Welcome.
Take a moment to settle in,
Whether you're sitting upright in a chair,
Cross-legged on a cushion,
Or lying down.
Let your eyes gently close,
Or soften your gaze if that feels better today.
Start by taking a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose,
A long,
Steady breath out through your mouth,
And then again,
Inhale full and slow,
And exhale,
Letting go of any tension that doesn't need to follow you into the day.
Now,
Allow your breath to find its own rhythm,
No need to force or change anything,
Just notice it.
The air entering,
The air leaving,
The rise and fall,
The natural rhythm that's always there supporting you.
Bring your attention fully into this breath,
And let your mind rest here for a few moments.
Each inhale is a gentle invitation into the present moment.
Allow each exhale to be a quiet act of letting go.
As you breathe,
If thoughts come up,
And they will,
That's okay.
Notice them,
And then return to the breath.
Over and over,
Notice and practice gently coming back again to the breath.
Now,
Bring to mind one thing that you're grateful for this morning.
It doesn't have to be big,
In fact,
Let it be something small and real.
Maybe it's the smell of your coffee,
A moment of quiet before the day begins,
The softness of your blanket,
The sound of a loved one breathing nearby,
Or even just the fact that you're alive and here right now.
Whatever it is,
Hold that one thing in your awareness.
Let yourself feel the gratitude in your body.
Is it warm,
A little softening in your chest,
A lift in your breath?
Allow yourself to stay with it without rushing,
Savoring this feeling in the moment.
Breathe into the feeling again now.
Let it fill you up gently on the inhale.
As you exhale,
Settle more deeply into that feeling of gratitude.
This is your anchor.
You can always return to this breath.
You can always return to this moment of gratitude anytime today.
Let's take one more slow,
Full breath in,
And exhale everything out.
Begin to bring some gentle movement to your fingers or toes,
Maybe roll your shoulders,
Stretch in a way that feels good.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and carry this breath and this feeling of gratitude with you into the rest of your day.
Thank you for joining me.
