So hi everyone,
Welcome to tonight's mindfulness meditation and sound bath.
My name is Tara Atwood and I am a sound therapist and meditation teacher.
I've taught all over the world teaching people the power of the pause simply through the act of meditating and sound therapy.
In moments of uncertainty it's a good practice to be mindful.
This practice of mindfulness helps us really remain in the present and melt away any worry.
Because when we're in the present we're not thinking of anything else.
We're not thinking of what could happen later or tomorrow and another month or what's already happened.
We're really focused on what we're doing in that moment.
And we need to choose what we're going to do in that moment.
We have the choice.
Are we going to do something constructive and positive or are we going to have some pattern that doesn't serve us?
And so you have to make that choice to really pick something that serves you well.
So tonight we will focus on mindful meditation through yoga nidra,
Which is my favorite meditation,
And a sound bath.
Both of which bring the focus to the present moment through the body and the mind.
So please get comfortable lying on your back.
As I said you can do it in your bed,
You can lie on the floor.
Just make sure you have enough room so you can really spread out and get comfortable.
You can place a pillow under the head,
A bolster under the knees,
Or a pillow under the knees if you don't have a bolster.
I encourage you to have the blanket over you or at least nearby as you will get cool during the meditation as the body relaxes.
And finally you can put an eye mask over the eyes.
You can put a t-shirt over the eyes if you don't have an eye mask or an eye pillow.
Completely up to you.
But I do like having something over the eyes.
This way it removes anything that you could be distracted by.
Be light or whatever it is.
As you settle into that space,
Take notice of the body.
Take notice of the breath.
Does your breathing feel sort of short and fast?
Or are you taking really long breaths that are deep and steady?
Just notice.
There's no right or wrong answer in this moment.
It's just noticing how you feel.
Moving down through the body.
Notice areas of tension,
Areas of pain.
In places of tension,
Can you allow yourself to just simply deepen into that space,
Melt into it and allow any of that tension to really release?
Can you fall maybe 10,
20% deeper into the position you're already in?
If you haven't already,
Allow the eyes to close,
Bringing the awareness fully within.
Bring awareness to the jaw.
Allow the jaw to relax and release any restriction,
Any tension.
Just let the jaw be.
You can release the tongue from the roof of the mouth.
Bringing awareness to the cheeks and allow the cheeks to be fully relaxed.
Moving the awareness to the forehead and releasing all tension you have in the forehead.
Moving the awareness between the eyes and between the eyebrows.
The space between the eyes we call our third eye,
It's what houses our intuition.
It's also the window within our own being.
As your eyes are closed,
Imagine looking through this third eye,
Seeing what's happening inside.
Perhaps you see color,
Perhaps you see some movement.
Be mindful of what's happening inside your own body by using the focal point of your third eye and begin to connect to the breath.
Notice your breath and perhaps how it slowed down since the start of your practice.
And allow the breath to be your anchor when the mind begins to drift,
To create stories or think too much.
Bring the awareness right back to the breath.
Don't fight any thoughts that come.
Let the thoughts come and pass as if they were a cloud in the sky and then you just bring it back to the breath.
As you inhale through the nostrils,
Feel the belly rise and fill like a balloon.
As you exhale,
Exhale through the mouth,
Releasing all tension found within the body.
Inhaling again through the nostrils,
Exhaling through the mouth,
And one last time inhaling through the nostrils,
Exhaling through the mouth.
Mindfulness is an aid for discovering your original way of being,
The very joy of just being alive in this present moment without having to prove or achieve or be anything but just you.
Your authentic self and who you truly are.
Anything else matters in this moment.
In this moment you are safe and free of all anxiety,
Fears,
Uncertainty,
And depression.
They're all,
All the way in this moment.
Right now you are free of all burdens.
As you lie on your backs with your eyes closed,
Feel the stillness of the body and of the mind.
The stillness of the body and of the mind brings a sense of calmness to you through which all energy can slowly flow throughout the body.
Allow the arms to fall to the sides of the body,
Palms facing up to receive.
Allow both legs to fall to the earth beneath you,
Feet falling to the corners of the room as if they were sleeping.
Every inhale cleanses the body and every exhale allows the body to fall deeper and deeper into relaxation.
Feel the positive energy flowing from the very crown of your head all the way through the body,
Down through the tips of the toes.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
Feelings and emotions,
Feelings,
Allow it to pass and let the mind be free and the body be totally relaxed.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
In this moment allow yourself to release anything that's not serving you.
We have to believe in our body's capacity to heal itself.
The power of self healing is reality.
Taking good care of our bodies and our mind.
We have to trust the power of understanding,
Healing and loving within us.
It is our refuge.
If we lose our faith and confidence in it,
We lose everything.
Instead of panicking or giving ourselves up to despair,
We practice mindfulness and breathing and put our trust in the healing power within us.
We call this the island within ourselves in which we can take refuge.
It is an island of peace,
Confidence,
Love and freedom.
Be that island for yourself.
You don't have to look elsewhere.
Mindful breathing helps you go back to that precious island within so that you can experience the very foundation of your own being.
Thank you so much for your practice this evening.
I'm so honored to have you all continuing to meditate with me every night and I'm so thankful.
