This meditation will help you to bring more ease and simplicity to your life,
Be that your personal life or your work life.
We very often only look for one or the other,
That is more simplicity in the external world,
Or more ease in our inner mechanics.
We will bring both together here and tap into your inner wisdom to plant the seed for both of that to grow.
So let's begin.
You can do this meditation either sitting upright or lying down,
Both is fine.
Most people find it comfortable to close their eyes,
To connect with themselves.
If this is good for you,
Please do so.
If you prefer,
You can keep your eyes open and then you keep a soft gaze in front of you.
And take a moment to connect with yourself.
Feel the contact of your body to the surface that you're lying or sitting on.
And feel that sense of being carried,
Not having to do anything for that,
And nothing to change right now.
You may just be.
And to deepen this experience,
I invite you to focus on your breath for a moment and just observe it.
Sense how it comes and goes without you doing anything to change it.
Just extend some interest and curiosity to this thing that keeps you alive,
Very easily and very naturally.
From this foundation on,
I invite you to let a situation come up for you that you find challenging at the moment.
Not your biggest and baddest problem that you're having right now,
But really something that you do find relevant.
And connect to it enough that you can feel something.
That might not be super pleasant,
But that's fine.
Just keep a safe distance so that you feel it,
But you don't get sucked into it.
And hold your attention here for a moment to become aware of what's going on.
Be curious where you feel this in your body and what you feel in your body when you think of that situation.
And from here on,
I invite you to tap into your inner wisdom with the question,
What is it that I could simplify?
Give yourself some time to respond to this.
One suggestion could be,
Is there a simple routine that I could establish that stops me from making constant decisions?
Something that I can do repeatedly.
And in your mind,
Also have a look at the physical space of this situation.
And again,
Let your wisdom scan this space for something that you can clear up.
Maybe there are things to get rid of or to get out of sight,
To eliminate stuff that is distracting or that you don't need.
Maybe there is something coming up right away,
Or maybe it takes a little while,
That's perfectly fine.
Now shift your attention to the clarity and the calm that this new sense of simplicity creates in you.
And connect to it.
Find the spot in your body where you do feel this clarity and calm.
And remember,
Making things simpler doesn't mean that you're giving of everything.
It just means that you consciously choose what's really important.
And it also means making space for the stuff that is really,
Really important for you.
And while you think that,
Become aware of your breath a little bit more.
Feel how it comes and goes.
And feel how with every out-breath your body is getting heavier and heavier in a pleasant way.
And also sense how at the same time your mind is getting lighter and lighter.
And from here on,
I invite you to go back to that situation that challenges you,
That you thought of earlier on.
And this time to put your attention on the thoughts and feelings that are coming up.
Observe them.
Don't evaluate,
Just observe with curiosity and interest.
How they come,
And maybe fade or change,
And maybe even go.
Thoughts are often very intense when they pop up,
But then they diminish.
Feelings sometimes come up as one feeling,
And then when you look at them,
They gradually change into something that is a bit more softer.
And particularly pay attention to any urge to do something about the situation that you thought of.
Maybe a sense of restlessness,
Or like there is something incomplete.
Or an inner voice that is telling you what you're doing is not enough.
Or you need to do more.
Acknowledge that urge.
No fighting it,
No changing it.
Just curiosity.
And maybe you even want to extend a little bit of compassion to yourself.
As in,
Oh,
This is really hard,
That's tough.
But that's okay.
And connect with your breath again.
And with each exhale,
Imagine that this urge is diminishing a bit.
Like you can let it go,
Bit by bit.
Not by force or effort,
But by letting go the effort itself.
Allow yourself some time for that.
And allow yourself the thought,
I don't have to be perfect.
I don't have to please everybody.
I don't have to be permanently productive.
I may just be.
And softly guide your attention towards your body itself.
And sense how it feels when you let go of this pressure and urge.
Maybe you can sense something like space,
Expansion.
A sense of relief,
Lightness.
Something that feels good.
Light and easy.
And see where you can find this sensation in your body.
The space,
The lightness,
The ease.
Feel into your stomach,
If it's there.
Or in your chest.
Or maybe in your head,
Or your face.
And feel how you have just been developing something in yourself.
That is simplicity in the outside world,
And more ease inside yourself.
And see how this is a seed that you're actually planting,
That can grow from now on.
And how you did all of that by yourself,
Out of your own wisdom and strength.
And extend some gratitude towards yourself,
For giving yourself the time to do exactly that.
And how good this feels,
That you can do these things.
And then to close this practice,
Open up your attention to the sounds in your surrounding area.
And to come back to the here and now,
Maybe wiggle your fingers very,
Very softly.
And also your toes.
And consciously take one final last breath.
And on your exhale,
Open up your eyes.
