Welcome.
Let's begin by arriving fully into this moment.
Choose a posture that feels grounded and supportive.
You may be seated or lying down.
Let your body settle and your breath begin to slow.
If you're comfortable,
Gently close your eyes.
Let your hands rest loosely.
Feel the body's contact with the ground or chair.
Take a deep breath in and slowly exhale.
Again,
Inhale and exhale.
Now,
Let the breath return to its natural rhythm.
Let your awareness settle into the body.
Bring to mind an emotion that's been present for you recently,
One that's been difficult.
It could be stress,
Sadness,
Frustration,
Worry.
Choose something manageable.
You are safe here.
Rather than analyzing it,
Gently locate where this emotion lives in your body.
Is it in the chest,
The throat,
The belly,
The jaw?
Notice the sensations that are tied to the feeling.
Whatever is present,
Just notice it,
Not trying to fix or change,
Just being with it.
You might silently say,
This is here.
This is what I'm feeling right now.
As you breathe,
Soften around the emotion.
You don't need to dive in.
You're just making room for it,
Like offering a chair to a visitor.
Try saying gently to yourself,
This is part of being human.
Others feel this too.
May I meet this moment with compassion?
Place a hand gently on your heart or wherever it feels comforting.
Feel that contact as an offering of kindness.
Let the emotion be held without needing to go away.
Stay here for a few more breaths.
Let the feeling rise,
Fall,
Change,
Whatever it wants to do.
Your breath is your anchor.
You are steady.
Now let the image or memory that brought the emotion fade.
Bring your attention back to the breath.
Just breathing.
Just being.
Notice how it feels to have stayed with something hard rather than turning away.
Notice your body now.
Notice your breath.
Take a final breath in.
And a long,
Gentle exhale.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Move gently into what's next,
Knowing you can return to this practice at any time.
Thank you so much for your practice today.