You Begin by taking a look at the space around you.
Just noticing what's there without applying any labels.
As if you don't know what anything is.
Just taking in the forms,
The shapes,
The colors as if they are merely abstract images.
Just noticing the dimensions of the space and where you are within it.
And then gently closing your eyes.
And noticing any sounds.
A crow calling.
Blue jays,
Other birds.
Ambient sounds in your space.
Sounds that may normally be just below conscious awareness.
But that you're noticing now.
Noticing the seat that you're sitting on.
The feeling of it supporting you.
The texture,
The temperature.
Noticing the air in the room.
Is it cool?
Or warm?
Or changeable?
Noticing any scent or aroma.
No need to label it.
Just noticing what's there.
And now bringing your attention to the inner landscape.
And I take two or three full complete breaths at your own pace.
Just really letting the breath glide down into your belly.
Filling you.
And then completely releasing.
Gentle,
Complete exhalations.
Letting go.
And noticing the inner landscape of the body.
What is the very first thing that draws your attention?
Is there any discomfort anywhere?
Any tightness?
Any dull sensation you've been carrying without noticing?
Wherever it is,
Just gently bring your attention there.
Not trying to push away anything uncomfortable.
Not trying to attach to it.
Just bringing loving awareness to that area.
Breathing space into it.
Just allowing it to be as it is.
But with your intimate loving awareness.
Noticing.
And then letting go.
Bring your awareness to the top of your head.
Your scalp.
And gently gliding your awareness down through your body.
Your forehead.
Noticing your eyelids.
The top eyelid resting gently on the lower lid.
Your nose.
The way the air feels as it moves in and out of your nostrils.
Your lips gently touching each other.
Letting your jaw relax.
Letting your awareness move down through your neck.
Your shoulders.
Down your arms.
Noticing your hands.
Any energy,
Any sensation you may feel in your hands.
Just noticing.
Bringing your awareness into your chest,
Your heart area.
Feeling your ribs expand and release with each breath.
Bring your awareness down into your belly as it rises and lowers with each breath.
The way baby's belly gently rises and lowers with each breath.
Bring your awareness down through your pelvis.
Your thighs.
Your knees.
Your calves.
Sifting your awareness down to your feet.
Noticing any sensations you may have in your toes,
Your ankles.
Just noticing and letting go.
Bring your awareness now to your mental landscape.
Bring your awareness to your mind.
Noticing any predominant sensations,
Thought patterns,
The weather that's been predominant in your mind.
What does that feel like?
What have you been carrying?
Just noticing that without judgment,
But with tender,
Intimate awareness.
Noticing what's been there.
And letting it go.
Letting thought patterns move across the great sky of your mind and vanish.
Noticing how much space there is beyond the clouds of your thoughts.
Noticing how the whole sky holds them and lets them pass through freely and be gone.
Bring your awareness down to your heart.
Resting your awareness in your heart center.
Not the front of your heart where your emotions move out into the world.
But the deep space at the back of your heart.
The quiet,
Timeless depths of your heart where nothing is ever disturbed.
Just letting yourself step down into that space and rest.
Letting your whole organism,
Your whole body become very,
Very still.
At rest,
Listening.
Residing in that quiet space at the back of your heart.
Bringing reverence and gratitude to that quiet space that's always with you.
And letting yourself rest there.
Thoughts and feelings may come and go.
That's fine.
Just let them go and return to that quiet space at the back of your heart.
In this space there's nothing you need to make happen.
You can't do it wrong.
It's simply a place to rest.
To be with yourself.
To remember this connection.
Deep in your heart.
To remember who you are.
And knowing that in the hours and days to come,
In your most challenging and distressed moments you can always return to this space,
Even for a breath.
It's always here.
May all beings be safe and free and protected from inner and outer harm.
May they be happy and contented.
May they be healthy and whole to whatever degree possible.
May they experience ease of well-being.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be at peace.
May all beings be free.
