The following meditation is guided by Brienne De La Salle.
So taking a few moments before we begin to lovingly set up your space,
Gather your props.
If it's possible,
You might like to lay down even on a bed or a couch.
I like to place a pillow behind your head and perhaps a bolster or a pillow underneath your knees.
If you have an eye pillow,
Place the eye pillow over your eyes.
Just make sure you're as comfortable as possible.
Settling into your breath,
Starting to slow the breath down,
Taking a nice long inhale through the nose.
Slow exhale out of the mouth.
Empty the lungs completely.
Again,
Inhaling through the nose,
Feel that gentle rise of the belly.
You might let out an exaggerated exhale or even a sigh or some kind of sound.
Again inhale slowly.
Sensing that natural release,
Effortless letting go with each out breath.
Inhale and just allow that in breath to be received in a softening belly.
Sensing the possibility of relaxing a little more deeply with each out breath.
Just starting to soften the brow,
Just allowing the brow to be smooth.
Softening the muscles around the eyes.
Allowing the jaw to be relaxed and unhinged.
Perhaps just allowing a slight smile to come to the lips,
Just a gentle upturn at the corners of the mouth.
Perhaps a signal to the nervous system that all is well.
Just a few more of these deep full belly breaths.
Again sensing the possibility of softening a little more deeply with each out breath.
Just looking at the shoulders.
Sensing a softening around the chest and the heart area.
Softening through the entire length of your body.
And after this next out breath just allow your breath to return to the natural tidal rhythm,
Zero effort or control.
As you're resting here just almost going through a little sensory roll call noticing different smells,
Noticing the sensations in your body.
Perhaps noticing the texture of the fabric against your skin.
And the pressure exchange between your body and the surfaces beneath you.
Moving your awareness a little deeper notice how your body feels from the inside.
The texture of your body,
The sensations within.
Just becoming aware of different sounds in the space.
Listening to sounds both close in and also distant.
Reach your listening attention as far as you can into the distance.
Notice what you notice.
If at any point during this practice you notice any unexpected sounds.
Notice if your mind goes to label those unexpected sounds as interruptions or interferences.
And instead simply choose to include them as part of the practice.
As part of this moment.
If you notice your mind wandering off into thoughts.
Some kind of looping dialogue.
Just lift your listening attention off that thought or story.
Almost like lifting the needle off the record player of thinking.
And instead returning to sound.
Again and again returning to sound instead of thought.
Just remind yourself there's nothing to do but listen.
There's nowhere else to be.
There's nothing else to do but listen.
In a moment you'll hear the celestial tones of the singing bowls.
Notice the moment the sound enters your field of awareness.
See if you can follow the resonance of that note.
Notice the precise moment it merges back into the space from which it came.
Notice yourself listening and becoming more aware of the expansive space in which sound moves.
Again just following this sound.
And allow yourself to merge into that expansive space.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Notice how the sound of the celestial tones is changing.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
Now you can listen to the sound of the celestial tones.
As you inhale,
Just raise your arms above your head.
Stretch and lengthen through your spine.
Point and flex your feet.
As you exhale,
Hug your knees in towards your chest.
Give yourself a warm embrace.
And lengthen out and just place your hands on your heart.
Closing the practice with a moment of gratitude.
You can bring that half smile to your lips.
Sense that you could pour the essence of that smile into your chest and your heart space.
And bring to mind three things you're grateful for today.
Three things you're thankful for and acknowledge why.
So just finishing the sentence in your mind,
I am grateful for.
.
.
Because.
.
.
Three things.
They can be tiny,
Beautiful things,
Or those gifts of measurable grace,
The things that light up your entire life.
Just a few things you're thankful for and really acknowledge what it is about each thing that comes to mind that makes you so grateful.
When that feels complete for you,
Take your time to stretch,
To yawn,
To let out sound,
To give yourself a nice hug,
To slowly,
Slowly open your eyes and to go gently through the rest of your day.
Thank you for being here.
Namaste.
