So we'll start in this laying down position.
So the great thing about laying down and starting laying down is that we can really feel into how by putting as much of the body as we can in contact with the ground,
More and more of our system can feel that direct embodied somatic sense of letting go,
Of allowing the weight of the body to really be held by the earth.
So really taking your time right now and maybe just taking three deep breaths,
I always find this is a really helpful way for me to on the out-breath,
Yeah,
Just make any sounds that feel good to you and really feel the pressure under the body as the weight literally drops into the ground with the out-breath.
And then with each in-breath,
It's like we're taking a nourishing,
Refreshing,
Resourcing breath full of all the good things we need to be alive that we can get through the air.
A nourishing,
Deep in-breath,
Releasing,
Dropping down,
Softening out-breath.
Then after a few breaths like that,
Just allowing your breathing to return to its natural rhythm.
And again,
It can't be said enough,
Particularly at the beginning of a meditation practice to welcome whatever is here.
So let's just take a little bit of time to just welcome whatever is arriving in this moment in our bodies and our heartlines,
Tiredness,
Achiness,
Softening,
Relief,
Confusion,
Ambivalence,
Grief,
Excitement,
Joy,
Sadness.
So whatever's here,
However you are,
Welcoming it here.
And then we're just going to go through the body.
This will be quite quick.
And the reason for that is because the pace supports us to stay with the body rather than retreating to the more familiar thinking mind.
We're just going to pay attention to sensations,
Starting at the very top of the head,
Just noticing any sensations here,
Noticing what can be felt,
The side of the head and the back of the head,
Aware of sounds coming and going through the ears,
Feeling sensations in the forehead,
The eyebrows,
Eyelids,
Eyeballs,
And eye sockets.
Here we can also notice visual sensations,
Noticing what can be felt in the temples,
The cheeks,
The jaw and the chin,
The nose and the mouth.
Aware of the whole face and head,
Sensations coming and going.
Noticing sensations in the throat and neck,
Tops of the shoulders,
The backs of the shoulders,
The middle back and the lower back.
And then for a few breaths,
Aware of the whole of the back being held by the earth,
The whole of the back,
Feeling sensations here of holding support.
Noticing now any sensations in the upper arms,
The elbows,
Feeling sensations in the wrists,
The back of the hands,
The palm of the hands,
And the fingers and thumbs.
And then becoming aware of sensations in both hands,
Wrists and arms,
The whole of both arms and hands.
Noticing sensations at the very top of the chest,
Noticing movements of breathing here,
The central diaphragm,
Big muscle that stretches across the whole of the torso,
Dividing it in half,
The lungs above and the belly,
Lower organs below.
And noticing sensations in the abdomen,
All the lower organs of the abdomen,
The belly.
Becoming aware now of the pelvis and hips,
Groin and buttocks,
And noticing sensations in the upper legs,
Feeling sensations in the ankles,
The tops of the feet,
The soles of the feet and the toes.
And then for a few breaths,
Aware of the whole of the feet and toes,
And the whole of the legs,
Feet and toes.
Sensations here.
And then becoming aware of the whole of the lower body and the whole of the upper body together as sensations.
Becoming aware of sensations across the whole of the front of the body,
From head to toe,
The whole of the front of the body,
Opening to space.
And aware of the whole back plane of the body,
From head to toe,
The whole of the back of the body,
Connecting to ground.
And then becoming aware of the whole of the front of the body and the whole of the back of the body together as sensations.
One whole body,
Opening to space and connected to ground.
The whole body as sensations,
Grounded in space.
And then just taking a few moments to notice any pleasant sensations that are here across the whole of the body,
Tingling,
Warmth,
Softness,
Energy.
Noticing anything pleasant here in the body.
And allowing yourself to be nourished by those sensations.
And also taking a moment to notice anything that's unpleasant just now.
Aching,
Itching,
Stabbing,
Fogginess,
Numbness.
Anything unpleasant,
Meeting these parts with compassion,
Accepting that this is what's here now,
As it is,
Softening.
And then also noticing any places of neutrality or numbness,
Questions,
Sensations that are either pleasant,
Neither pleasant nor unpleasant,
Or maybe where there's absence of sensation.
Allowing room for these sensations as well.
So all of it can be here,
Pleasant,
Unpleasant,
Neutral,
As it is.
And aware of the whole body breathing,
Sensitive to the whole body breathing in,
Sensitive to the whole body breathing out.
So in a moment,
I'll ring a bell.
And this will be a transition.
So there's an invitation to transition from laying down to sitting.
And here,
We're just going to take our time.
So really noticing what it's like to first roll over onto one side and then gently lift yourself to a seated position.
And just seeing what it might be like to transition into the seated position with an attitude of commitment to awakening.
So we're taking our seat as if now could be the moment,
Who knows,
Anything's possible.
Your time to transition to a seated position.
So the first thing we can notice here is just what it's like for the body to be in a different orientation to gravity and the ground.
So feeling into those points of contact.
And then from this place of stability and holding,
Really allowing the upper body to naturally rise into space towards the sky.
And feeling the natural dignity of that uprightness.
If you've stayed laying down,
Because maybe it's hard to sit in meditation,
That's fine.
You can still feel into the integrity of the length of the body and the attitude of a commitment to waking up,
Which you might demonstrate with just eyes open.
So with the eyes open,
Gazing into space.
And then we'll just take a few deep breaths here.
Once again,
Just allowing with each out-breath for the body to settle into this new position or attitude,
With each in-breath taking up a little bit more space,
Taking your seat,
Allowing the posture to do all the work for you.
Maybe it's enough just to be in this shape.
And as we feel into the posture and the shape of the body,
Noticing how it can support awareness and breath to find each other.
These two things that are always here,
Just let them find each other.
Awareness and breath.
Allowing the breath to emerge into awareness,
Be known as it is.
Changing sensations,
Coming and going in the body.
Knowing and allowing the body to do what it naturally knows how to do to keep you alive.
A body that inherently knows what it is and what it needs,
Knows its own worth.
Taking what it needs,
Giving back what it doesn't with each breath.
And then if there's anything that you know can help you right now to connect with your own sense of worthiness,
Your own dignity,
Feel free to do that.
I felt like I really wanted to put my hand on my heart,
So that's what I'm doing.
There might be something else that you know works for you.
Can remind us that we're here and we matter.
So breathing with this sense of the importance of being here,
This being present and remembering your intention,
Letting that drop into the heart center,
What it is you deeply long for.
Connecting with the Buddha's heart wish to be free from suffering and for all beings to be free from suffering.
Individual and collective liberation,
Feeling into the possibility of that with each breath.
I'm just noticing how the body responds if you just say quietly to yourself in your own heart mind,
I am here.
We are here to wake up,
To be free,
To find love,
To be love together.
So in a moment,
I'll ring a bell,
Which will mark the end of this practice and we'll just take our time to transition out of our meditation in our own way.
