Hi everyone and welcome to your meditation.
My name is Tanya and I'm so honored to be guiding you through your day or maybe your evening if you're getting ready to settle down.
Today's meditation is meant to promote rest and relaxation while cultivating more self awareness and gratitude in your life.
It doesn't matter where you are.
You don't need a fancy cushion.
You don't need an altar filled with all the things.
You need two things.
Your self and your breath.
Two beautiful things.
You get to notice where it is you are.
Whether that's in your bedroom,
In your office,
Maybe seated on a cushion,
In a chair.
I do encourage you to find a nice comfortable position.
If you're lying down,
Great.
If you're seated,
Ensure that your shoulders are rolled back and they're in line with your hips.
Feel grounded here.
Feel supported by whatever's beneath you.
Knowing that beneath that is the ground,
Is Mother Earth holding you and keeping you safe.
Notice what's around you.
Maybe tapping into your senses for a couple of seconds.
Any smells,
Any sights,
Any sounds.
You know it may be difficult for many who are in the same four walls.
Or day in and day out,
Contained to this space.
And so when I pose the,
Or make the suggestion rather to tap into your senses,
Maybe sight is exhausting.
Maybe looking around and noticing the same things is triggering for you or is causing you grief.
Are you able to acknowledge those feelings,
Those thoughts?
And just relax your shoulders a little further away from your ears knowing that you are supported.
You are allowed to feel.
I do invite you to take a look around and maybe notice something different in your space.
Maybe have a look outside the window.
Notice a bird flying by.
Notice the sun shining.
Maybe you just had your final sip of coffee.
How does that feel on your tongue?
If you haven't already,
Close your eyes.
Or maintain a nice soft gaze just over your nose,
Just over the bridge of your nose.
Maybe you need to drop your shoulders away from your ears,
This time with more intention.
Tapping into your physical body.
Observing any aches,
Any feelings of unrest,
Any tingling sensations.
Maybe you're feeling really uncomfortable.
Maybe this is your first meditation.
Welcome.
Maybe you've been practicing for years.
Amazing.
Whether you're new to meditation or seasoned meditator,
Every day is different.
So please take a moment and give yourself thanks for showing up for yourself and filling your own cup.
I'd like to say my world refills are free of charge.
I invite you now to explore your thoughts.
Using the quality of what's coming up for you.
Without judging,
Without attaching to a narrative.
Because we tend to create this narrative ourselves based on how we perceive the world or people or situations.
Know that you are not your thoughts.
Thoughts are never-ending.
So invite them in,
Sure.
And also watch them slowly drift away without attaching to them.
Watch the next thought and the next and the one after that.
Here comes another thought.
Just continually observing.
Notice when you're judging.
When you find yourself becoming attached to that new thought.
Find an anchor.
Find a way to ground yourself and bring you back to this moment.
Tapping into the breath is a beautiful way to do this.
So let's begin.
Notice your breath.
Notice the natural ebb and flow,
The natural dance it makes through your body.
Without changing anything,
Smile and know that you are alive and that is so much to be grateful for.
And let's together take a deep inhale through the nose.
Taking in that fresh oxygen.
Taking in as much as you can,
As much as you need,
As much as you want.
And then slowly sighing it out through your mouth,
HA sound.
Let's try that again two more times.
Inhale through your nose.
Breathing up your lungs.
Keep breathing in as much as you can.
No competition here.
And then exhale through your mouth as if you're fogging up a window,
HA let it go.
Let's try that one more time.
In through the nose.
Inhale through the mouth.
And we'll continue breathing in through the nose but this time slowly exhaling through the nose.
Feeling the warm air exit through your nostrils and maybe make its way down to your hands resting on your lap.
Feeling your belly and your chest,
Your ribs as you take in fresh oxygen,
Nourishing your cells,
Nourishing your organs.
Slowly exhale going a little slower than you did the last.
Remembering it's no competition.
You're honoring where it is you are.
Feel your belly rise as you inhale.
Belly soften as you exhale.
Feel your belly lift up and out as you take in air.
Feel yourself relax as you exhale.
I invite you now to notice if there's any pause between the in and out breath.
If not are you able to add a little bit of a pause,
Maybe two seconds.
So let's do one together.
Let's inhale.
Whenever you're ready,
Taking in air,
Stop,
Retain the breath for a few seconds,
Even one second and then slowly let it go through your nose.
Let's do that another two times.
Inhale fully,
Whatever that means for you.
Pausing at the top.
Let it go through your nose.
If you find your mind wandering,
If you find thoughts creeping up,
Just come back to the sound of my voice,
Come back to the breath as your anchor.
Feel free to continue this flow of breath for a couple more rounds.
Retaining the breath in between the in and exhale is a beautiful technique used to bring more awareness to your breath,
To your body and essentially bringing you to this beautiful moment that is promised to you.
Come back to your normal flow of breath.
Notice how you feel.
Notice your body.
You get to maybe wiggle your fingers and your toes,
Bringing movement back into your being.
Gently opening your eyes if they're closed.
Giving your eyes a blink,
Noticing the space around you maybe with a new appreciation,
Maybe with a new outlook and if not that's okay too.
Come back to this breath whenever you need it throughout your day.
It's been an honor guiding you.
