Welcome to your practice.
Welcome to your moment.
Make sure you're comfortable in whatever position feels right for you at the moment.
Begin to notice your breath.
Feel the breath in and feel the breath out.
Now start to focus on the exhale and if it's comfortable start to lengthen it a little.
Feel as if each exhale is helping you drop down,
It's helping you ground,
It's perhaps helping any stagnant or stuck energy be released away from you down into the earth beneath you.
Allow your body to grow heavy.
Feel the earth beneath you supporting you.
Feel the weight of your body softening.
Feel the front body softening,
The belly,
The ribs,
The heart.
Let gravity hold you.
Allow your practice to hold you completely.
The dark moon is the moon's quiet exhale.
A time for release,
For comfortable emptiness,
For returning inward.
Imagine above you the sky turning velvety black,
A moon invisible,
Resting,
Preparing to begin again.
With each breath out,
Invite the body to let go a little more.
The jaw softens,
The shoulders widen,
The back body expands gently with breath and then settles again into stillness.
Sense the support beneath you like cool dark soil,
The place where seeds rest before they know that they will grow.
In the dark moon nothing is asked of you.
You don't need to shine,
You don't need to strive,
You are simply here,
Held,
Supported enough.
Allow any thoughts that arise to drift like clouds across a moonless sky,
Soft,
Distant,
Passing.
Return again and again to the simple feeling of being breathed,
Nothing to manage,
Nothing to fix.
If it feels right,
Invite a quiet inner whisper.
I release.
I rest.
I begin again.
I release.
I rest.
I begin again.
Rest in this spaciousness for a few more breaths,
Letting the dark moon wrap around you,
Holding you in quiet renewal.
When you feel ready,
Bring a little awareness back into the physical body.
Notice the temperature of the skin,
The gentle rhythm of your breath and a subtle return of energy.
Take one slow nourishing inhale and a long emptying exhale.
The moon has received what you're ready to let go of.
May you return lighter,
Clearer and quietly renewed.
Thank you for joining me.
