Welcome to this meditation for emotional regulation and grounded presence.
Cultivating balance,
Lightness,
Calm and clarity.
So begin by finding a comfortable seated position.
Grounding into the sitting bones,
Lengthening through the spine.
Lightly engaging the core,
Relaxing the shoulders,
The torso,
The jaw,
The face.
Feeling the feet firmly resting on the floor.
Closing down the eyes or softening the gaze,
Whichever feels most comfortable for you.
Take a light,
Slow,
Deep breath in through your nose and exhale fully out through the mouth.
Inhaling deeply once more,
Feeling the breath expand into your ribcage and then exhaling completely,
Letting go of any tension or heaviness.
And then allowing your breath to settle into its natural rhythm.
Breathing in and out through the nose,
There's nothing to change,
Only to observe.
Notice the gentle rise and fall of your body as you breathe.
Feel the weight of your body on the surface beneath you,
Grounding you.
And imagine roots growing from the base of your spine,
Anchoring you to the earth.
And with each exhale,
Feel yourself becoming more stable,
More grounded and more present in this moment.
And in yoga,
We talk about the three gunas,
The three modes of mental operation.
And these three qualities of nature influence our inner state.
Sattva,
The quality of balance,
Clarity and harmony.
Rajas,
The quality of activity,
Restlessness or agitation.
And Tamas,
The quality of heaviness,
Inertia or stagnation.
And take a moment to reflect upon these qualities.
Without judgment,
Notice which one feels most present in you right now.
Do you feel calm and balanced?
Restless or busy?
Or perhaps heavy and stuck?
And then shifting your awareness gently towards Sattva,
The quality of balance and clarity using your breath.
As you inhale,
Imagine the breath bringing lightness and harmony into your body.
And as you slowly release the breath,
Let go of any tension,
Heaviness or restlessness.
And continuing this for a few rounds of breath.
Inhale balance and clarity.
Exhaling tension and heaviness.
With each breath,
Feel yourself moving closer to a state of harmony.
Imagine your mind as a still,
Clear lake.
Any ripples of agitation or heaviness begin to settle,
Leaving the surface calm and reflective.
As you continue to breathe,
Silently repeat to yourself,
I am balanced.
I am calm.
I am at ease.
And let these words guide you deeper into a state of Sattva.
Where your mind and body feel steady and at peace.
Now turn your attention to the practice of Pratyahara.
Tuning your senses inward.
This is the art of creating space between the outer world and your inner experience.
Allowing you to connect with your truest self.
Begin by noticing the sounds around you.
Without judgement,
Simply observe them.
Maybe the hum of a distant noise.
The sound of your breath.
Or the quiet of your room.
And then imagine gently closing a door to the outside world.
With each breath,
Feel yourself retreating into a quiet,
Safe space within.
This is your sanctuary.
A place where you can simply be free from distractions or demands.
Bring your attention to your body.
Noticing the sensations of your hands resting on your lap or on your knees.
The weight of your body on the surface beneath you.
Allow these sensations to anchor you into this present moment.
Now shift your focus to your breath.
Feel the air entering your nostrils.
Cool and refreshing.
And as it leaves your nostrils,
Warm and soft.
With each inhale,
Draw your awareness inward.
And with each exhale,
Let go of anything pulling you outward.
As you continue to breathe,
Imagine creating space within yourself.
Space to pause.
Space to observe.
Space to simply be.
And silently repeat to yourself,
I create space for calm and clarity.
I am safe in this moment.
And in yoga,
We recognise that our reactions are often shaped by samskara.
Deeply ingrained patterns of thought and behaviour.
These patterns may feel automatic,
But with awareness we can begin to soften and transform them.
Take a moment to reflect.
Is there a pattern or reaction that has felt challenging for you recently?
Maybe it's a feeling of frustration,
Rejection,
Guilt or overwhelm.
Whatever comes to mind,
Allow it to gently surface without judgement.
And as you breathe,
Imagine observing this pattern from a distance.
See it not as a part of you,
But as something outside of you.
Like a ripple on the surface of a pond.
There's no need to analyse or to fix.
Only to notice.
Now with each exhale,
Imagine softening the edges of this pattern.
Visualise the ripple becoming smaller and quieter.
Until the surface of the pond is calm and still.
With each breath,
Create space for a new response.
One rooted in balance,
Presence and compassion.
And silently repeating to yourself,
I release what no longer serves me.
I create space for new possibilities.
Feel yourself letting go of the grip of old patterns.
Making space for clarity,
For calm.
And ease.
And then take a moment now to reflect on how you feel.
Notice any shifts in your energy or your emotions.
Maybe you feel more lighter,
Rounded or at ease.
Bring to your mind something you are grateful for in this moment.
Perhaps there's stillness.
Maybe it's your breath.
Or maybe it's the time you've taken to take care of yourself.
Silently repeat the following affirmation.
I am balanced,
Calm and present.
I create space for clarity and harmony in my life.
Allowing these words to settle in your mind and in your heart.
Anchoring you in this sense of balance and presence.
And then slowly taking some deeper breaths.
Gently bringing your awareness back to your body.
Feel the weight of your body on the surface beneath you.
The sensation of your hands resting on your lap.
Take a light,
Slow,
Deep breath in.
Exhaling fully.
Slowly.
Start to wiggle the fingers and the toes.
Bringing some gentle movement back to your body.
As you come back to full awakened consciousness.
When you are ready,
Bowing down your chin.
Flickering open your eyes.
Lifting your head.
Taking in the sights around you.
Returning to the present moment with a sense of balance and calm.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself today.
Carry this steadiness and clarity you've cultivated into the rest of your day.
