Hi and welcome friend.
This is a short meditation to reconnect you with the idea of Sangha.
It's the sacred community that holds and supports you,
And with the greater web of life,
It reminds us that we are never truly alone.
So whether you're surrounded by people or sitting quietly in solitude,
This practice is an invitation to feel into your deep belonging.
Not just with other humans,
But with the earth beneath you,
The sky above you,
And the natural world that breathes alongside you.
Let this be a gentle return to your heart and your breath,
And a revisiting to the place and the great circle of connection.
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable seat,
Either upright or lying down,
And allow the eyes to softly close.
Begin by taking a few deep breaths,
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
With each exhale,
Feel your body soften and settle.
Let the earth hold you,
And let gravity remind you that you belong here.
Now bring your attention to the natural rhythm of your breath.
No need to change anything about the breathing,
Just observe.
What is the quality and cadence of your breath at the moment?
Feel the breath entering and leaving your body,
Like waves moving with the tide.
Sensing the air and the temperature of your space,
And you are part of this moment,
Part of this living world.
In the heart of some Buddhist teaching,
The word Sangha in the spiritual community means those who walk the path with us.
Taking a moment to call to mind,
What is your community?
Who are your teachers,
Your friends,
Your family,
Kind strangers,
And those who have supported you,
Seen or unseen?
Start to feel their presence around you.
Let it be a gentle reminder that you are not walking this path alone.
Even in silence,
You are held,
And you are connected.
Letting gratitude arise for this unseen web of life that helps to support you.
Now widening your awareness to also include the natural world or the more than human world.
Inviting in this felt sense of the presence of trees,
Rivers,
Mountains,
And the sky.
The earth beneath you has held countless beings before you.
Every step you've taken and every breath you've breathed has also been shared.
Inhale,
Feel the breath of the forest,
The ocean,
And the wind,
And exhale,
Releasing into the rhythm of nature,
Feeling this connection to the idea that you are part of a living Sangha that includes the birds,
The soil,
The stars.
There is no separation,
There is no isolation in truth.
And repeating quietly in your mind,
Maybe a soft whisper,
I am connected.
I am supported.
I am supported.
I am never alone.
Breathing in,
Let these words settle into your body.
Let your heart be open to this deeper truth.
This truth that even in solitude,
You are embraced by community,
By the land,
The sky,
And all those walking beside you.
Begin to return to your breath.
Feel your body here and now.
Breathing in through the nose,
And exhale with a sigh to release as you let it go.
If your eyes were closed,
Gently start to let in a little bit of light or open the eyes when you're ready.
Carry this idea of Sangha,
Or sacred community and connectedness,
And take that as a feeling of belonging.
Let it be a gentle and loving reminder that you are part of something vast,
Beautiful,
And loving.
Bringing your hands to heart center,
And just taking a moment in reflection,
Noticing anything good that you may have gleaned from this practice.
Thank you so much for sharing this space,
And just know that you are never alone.
This is Erin Joy.
Namaste.
