Welcome to your meditation practice.
My name is Jen.
Begin by lying comfortably on your back.
Allow your legs to extend naturally with space between your feet.
Let your feet soften outward.
Rest your arms alongside your body,
Slightly away from your ribs.
With your palms turned upward.
Or resting comfortably.
Place support behind your head or your knees.
If that would help your body to settle.
Covering your body with a blanket.
Is very helpful knowing that the body may become cooler as it moves into relaxation.
Once you are comfortable.
Allow your eyes to close.
You may decide to cover your eyes with a soft cloth or a special cover.
And now feel the surface beneath you supporting the weight of your body.
The volume,
The density of the body being held.
There is nothing you need to hold.
Nothing you need to change.
Nothing you need to accomplish.
And you cannot do this practice wrong.
Notice the natural movement of your breath as you rest here.
Sense and feel the breath enter.
Sense and feel the breath leave.
There's no need to deepen or control your breathing.
Allow the breath to move in its own quiet rhythm.
Now bring your awareness to your whole body resting.
Your whole body resting.
Shaviatra is a deeply relaxing meditation practice rooted in the Himalayan tradition.
During this practice,
Your attention will travel through 61 points within your body.
As each point is named,
Gently place your awareness there.
You are invited to imagine a warm thread of light moving with your awareness.
At each point.
The thread leaves behind a tiny star.
A small,
Steady light glowing from within.
As the journey continues,
The warm thread gently weaves one point to the next,
Gradually creating a constellation throughout your body.
There is no need to hold the image perfectly.
You may visualize the light.
Sense its warmth,
Or simply feel your awareness traveling from point to point.
You will not need to move the body.
You do not need to analyze anything that you feel.
Simply sense each point.
Allow the light to arrive.
And then follow the thread onward.
Let us begin.
Gently bring your awareness to the center between the eyebrows.
Imagine a tiny star of warm light appearing at the eyebrow center.
And from this first point,
A delicate thread of light begins to travel.
Follow the warm thread down to the throat center.
A second point of light appears.
And the thread continues toward the right side of the body.
Right shoulder joint.
Right elbow.
Right wrist,
A tiny star.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the index finger.
Tip of the middle finger.
Tip of the ring finger.
Tip of the little finger.
A tiny star of light rests at each point.
The whole right hand.
Now follow the warm thread as it traces its way.
Back to the right wrist.
Right elbow.
Right shoulder.
The throat center.
The thread crosses gently toward the left side of your body.
Left shoulder joint.
Left elbow.
Left wrist,
A soft tiny star.
Tip of the thumb.
Tip of the index finger.
Tip of the middle finger.
Tip of the ring finger.
Tip of the little finger.
Notice the small points of warm light illuminating your left hand.
Follow the thread as it travels back to your left wrist.
Left elbow.
Left shoulder.
Throat center.
Feel the luminous pathway extending through both arms and hands.
And now this gentle thread descends into the chest.
The heart center.
The middle of the chest.
A warm point of light glows at your heart today.
Right side of the chest.
Heart Center.
Left side of the chest.
Heart center.
The warm thread gently weaves from one side of the chest to the other.
Always returning to the steady light of the heart.
And now you are guided to follow the thread downward.
The upper abdomen.
Solar plexus.
Lower abdomen.
Low belly center.
A soft,
Warm light.
Now travels from the heart.
Into the center of the body.
This thread continues toward your right leg.
Right hip joint.
Right knee.
Right ankle.
Tip of the big toe.
Tip of the second toe.
Tip of the third toe.
Tip of the fourth toe.
Tip of the baby toe.
Sense and feel each toe illuminated by its own tiny star.
Follow the thread as it travels back up to the right ankle.
Write me.
Right hip.
Lower abdomen.
The thread moves towards your left leg.
Left hip joint.
Left knee.
Left ankle.
Tip of the big toe.
Tip of the second toe.
Tip of the third toe.
Tip of the fourth toe.
Tip of the baby toe.
Each point becoming a small star within this growing constellation.
And now follow this warm thread back up to the left ankle.
Left knee.
Left hip.
Lower abdomen.
The thread returns through the central pathway of the body.
The upper abdomen.
Heart center.
And throat center.
Center.
Between the eyebrows.
Remain at the eyebrow center for a few quiet breaths here.
Sense the warm thread of light that has traveled throughout your body.
Allowing your awareness to expand.
Imagining all 61 points glowing together.
Tiny stars of warm light within the hands and arms.
The shoulders,
Throat,
And chest.
The heart,
Abdomen,
And pelvis.
The hips,
Legs,
Feet,
And toes.
Each point distinct yet connected.
A constellation has been woven throughout your body.
A quiet inner sky formed by awareness.
Notice the delicate threads of light connecting one point to another.
Nothing is separate.
Each point belongs to the whole.
Each light is part of the greater pattern.
Sense this constellation glowing softly beneath the surface of the body.
With each inhalation,
The lights become gently luminous.
With each exhalation,
The whole body settles more deeply into support.
You do not need to brighten the light or hold this image in place.
Just allow this constellation to shimmer naturally.
Steady.
Warm and quiet.
Feel your whole body resting within this woven field of light.
The whole body supported.
Whole body breathing.
Whole body illuminated from within.
Rest here for some moments.
Perhaps the edges of the individual points begin to soften.
The stars remain,
But the light between them grows fuller.
Many points become one field of warmth.
One body,
One breath.
One luminous presence.
There is nowhere else you need to be.
If you are using this practice to prepare for sleep.
You may remain here and allow the constellation to accompany you into rest.
If you are completing the practice,
Begin to deepen your breath gradually.
The constellation remains within you.
Even as your awareness begins to expand into the space around you.
Feel the surface beneath your body.
Become aware of the room you are resting in.
Sounds you may hear.
Invite a little movement into your fingers and toes.
You may decide to gently circle your wrists or ankles if that is comfortable.
Perhaps you stretch your arms overhead,
Lengthening the body from your fingertips through your heels,
Welcoming the rest of your day.
When you are ready,
You may gently roll onto either side.
Rest there for a few breaths.
Imagine gathering the warmth of the constellation towards your heart.
Carrying its steadiness.
Within you.
Okay.
Using your hands for support.
Slowly guide yourself to a comfortable seated position.
Let your head rise last.
Notice the quiet light within you.
And may you remember that even when you cannot see the entire pattern.
Each point of your experience belongs.
Each breath is part of the weaving and each moment is part of the constellation.
When you are ready.
You may gently open your eyes.
The practice of Savyatra is complete.
