Welcome,
Take a moment to soften into stillness,
Let your body settle where it is,
Let your breath begin to be slow and steady,
Closing your eyes if that is okay for you and simply notice that you are here,
Breathing and held in this moment.
So often we move through our days clouded by hurry,
By pressure,
By noise,
By stimulation,
But beneath the surface there is a quiet stream of clarity,
Always waiting.
This practice is about returning to it,
To the questions that may be unanswered,
To the thoughts that may need more time to brew.
I invite you to take a slow deep breath in and gently let it go,
Feel the shoulders relax,
The fingertips soften,
The body unclench.
Now turn your attention inward towards the chest,
Imagine a small clear pool of water resting there,
The water is still,
Clear.
With every breath the water grows still,
With every exhale the ripples fade.
With every breath the water grows still,
With every exhale the ripple fades.
If any thoughts arise,
Maybe plans,
Worries,
Self-criticism,
Questions,
Simply bow to them,
Almost as if you're greeting an old friend,
Acknowledge them,
Then let them pass.
They do not need to be pushed away or buried,
Almost like clouds across the sky of your awareness.
Now I invite you to return to the pool within your chest,
The water is still,
Clear and reflective.
Now if you are okay,
I invite you to place a hand over your heart,
Breathing gently into this space,
Breathing gently into the pool within your chest,
Silently whisper the words,
I am here,
I am listening,
I am here,
I am here,
I am listening.
Notice what arises in this space,
Notice what arises in the quiet,
Notice whatever comes up for you at this moment,
Maybe a word,
A feeling,
A memory,
A story,
Or maybe it's stillness and clarity.
Trust that what you need will come,
Not through force,
But through presence.
Let's take a few more rounds of breath here,
Inhale and exhale fully,
Inhaling deeply and exhaling letting go.
As we close out this meditation,
Remember that this breath and this awareness and clarity is something you can always come back to.
Clarity happens when we pause,
Breathe and return inwards to ourselves.
Take one final deep breath in and let it out with ease.
When you're ready,
Taking your time,
Gently open the eyes,
Bringing yourself back into this space and moving on with your day,
With this newfound sense of clarity,
Stillness and acceptance.
