Supporting Your Digestive System

Finding a comfortable position to meditate in today.

Becoming aware of your body and your posture.

Noticing how your body is feeling in this moment.

And moving your body to feel as comfortable and stable and as strong as you can in this moment ready for your meditation.

Whether that position is sitting up or lying down or standing.

Ensuring that your spine is as long and straight as possible.

You might like to slightly tuck your chin and bring a gentle smile to your face.

And be aware of how this can relax your jaw.

Even if just a little.

Allowing your shoulders to drop down and away from your ears if possible.

Allow them to soften.

Placing your hands in your lap or beside your body.

Whatever is comfortable for you.

And moving around and adjusting as much as you need.

Knowing that you can adjust your posture whenever you need to during the meditation.

This is your meditation and your experience.

So honouring whatever it is you need to do during the meditation.

Becoming aware of the space that you are about to meditate in.

Taking note of the colours and textures and objects that are surrounding you right now.

Noticing in as much detail as you can manage.

Noticing any patterns and how far away or how close objects are to you.

And as you take in the details of your environment,

Being aware of how this is bringing you into the present moment.

Allowing you to feel grounded and present with this moment in time.

The only moment that exists.

If you feel comfortable closing your eyes.

If you'd like to leave them open,

Perhaps just lowering your gaze a little and allowing it to fix on an object in front of you.

Tuning in to your sense of hearing.

Being aware of any sounds off into the distance.

Bringing your awareness of sounds to the space you are in right now.

Noticing any sounds that are close by or perhaps within your body.

As you breathe through your nostrils,

Becoming aware of any smells that are present.

These could be candles or perfumes or your clothing.

Tuning in and taking note of what is present right now or noting the absence of any smell.

Observing your sense of taste.

It might help to swallow or move your tongue around in your mouth.

Becoming aware of the surface that is beneath you for meditation today.

Whether you're being supported by a chair or a mat or the floor or a mattress.

Really tuning in to the surface beneath you and the parts of your body that are touching the surface.

Allow yourself to feel supported.

And perhaps even softening a little bit more and sinking into the surface.

Feeling it to hold you and support you.

Now tuning in to the parts of you that aren't touching any surfaces and noting the difference.

Explore the sensation of the air around you.

Perhaps feeling the air lightly touching your skin.

Notice the feeling of your clothing or other fabrics touching your skin.

Exploring this experience of touch.

Again allowing this to bring you deeper and deeper into the present moment.

Bringing all of you and all of your energy into this moment in time.

Allowing your awareness to rest with your breath.

Feeling your breath without the need to change it.

Noticing your inhale and exhale.

And the movements within your body with each inhale and exhale.

Noticing your awareness on your stomach as it rises and falls with your breath.

Now allow your awareness to rest in your chest area.

Being aware of your lungs and your ribs as they expand and contract with each inhale and exhale.

Becoming aware of your breath entering your nostrils and exiting your nostrils.

Noticing your awareness here for a moment.

Now following your entire in breath and out breath.

Feeling aware of the movements that take place as you breathe in and breathe out.

Feeling gratitude for your breath and all that it does.

During the meditation if your mind is wandering,

Which is what minds do,

Become aware of your wandering mind and when you do you might like to take note of where your mind has gone,

Whether that is off into the future or past.

Then smile at your mind and gently bring your attention back to the breath or to what is happening in the meditation.

Continually bringing your mind back to the present moment.

And you can do this as many times as you need to.

This is a natural part of meditation.

Becoming aware of your mind when it is wandering and then gently and kindly bringing its focus and awareness back to your breath.

And when your mind is a little busier than usual then this is an opportunity to practice settling and calming your mind with as much gentleness,

Compassion and patience as possible.

Allowing your awareness to now rest with your head,

The top of your head,

Back of your head,

Your face,

Neck,

Shoulders.

Becoming aware of your left arm,

Left hand and fingers.

Becoming aware of your right arm,

Right hand and fingers.

Observing your chest area,

Allowing your awareness to rest on your heart and allowing it to soften and open as much as possible.

Becoming aware of your stomach area,

Your upper and lower abdomen,

Allowing in relaxation and softening with your in-breath and allowing and letting go with your out-breath.

Shifting your awareness to your pelvic area,

Your hips,

Your left upper leg,

Your knee,

Lower leg,

Left foot all the way down to your toes.

Now taking your awareness to your right upper leg,

Your knee,

Lower leg and all the way down to your right foot and toes.

Now hold your whole body in full awareness in this moment in time.

Exploding your awareness to your digestive system,

Your mouth,

Tongue,

Teeth,

Your epiglottis,

Your esophagus,

Your stomach towards the left side of your upper abdomen,

Your liver towards the right side of your upper abdomen,

Your gallbladder below the liver,

Your pancreas sitting behind your stomach,

Your small intestine,

The full length of your small intestine,

Your large intestine following it as it comes up the right side of your abdomen across the top of your abdomen and down the left hand side of your abdomen to where it reaches your rectum and then your anus.

Exploding your full digestive system and associated organs in your awareness.

And as you do this take a moment to inquire what it is that you might be able to do to support your digestive system.

Perhaps you might decide to chew your food a little bit more.

You might discover you need a little bit more water to support your digestive system.

You might try some mindful eating even if it's only for a few moments of each meal to start with being mindful of the colors,

Textures,

Tastes and smells and the feeling of the food in your mouth.

You might tune in to the foods that your body needs and provide your digestive system with a great selection of foods in a very balanced way.

Perhaps eating less or eating more or identifying the portion size that is right for you in each moment.

You might like to experiment with taking calming centering mindful breaths before you eat so you can feel present with your food.

When we are under stress our body doesn't give a lot of attention to the digestive system.

The body directs its resources to other areas because it's ready to protect us and keep us safe and this means digestion isn't a high priority when we are feeling stressed.

So before your next meal you might like to take some mindful breaths and allow your body to know that it is safe and that it can switch into rest and digest mode.

You might like to develop a gratitude practice before each meal which can support your digestive system.

Again holding the whole digestive system in your awareness having gratitude for all that it does.

And as you do this become curious about exactly what your digestive system would like from you.

Allow yourself to open into the inquiry feeling receptive to the answers that come.

Tuning into your body and your digestive system and allow it to speak to you.

You might like to internally ask what does my digestive system need from me today?

Putting go of your mind as much as you can and being open to receiving answers from your deeper wisdom.

Allowing answers to easily float into your consciousness and accepting with gratitude Being with your experience whether that is receiving insight or still remaining open to what you might receive.

Only tuning into your digestive system remaining open to any messages it may have for you.

Gently letting the question go as you remain with your breath as your anchor.

Breathing in this still expansive energy for a moment remaining open and receptive to your deeper wisdom.

Il subjectsSo d you.

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