Welcome to today's meditation session.
Find a comfortable seat to practice,
Either seated in a chair or on the floor,
And make sure that you feel pretty relaxed and supported in your seat,
Trying to release any unnecessary tension from your body.
As you're ready to begin practice,
You can let your eyes close and begin to become aware of your breathing.
Relaxing here so that your muscles start to release,
And the entire body lets go of tension.
Sense the steadiness of your breath,
Watching how it moves through you in a rhythmic pattern.
The inhalation has a beginning,
Middle,
And end.
The exhalation has a beginning,
Middle,
And end.
Each inhale moves into the next exhale,
And each exhale moves into the next inhale.
Bring your awareness to the support underneath you,
Experiencing how it holds your body.
Feel this connection of your hips and sitting bones against the support,
And notice if other areas of your legs are touching the floor.
Be aware of the sensations of these points of contact,
Letting this support be a reminder that we are always supported by our environment,
The people,
And things around us.
Even when it feels like we're alone in our pain and difficulty,
We can remember these connections and the strength of being connected.
Start to imagine now that each inhale draws the power of the earth up into your body through these points of connection,
And each exhale helps you soften into this strength and release fear.
Continuing to sense this power with the breath,
Feeling the inner strength you are cultivating and the fear that you are letting go up,
Bringing in the courage to handle difficulty in your body,
Mind,
And emotion,
Releasing any resistance or attempt to avoid your present experience.
Inhaling courage and exhaling fear.
Inhaling courage and strength.
Exhaling fears and worry.
The inner strength we're building allows us to be with our experiences,
Fully and completely,
Without avoiding what's happening.
Let this strength help you be present with courage,
Realizing that we don't have to like the way it is now.
But if we can let ourselves experience it,
It can continue to move through us,
To be released,
And we can reduce our own suffering.
Each moment is different,
And we pay attention deeply and watch the shifts as we relax more into the breath.
Breathing in courage and strength.
Breathing out fear and worry.
Feel your whole body here and the inner strength you've cultivated through this practice.
As you're ready,
Start to reconnect with the room around you.
And when the time is right,
Slowly begin to open your eye,
Gently move your body,
And mindfully transition back into your day.
