You may know the experience of carrying unnecessary weight and emotional toll.
That deep,
Dark or heavy weight in your body,
In your mood.
And at surface level or consciously,
The cause seems unclear.
For me,
Giving myself the space during meditation to notice and accept what I might be subconsciously holding onto has allowed me to become a little freer.
And that's the wonderful thing about meditation.
It's incredibly personal and explorative.
The longer you spend sitting with yourself,
The more you learn.
So may this practice provide you with space,
Clarity and relief too.
Begin to settle in,
Deciding at this time whether you'd like to lie down or sit upright.
And make yourself comfortable,
Obtaining any props you may need.
And even if you've already found yourself arriving into stillness,
Ask yourself,
Am I as comfortable as I can be?
And take the time now to make any final adjustments so that you can be as open and engaged in this practice as possible.
If you haven't already,
Close down your eyes or find a soft gaze out in front of you.
Soften any rough edges,
Release any tension held throughout your body.
Smooth the muscles in your face.
Allow your shoulders to drop.
Relax your belly.
Land into your practice now with three deep breaths in and out through the nostrils.
Each one a little deeper than the last.
And drawing attention to the belly so you're expanding and breathing fully.
Begin to rest your attention on an anchor now.
One that feels right for you.
This could be the feeling of your chest or belly rising and falling.
The sensation of your breath flowing through your nose.
Even imagining the breath as a light or a soft glow.
Either way,
Find what works for you and feel yourself becoming settled.
It's interesting how we take such good care of our physical bodies.
We carry only what we can physically manage.
We encourage and seek out the assistance of others to share the load at times.
So why is it we don't treat our mental or emotional capacity the same way?
We all too often take on more than we can manage,
Whether it be over-committing,
Prioritizing the needs of others,
The pressures of deadlines,
Or consuming emotional or influential media too frequently.
For the next 15 minutes,
With your attention rested on your breath,
See if you can allow yourself to observe what arises and tries to hook you.
You'll hear me prompt you from time to time,
But I really want you to have the space that you need.
So feel free to sink as deep as you like into this practice.
Allow your breath to relieve you.
Its gentle rhythmic flow soothes you.
As you inhale,
You expand the belly,
Chest,
And back body,
Drawing in the nutrients that nourish you.
And when you exhale,
Contract and release what is not needed.
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What weight are you carrying?
What is coming up for you in this moment,
And this moment,
And the next?
Bring awareness to the stories your mind is telling,
The emotions,
Thoughts,
Beliefs,
Memories even.
Can you allow your mind to be as it is?
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Nothing in this space is good or bad,
Right or wrong.
It just is.
And it's the practice of redirecting your attention,
Your energy back to your anchor,
That with time,
Releases a little more and lightens the weight.
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Recognize the lightness,
Effortlessness of your breath.
Your body knows how to breathe.
It knows to exhale and let go of what doesn't serve it.
And by surrendering to the experiences of this practice,
You too can let go of what does not serve you.
You too can choose to be free of things that weigh you down.
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As we near the end of this practice,
Begin to soften your attention on your anchor.
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