Hi,
I'm Linda Chow and welcome to this 10-minute holiday season meditation.
The holidays are the time when we really want to focus on bringing out the best ourselves and recalling what is most important to us in life.
I want you to take this 10-minute really just for us to let go of whatever came before this,
Let go whatever is coming after this,
And give yourself this time to really be present,
Be here and now.
So you can start by finding a comfortable seat.
I'm sitting on the floor with one block.
You can sit any way that feels comfortable for you.
Rest your hand on your lap.
If you prefer to sit in a chair with your feet on the floor,
Find a seat that allows you to be grounded but still alert,
Then close your eyes.
If closing your eyes doesn't feel comfortable,
You can gaze softly towards the tip of your nose.
And let's get started.
Take a deep breath in and exhale letting go.
Again,
Inhale.
Let your breath travel all the way into your belly.
Exhale letting go.
Exhale letting go.
One more like that.
Big breath in.
Tune into that feeling of that exhale.
Exhale that feeling of letting go.
And letting your shoulders soften away from your ear,
Finding a little space in your jaw.
You can open your mouth,
Make a little space,
Bring your lid back together and just find maybe a hint of a smile.
Soften all the little micro muscle around your eyes.
Feel the eyelids heavy.
Maybe you can feel as though your eyes can sort of deepen into their socket.
Take a moment to connect with your seat,
Your feet on the ground.
Let your weight really settle down.
Now,
Lean into your breath,
Your alpha,
The rise and fall of your belly or your chest.
The sensation of aliveness.
And just tuning in.
And recognizing all the others.
All the others who are breathing just the same as you.
Who are breathing with you.
That we are breathing together.
Let our breaths connect us.
Hold on to that.
Take a moment to send yourself some well wishes.
May I be happy.
May I be happy.
May I be happy.
May I be happy.
May I be at ease.
May I lead with a generous heart.
And just take the opportunity to recognize that no matter what happened,
That you are here.
You are doing your best.
The energy you send out to others,
You deserve the same energy.
The same love,
Kindness and compassion.
So,
Send some love to the person in the mirror who has been through so much and you are still standing.
If it feels right,
Take your hands to your heart.
Just let yourself know that you are here.
May you be happy.
If it feels difficult to sort of cultivate that self-compassion,
Remind yourself that you are deserving of it.
Remind yourself and believe it.
You might bring to mind somebody who has loved you.
Who has been a benefactor to you.
And you might imagine them.
Imagine their love.
Let it remind you that you are loved.
You are lovable.
And you are deserving.
Take a moment to reconnect to your breath.
Re-center yourself,
Notice the quality of your heart and your mind.
Reconnect with that feeling of togetherness and recognize that goodness you feel in your heart.
There are so many others with that same goodness.
So many others going through their own struggles.
And in the spirit of the season,
Send some well wishes out into the world.
May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be easeful.
May you lead with a generous heart.
May every phrase resonate with you.
Come to use.
And in your time,
Notice again the quality of your heart and your mind.
If you're feeling some space,
Some light,
Some compassion,
Some goodness,
Focus on it.
Add a little fuel to that fire.
Like goodness is a spark of your joy.
Feel like you could feed that feeling with every breath in.
When you're ready,
Come back to your breath.
Let some get a little bigger and wider.
Let yourself back into your body,
Your environment.
Bring your hands to heart.
Notice the effect of your practice and acknowledge and value your effort.
Send yourself a thank you.
Flip your eyes open.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
May we remember that we are more alike than different.
I'm Linda Chow.
Happy Holidays.
