As we find a tall spine in a comfortable position for today's meditation,
Check in with the body as we settle in.
How is it feeling?
Where is it tight or tense?
Where is it relaxed and comfortable?
Where might it be storing stress or worry?
Finding our breath.
We'll send slow and deep inhales into the belly.
Feel your body relax into the exhale.
Feel the body release stress and worry with your exhales.
Inhale in.
Exhale out.
Continue turning the focus inward,
Away from the world and into the body and into the breath.
Each inhale.
Each exhale.
And with the next breath,
Invite in the feeling of being hurried.
Allow yourself to feel hurried with each breath.
Rushed and hurried with each inhale.
How does it feel physically to breeze in this feeling of being hurried and rushed?
How does the body respond?
How does the mind respond?
How do the feelings?
What do you notice as you breathe in this sense of rush?
Now exhale out this rushed feeling and begin to inhale in a sense of calm instead.
Inhale calm.
Exhale the sense of being hurried.
Let each breath settle the body more and more.
Each inhale filling yourself with calmness.
How does it physically feel to breathe in this sense of calm?
How does the body respond?
How does the mind?
How do the feelings?
And what do you notice about how you feel and how you are as you breeze in and sit in calm?
What differences do you feel between the hurried and the calm?
As you inhale for the next few breaths,
Knowing that you are in a safe place,
Allow yourself to feel afraid.
Breathe in the sense of fear.
Not of anything specific,
But just that familiar,
Known feeling.
Recreate that feeling,
But only to observe.
Let it come back to you now,
Knowing again that you are in a safe place.
Notice how it feels in the body.
Notice how the mind and your emotions respond.
And slowly let that fear leave with the breath.
Let the fear fade away.
Inhale in courage in its place.
And let that courage grow and fill you from feet to crown.
Release the fear.
Breathe in the courage.
Notice again the change in your body,
In your mind,
And your feelings.
How do you feel?
What differences do you feel between the fear and the courage?
On the next few inhales,
Allow yourself to feel powerless.
Feel yourself becoming overcome with a sense that you cannot make change.
Knowing that this is just to learn,
That you are choosing to bring these feelings up,
Allow yourself to feel that sense of powerlessness.
As you inhale,
Feel it invading your mind,
Your body,
Your breath.
That sense of not knowing which move to make next,
What step is the next one.
And feel its impact on you,
Physically,
Mentally,
Emotionally.
What does this do to you?
What does it do to your breath?
Now wipe away that powerlessness and fill with power.
Breathe in slow and steady,
Filling with power and competence.
Soak in this sense of being in your own power.
Feel that you are competent right now.
Feel that you are confident and in control of your feelings and actions.
Soak in this sense of being in your own power,
Your own agent.
Soak in this confident competence.
What differences do you feel?
What choices do we make between the two feelings?
Hurry versus calm.
Fear versus courage.
Powerlessness versus competence.
Who are we in these feelings?
Who do we want to be for ourselves and for others?
What happens when you feel out of balance?
What impact does that have on your feelings,
On your actions,
On how you treat yourself and those around you?
What happens when you feel full of peace?
How do you feel?
And how does that impact those around you?
When you are lighter and more at peace.
What happens when you are non-harming to yourself?
When you see yourself as courageous and competent and calm.
When you feel balanced.
How do you feel then?
And how does that impact those around you?
Our inner self is identical to others and we wish ourselves no harm.
Our inner self is identical to others and we wish ourselves happiness.
Our inner self is identical to others and we wish ourselves peace.
The inner self of others is identical to our own and we wish them no harm.
The inner self of others is identical to our own and we wish them happiness.
The inner self of others is identical to our own and we wish them peace.
Wish others and ourselves kindness.
Wish others and ourselves forgiveness.
Wish others and ourselves acceptance.
Wish others and ourselves understanding.
Peace with ourselves and with others.
Just as we need our own boundaries,
We can now allow others to care for themselves.
To have their ideas and views and not judge or take them on.
Just as we are capable and competent in making our own decisions,
We can trust others to solve their problems and make their choices.
We can love them,
Accept them,
And breathe into our own inner self.
Being non-violent starts within ourselves.
When we are at peace with ourselves,
Kind to ourselves,
When we forgive ourselves,
Accept ourselves,
And understand ourselves,
We can then be kind,
Forgiving,
Accepting,
And understanding to others.
Breathe in non-violence.
Commit yourselves to this practice.
Who you are right now,
In this moment,
Not who you're working to be or who you want to be or think you should be.
Right now,
You deserve non-violence from yourself.
Who you are right now,
In this moment,
Not who you're working to be or who you want to be or think you should be.
Right now,
You deserve non-violence from yourself.
With each breath,
Breathe that truth in even more.
Commit to yourselves this practice.
You deserve it.
Take a few more inhales in of calm,
Courage,
Competence,
And balance.
Bring all of that with you as you slowly begin to come back into your body and into your space.
Gently make your way back to seated if you're not already there.
Maybe invite some small movements.
Gently blink the eyes a few times slowly.
Then,
As you're ready,
Returning to the world to tread lightly.
Namaste.
