begins to soften a little bit more between the shoulders,
The upper back,
The muscles supporting your spine.
Perhaps the belly begins to soften.
At the end of your next exhale,
Let go of this breathing practice and return to normal breathing in and out through your nose.
Begin to notice where do you feel the breath most present in the body?
Perhaps in the belly or the side ribs expanding and contracting with the breath.
In the chest or the upper back.
Maybe it's the air flowing in and out through your nose.
There's no right or wrong answer.
Really notice where do you feel the breath most present in this moment and focus your awareness there.
See if you can find the beginning of the breath.
When you first begin to inhale,
Follow the breath all the way to the top,
Feeling the fullest expression of the breath and gently exhale the breath back out.
Pause at the bottom of the exhale and begin to breathe again.
Pausing at the top,
Feel the fullest expression of your breath and follow the exhale all the way out.
Noticing when the lungs are completely empty of air.
Noticing when you need to breathe again and allowing this cycle to continue.
Really watching the breath and following the path of breath all the way to the top of the in-breath.
Allowing the breath to pass back out and following the breath all the way to the bottom.
Video straining.
Really noticing and following your own breath cycle from beginning to end.
If the mind gets distracted,
No worries.
Simply notice and come back to the breath.
Following the cycle again.
Pause at the bottom of the breath.
Pause at the bottom of the breath.
Now wherever you are in your breathing cycle,
On your next exhale,
Follow the breath all the way out.
Bring your awareness to your sitting bones,
To your root and your tailbone.
Become aware of that sense of groundedness and stability.
The base of the spine.
Keep breathing in and out.
Begin to deepen the breath in the belly.
And exhaling,
Allow your awareness to drift to the sitting bones,
The legs and all the way down to the feet,
Firmly planted on the floor.
Breathing into the belly and exhaling down the legs and all the way into the feet,
Firmly planted on the floor.
Bring your image of calm strength back to mind again.
And allow the mind to settle here,
Feeling completely grounded.
Bring the hands together now in front of the heart,
Feeling the palms touch.
And as you breathe,
Notice if anything has shifted in the body,
The mind or the breath.
As we complete this meditation practice,
Know that you can come back to this practice anytime.
You need a sense of groundedness and calm.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Peace and be with you.
