This meditation is to take a mindful break in your day.
Let's find a comfortable position,
Sitting tall but yet relaxed.
Let your neck be straight.
Not stiff,
And let your shoulders soften away from your ears.
Allow your hands to rest gently on your lap.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze downward towards the floor.
Notice the physical contact points between your body and the chair,
Or maybe your feet and the floor.
Notice the weight of your body anchored right here in this room.
You have nowhere else to be and nothing else to do in this exact moment.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
Letting your chest and belly expand.
And then release it with a soft sigh through your mouth.
Again,
Inhale deeply,
Letting your chest and belly expand.
And then let it go with a soft sigh through your mouth.
One last time,
Inhale deeply,
Filling your lungs with fresh air.
And then let it go with a soft sigh through your mouth.
That your breathing return to its natural rhythm and pace.
Noticing the sensations as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Bring your primary focus to the physical movement of your breathing.
Notice where you feel it most vividly.
Perhaps the cool air entering your nose?
Or the gentle rise of your chest.
Or maybe the steady expansion of your belly.
Follow each breath from start to finish.
Observe the full cycle of the in-breath.
And the natural soft turn into the out-breath.
You may find that your mind begins to wander,
And it naturally will.
Just simply notice where it went without judging yourself.
Label distractions gently as thinking.
And let them drift away like a cloud in the sky.
As you bring your awareness right back to your breathing.
Returning to the present moment is the true heart of the practice.
And as you follow your breathing.
Notice that there's a slight pause at the end of the in-breath.
Before the start of the out-breath.
And then as you follow your out breath,
Notice that slight pause again before the next in breath.
This reminds me of standing on a beach looking at the sea.
The tide coming up the beach is like the in-breath.
Retreating back to C,
The out-breath.
Let's just spend a few moments visualizing this.
Let's widen our attention from breathing to the physical sensations across our entire body.
Notice if the air is warm or cool on your skin.
Or perhaps the feeling of fabric from your clothes.
Notice any subtle sensations or any areas holding tightness.
You don't need to fix or adjust anything.
Simply witness these sensations with curious and friendly attention.
Now let's expand awareness to include sound.
Listen to the room around you.
Are there any distant hums,
Any subtle noises,
Any moments of quiet?
Let sounds drift in and out like waves without clinging to them or pushing them away.
You're simply the steady presence observing it all.
Let's turn our focus inward to the landscape of the mind.
Notice thoughts as they arise.
Imagine sitting on a beach,
Watching your thoughts drift out with the tide,
Rolling out to the sea.
Some thoughts are pleasant.
Some are neutral.
Others might feel sticky or challenging.
Practice letting them pass by without stepping into the sea to chase them.
Breathing in,
I'm taking in the air I need.
Breathing out.
I'm releasing those things that no longer serve me.
Rest in this open space of pure awareness.
Calm,
Unshakable observer beneath every fleeting thought and sensation.
Gently pull your awareness back to your physical body.
If you're sitting,
Feel your feet firmly against the floor and your hands resting safely on your lap or at your side.
If you happen to be laying down.
Feel the surface beneath your body.
Take one more deep nourishing breath in and exhale fully.
Carry this calm,
Grounded presence with you as you move into the rest of your day.
When you feel ready,
Slowly wiggle your fingers and toes and open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me in this moment of meditation.
