Welcome to this practice of rooting into presence.
In our busy lives,
We often move through our days on autopilot,
Missing the richness that exists in each moment.
During this Mental Health Awareness Month,
We're exploring how mindfulness supports our emotional well-being.
Today's practice is about gently redirecting our attention to the present moment,
Finding our way back to the here and now,
Through the gateway of the body and the senses.
I invite you to find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down,
And allow your body to be supported,
Making any adjustments you need to feel at ease.
There's no need to remain perfectly still throughout our practice.
If you need to shift or adjust your position at any time,
Please do so with mindfulness.
So let's begin by taking three conscious breaths together.
Let's breathe in deeply through the nose and releasing fully through the mouth.
Again,
Breathing in and letting go.
And one more time,
Inhale fully and exhale completely and let it all go.
Now,
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm,
Bringing your attention to the places where your body makes contact with the floor or your seat.
Notice the sensations of weight,
Pressure,
Temperature,
Or texture.
Gradually expand your awareness to include your entire body,
Starting with your feet.
Bring any attention to the sensations present in your feet and ankles.
Perhaps you notice warmth or coolness,
Tingling or pressure.
Whatever is there,
Simply notice it with kind awareness.
Moving your attention up to your lower legs,
Calves,
And knees,
Notice any sensations that are present.
There's no need to search for particular feelings.
Simply acknowledge what's already here.
Continue bringing this gentle awareness to your upper legs and hips,
The pelvis,
Lower back,
The abdomen,
And chest.
Notice the subtle movements of your breathing body.
Now to your shoulders,
Perhaps noticing if you're holding any tension here.
Without trying to change anything,
Simply bring kind awareness to this area.
Nothing for you to do.
Moving to your arms,
Elbows,
Wrists,
And hands,
Perhaps wiggling your fingers slightly can awaken some sensations.
Now bring attention to your neck,
Your throat,
Your jaw,
Your face,
Your nose,
Your forehead,
Up to the crown of your head.
Notice any tension or relaxation,
Or maybe you just have neutral sensations.
For a few moments,
Rest in the awareness of your whole body,
Present and breathing.
Your body is always in the present moment.
It knows no other time but now.
When we connect with bodily sensation,
We naturally return to presence.
Now gently shifting your attention to the breath.
There's no need to control or change your breathing in any way.
Simply notice the natural flow of air moving in and out of your body.
You might focus on the sensations at the nostril.
Do you feel the subtle touch of air as it enters and leaves?
You might also notice the gentle rising and falling of your chest and abdomen with each breath.
Each breath is unique,
Never exactly the same as the one before it.
See if you can bring a sense of curiosity to the most ordinary yet miraculous process that has been with you since birth.
As you continue following your breath,
You might notice that your mind wanders away from the present moment.
This is completely natural,
And it's what minds do.
When you notice that your attention has drifted,
Gently smile and acknowledge where it went,
And then with kindness,
Guide your awareness back to the sensation of breathing.
The practice isn't about stopping your thoughts or achieving a particular state.
Rather,
It's about noticing when you've been carried away by thinking and choosing to return to the anchor of your breath again and again.
Each time you notice and return,
You're strengthening your capacity for presence.
Now,
While maintaining a gentle awareness of your body and breath in the background,
Let's expand your attention to include sounds.
Without straining to hear or labeling what you notice,
Simply open your awareness to the landscape of sounds around you.
Sounds may be distant or near,
Loud or subtle.
Notice how sounds naturally arise and pass away.
There's no need to hold on to any pleasant sounds or push away any unpleasant ones.
Just allowing the ever-changing symphony of sound to move through your awareness.
Now gently shift your attention to include visual experience.
If your eyes are closed,
Notice the play of light and darkness behind your eyelids.
If your eyes are open,
Softly gaze at what's before you without focusing too intently on any one thing.
Next,
Bringing awareness to any taste or sensations you have in your mouth.
Perhaps notice the texture of your tongue against your teeth.
Or do you have any lingering tastes?
And now to smell.
Notice any scents or odors present in your environment.
Or perhaps simply the sensation of air moving through your nostrils.
Lastly,
Turning to your sense of touch and physical sensation.
Feel the feel of your clothing against your skin.
The temperature of the air and the weight of your body.
For the next few minutes,
Allow your awareness to rest in this open field of sensory experience.
Not preferring one sensation over another,
But simply being present with the ever-changing flow of experience as it unfolds moment by moment.
Our senses are always experiencing the present moment.
When we pay attention to sensory experience,
We naturally return to the here and now.
As we continue,
I invite you to contemplate how this quality of presence might be integrated into our daily lives.
Think of a routine you'd perform every day.
Perhaps brushing your teeth,
Washing dishes,
Or walking to your car.
Imagine bringing this same quality of gentle,
Curious attention to that activity.
You might notice,
If you were fully present while brushing your teeth,
What might you notice?
Perhaps the mint flavor of the toothpaste.
The sensation of the brush against your gums.
The sound of water running in the sink.
Or think if it's washing dishes and how that can become a mindful practice.
Feeling the temperature of the water.
Noticing the weight of each dish.
Hearing the sounds of bubbles popping.
Even waiting in line,
A time when we often reach for our phones,
Can become an opportunity for presence.
Feeling your feet on the ground.
Noticing your breath.
Observing your surroundings with curious attention.
These ordinary moments,
Approached with mindfulness,
Become opportunities to nourish our mental well-being.
Each time we choose presence over distraction or autopilot,
We're cultivating a skill that supports our emotional health.
I invite you now to choose one daily activity that you'll commit to performing mindfully this week.
It doesn't matter how simple or brief the activity is.
What matters is your attention and your intention to bring full presence to it.
As you go about your day,
You might use the sound of your phone ringing,
Stopping at a red light,
Or walking through a doorway,
As bells of mindfulness.
Reminders to pause,
Breathe,
And return to presence.
Take a moment to reflect on the quality of presence you've cultivated during our time together.
Notice how your mind feels right now compared to when we began.
Remember that mindfulness isn't about achieving a particular state or having certain experience.
It's about meeting each moment with kind awareness again and again.
Sometimes your practice will feel peaceful and focused.
Other times your mind may be busy or restless.
All of these experiences are part of the path.
The more frequently we return to presence throughout our day,
The more we nourish our mental and emotional well-being.
Even brief moments of mindfulness can create meaningful shifts in our relationship with ourselves and our lives.
I invite you now to set an intention for how you'll carry this experience and this quality of presence into the rest of your day.
Perhaps committing to those daily mindfulness activities we explored,
Or simply remembering to pause and breathe fully a few times throughout your day.
Now,
Gently begin to deepen your breath,
Inviting a little more movement into your body,
Perhaps wiggling your fingers and toes,
Or making small movements with your hands or feet.
Take your time as you transition back to a more active state,
Honoring the space you've created for stillness and presence.
When you feel ready,
Slowly open your eyes if they've been closed,
Allowing your attention to rejoin the space around you.
As we close today,
Remember that presence is always available to you,
A refuge you can return to at any moment.
And in this world that often pulls us in multiple directions,
The simple act of returning to the here and now is a profound gift to your mental and emotional well-being.
Thank you for your presence and practice.
