Mindful Arrival

Begin by settling into a comfortable posture,

Either seated or standing,

Whichever is going to provide greater support for you in this moment.

And as you settle in,

You're welcome to close your eyes or simply lower your gaze.

And if it would feel comfortable for you,

You can take a deep breath.

Notice what your body feels like in this moment.

Getting curious about sensations like temperature,

Texture,

Weight,

Or any other sensation that might be present.

And now see if there's any place in your body that's holding stress or tension.

Maybe in the forehead,

The jaw,

The shoulders,

Or the belly,

Or anywhere else.

And if there is tension,

Seeing if you can invite your body to soften and to be at rest.

Now bring your attention inward and ask yourself,

How do I feel in this moment?

Whatever emotion is there,

Labeling it with one word,

Whether it's pleasant,

Neutral,

Or unpleasant.

Just making some space by naming it.

Now,

Set an intention for this gathering,

Picking two,

Three,

Or maybe even four words.

How do you get to show up?

Interesting that these intentions have been set.

We'll bring this practice to a close simply by noticing your breath wherever it feels the clearest in your body,

Or noticing sound or the sound of silence.

So whichever is going to be more easeful for you,

Just let the last couple of moments unfold one breath or one sound at a time.

Now begin to make your way back,

Wiggling your toes and fingers,

If your eyes were closed,

Allowing them to open and arriving.