Good morning,
This is a meditation to ground and center for teaching in pandemic times.
Allow yourself to find a comfortable seat.
When you're comfortable,
You can close your eyes and begin to settle into the body.
Feel your sit bones grounded into your chair and begin to stack your vertebrae,
One on top of the other.
Scanning the body now for any tension.
Bringing your awareness to the jaw.
You can gently open and close the jaw and relax the jaw.
Bringing your awareness to the chest.
Just noticing if there's any tension here.
You might back your whole torso up an inch or two and see if that shifts you from the stance of worry to the place of just being here.
Scanning the belly and noticing if you can release and relax any tension in the belly.
And begin to breathe deeply and slowly,
Filling the belly up like a balloon.
And as you exhale,
Just letting out any remaining tension in the body.
Breathing into the belly,
Releasing any tension.
You can continue this intentional breath that engages your parasympathetic nervous system and down regulates belly breathing.
As you feel yourself starting to calm and settle into the moment,
You can begin to scan the body.
You can begin to scan through the thoughts and scan through any feelings that are present.
Just beginning to notice what's here.
There's nothing right or wrong to think or feel.
You can allow everything to be just as it is.
You may sense thoughts of uncertainty.
There might be some anxiety about the unknown.
There may be some fear present.
Just beginning to name those things.
Understanding where the fear,
Anxiety,
Or uncertainty lives for you in your body.
Some places might be the throat,
The chest,
Or the belly.
Once you've located the space,
Begin to pull your breath into this area.
Imagine your breath creating more space.
The breath is cooling,
Calming,
And brings ease.
The breath is always here and reminds you that you have the strength to navigate what is uncertain.
Everything in your life has prepared you for this moment.
Begin breathing into this space and notice if there's change.
Breathing in a sense of resiliency and releasing any tension or anxiety as you exhale.
Breathing in a sense of courage and as you exhale,
Letting go of anything that isn't serving you.
Touching into that place now where you feel your innermost strength,
Your grit,
Your tenacity,
Connecting with that place in yourself and breathing into that place.
Let that innermost place of strength begin to expand throughout the body into the arms and the legs,
Up into the head,
Expanding beyond the body.
Repeating these words,
I know that I have the strength to navigate this uncertainty with grace and ease.
Can bring both of your hands to your heart and gently offer a message to yourself that you really need to hear,
Taking a quiet moment,
A few more breaths.
Gently opening your eyes,
Coming back.
