Hi friend,
Thank you so much for taking this time with me today,
This time that is set aside for you.
And you may be a beginner at meditation,
But everybody is capable of it regardless of what you believe about meditation,
What you've been told,
What society thinks meditation means.
In fact,
We all meditate when we have these moments of witnessing our lives,
Moments of noticing who you are in a situation,
Moments of noticing what you think about,
Where your mind goes.
So in fact,
We're all experts at meditation in differing ways.
We just can continue to grow the practice.
Meditation is not about clearing the mind.
It's about those moments of noticing.
So I want to first and foremost take away the intimidation of meditation.
I want to welcome you to be a part of a practice that is set aside for you,
Regardless of where your mind goes for the entire time we're together.
This is just a moment to sit and be and acknowledge.
So let's go ahead and do just that.
Let's find a seated position,
Spine straight,
Shoulders relaxed and away from the ears.
And you are welcome to find any different position that suits you better,
Whether that's laying down,
Child's pose,
Or anything else that feels better for you.
Find it.
And then just notice.
Arrive in your world right now.
Notice the sensations of where your body meets the ground,
The chair,
The bed.
What does it feel like in those different places where you're resting?
Take a moment just to notice each leg.
Take a moment to notice your sits bones.
Notice your shoulders.
Are they creeping up towards your ears?
Allow them to drop away.
Allow your chest to broaden.
And if your eyes aren't already closed or your gaze softened,
I welcome you to do so if it feels safe.
But this is your practice.
You can do whatever you need to.
I just do not recommend driving.
And just follow the guidance of my voice today.
As your mind goes away into different places,
Just come back and follow me so you don't have to worry about whether you're meditating correctly.
Listening to my voice and sitting here together is exactly what you were meant to do in this moment.
Notice your body again.
And maybe notice the places in your body that may need a little love.
Any aches and pains.
Any discomforts.
Just notice those places without judgment,
Without expectation.
Just witnessing your body.
And then notice your breath.
Notice that inhale,
Whether it's through your nose or through your mouth.
Notice the rise and fall of your chest.
Noticing your exhale and what it feels like to be fully emptied of air.
Maybe you've never taken time to notice your breath before.
It is so seemingly simple,
Yet it's exactly what we need in every second of every day.
Without it,
We would not be human.
Celebrate that.
And even if your breath isn't deep,
Even if there are aspects of your breathing you wish you could improve,
Just know that that is possible for you someday.
And for now,
Allow your breath to be exactly as it is.
You don't need to change the cadence of the inhales and exhales.
Just be.
Just noticing.
Notice your shoulders again.
Have they risen up towards your ears?
Allow them to fall.
Allow your spine to be straight.
Try not to lean forward or back.
And then notice your breath again.
Maybe this time you do want to take the inhales a little bit deeper.
Breathing in through the nose and imagining that breath going down your throat,
Into your chest,
Into your upper abdomen,
Your lower belly.
Maybe on that inhale you want to hold.
Maybe you don't,
And that's okay too.
Whenever you're ready to exhale,
Go ahead and do it.
Allowing the breath to move from your lower belly up through your chest,
Your throat,
And out your mouth or your nose.
Whatever feels better.
And then repeat again.
Inhaling down into your lower belly.
Imagining that breath moving through your body.
Maybe holding,
Maybe not.
And exhaling as you see fit.
And then on your next inhale I welcome you to imagine the air filling all those places in your body that may need a little love.
The places you thought of before that have some aches and pains,
Discomforts,
Or anything else.
Imagine that air filling those spaces.
And when you imagine these things,
It's okay if you can't actually visualize it.
But just feel into that sensation.
The inhale coming in and swirling around in the different spots of your body that needs it most.
Maybe it's your back,
Your legs,
Your shoulders,
Your heart,
Your stomach.
Wherever it is,
Oxygen is healing.
So just take a moment and however you imagine it or however you don't,
Inhale that healing air.
Allow it to fill those spaces and on the exhale,
Release tension from the places that no longer need to hold.
And notice where your mind goes.
Come back to your body.
Maybe add a little bit of movement into your fingers and your toes.
Maybe open your eyes.
Maybe smile.
For you have just spent 10 minutes meditating,
My friend.
Thank you so much for your time today,
And I look forward to being with you again.
