Week 1.
The body.
Let's begin by closing our eyes and taking a few breaths.
Just normal,
Simple breaths.
What does it feel like to breathe?
Noticing the difference in sensation between breathing through the mouth and breathing through the nose.
You may want to place your hands on your stomach or on your rib cage.
Simply noticing the relationship between your breath,
Your body and the air.
What does it feel like to breathe?
Noticing the difference in sensation between breathing through the mouth and breathing through the nose.
What does it feel like to breathe?
Noticing the difference in sensation between breathing through the mouth and breathing through the nose.
Awakening our imaginations.
I wonder if you can sense where the air that you are breathing has been before.
Perhaps in clouds.
Or drifting past mountains.
Or floating over oceans.
Perhaps this air has even been in other plants and animals.
I wonder what kind of journey the air has been on before it became a part of us.
Noticing that right now you are within what you call your own body.
I wonder what it feels like to be in your body right now.
Perhaps you can notice what your body feels like internally as if you're feeling from the inside out.
Perhaps begin with just one finger.
What does it feel like to have this finger?
And then your whole hand.
What does it feel like to have this hand?
And then perhaps your entire arm.
And now adding your other arm into your awareness.
What is it like to have arms?
And adding your neck,
Shoulders,
Chest,
Back,
Your stomach,
Your core,
And your legs.
The whole body.
What does it feel like to be in the body right here and right now?
Noticing that perhaps your body is asking you for something.
Perhaps a little stretch or a little massage.
And being generous with ourselves.
Give the body whatever it's asking for.
What does it feel like to give your body what it is asking for?
Noticing that right now your body may be sitting or standing or laying down.
What does that feel like?
And now allowing the body to move.
Perhaps beginning with small movements.
Just noticing all of the tiny adjustments the body makes.
The movement of bones,
Muscles,
And tendons.
Noticing what it feels like to move.
Noticing the intricacy of even the most subtle movements.
And coming back to stillness.
What does it feel like in the body to be still?
What does it feel like to rest?
And placing our hands over our hearts.
Just noticing what does it feel like to have a heart?
What does that sensation feel like?
What does it feel like to have a heart?
As we come to the end of this exploration,
Just take a few minutes to simply be here.
Noticing what it feels like to be in your body,
Here in this place,
And in this moment.
Just noticing what it feels like to be in your body.
Just noticing.
Noticing what it feels like to be here.
Perhaps a story will arise from the body.
And if a story does arise,
Then perhaps just noting it in your journal for later.
In closing,
Let's take one more breath.
And whenever you're feeling ready,
Open your eyes.
