Let us begin by making ourselves very very comfortable.
Sit in upright position with your back straight but not rigid.
Rest your feet on the floor in a way that feels supportive.
Your hands on your lap,
Allow your eyes to close and consider your current circumstances.
Not necessarily how they were in the past or how they might be in the future but how you are right now.
Ask yourself if you are in any pain.
Is there any discomfort that you may address by adjusting your position for example.
And let's consider this a starting point for our exploration.
See for yourself what are your thoughts right now.
Are you in this present moment or are you wandering into one of your stories?
Do you consider the past or maybe wander into future?
And when you notice that,
Simply acknowledge that this is your default mode network,
Part of your brain that is designed to indulge in considering the past and projecting into the future.
This is absolutely normal,
However this is only optional.
You also have another option to ground yourself in the present moment and the best way to do so is to connect with your breath since you cannot breathe in the past or breathe in the future.
When you are aware of your breath,
You are always,
Always in the present moment.
And of course just because you intend so,
It doesn't mean that your mind will stay that way.
So from now on every time you notice mind wandering,
Rumination,
Self-reflection,
Simply come back to your breath.
And as you getting used to the rhythm of your breathing,
See if you can soften it even more.
Softer inhales,
Slower exhales,
Grounding yourself in your breath and by doing so grounding yourself in the present moment.
And as you continue breathing in and out,
Softening in-breath and out-breath even more still,
Add the layer of self-friendliness to it.
Imagine breathing next to your best friend,
Being gentle and considerate knowing that you are supported by his or her presence.
Treat yourself in this meditative moment as you would treat your beloved one or someone that you respect very much.
And now it is time to return from breath into your physical senses that connect you with the physical reality around you,
Remaining present to what there is.
Simply shifting a gear.
So first consider your sight,
Brighter and darker spots in front of your closed eyes,
Your ears,
Your hearing,
The sound of my voice,
The sound of music,
Briefly smell and taste even though they might not be present or obvious right now,
And finally a sense of touch that connects you with the space around you,
Giving you perception and shape of the physicality of your body.
Connect with your feet on the floor,
Your hands in your lap,
Add gentle physical movement by wiggling your toes,
Moving your fingers,
Slowly and gently tilt your head to the left,
Tilt your head to the right,
Back to the center,
And finish up with one deep breath in through your nose and out through your mouth.
