Meditation for allowing a broader perspective.
The world we experience today is often filtered through our old beliefs and stories developed across time based on our past experiences.
And at one time in our past,
These probably helped us in our lives.
But it's good to take a step back and ask ourselves,
Is this thought still serving me now?
And do I want to keep carrying this belief forward into my present?
When you step back from the details of a problem and are no longer entangled in the raw emotions and cycle of analysis,
You're able to shed light and clarity on any situation.
It's not what you see.
It's how you choose to perceive it.
Change your perspective,
And you will see solutions.
Our intention for today's meditation is to release any outdated beliefs or thought cycles and give us a fresh perspective on the world around us,
Shifting our focus from seeing through a narrow physical lens to a broader,
Wiser,
More expansive state of consciousness.
Let's get started.
Find a comfortable seated position with your back supported,
Head and neck are free.
Hands can rest on your lap,
And you can gently close your eyes.
We will begin with a focused relaxation,
Guiding each part of our body to release tension and allow a more relaxed state.
Take a deep breath in,
And as you exhale,
Turn your attention to the crown of your head.
Breathe in,
And as you exhale,
Feel yourself releasing any tightness here.
Move your awareness down to your forehead and feel it begin to relax.
Continuing downwards,
Release any tension in your eyelids.
Relax your jaw.
Lower your tongue from the roof of your mouth.
If it feels good,
A smile can help to relax your whole face,
Even further.
Take a deep breath in and exhale,
Relaxing your neck.
Allow your shoulders to lower away from your ears.
Release any tension in your arms and hands.
Breathe in and relax your chest as you breathe out.
Relax your stomach,
Then your hips,
Your thighs.
Relax your calves,
Your feet,
Feeling it all the way down to your toes.
Take a deep breath in,
And as you exhale,
Feel your whole body relax even deeper.
Allow your natural breath to take over now.
As we move deeper into our meditation,
Give yourself permission to feel whatever comes up.
There is no right or wrong way to think or feel.
You are safe in this space.
If a negative emotion or thought arises that does not feel good to you,
It's okay.
It's perfectly natural,
And it's a necessary step in the process of growing and expanding.
Allow yourself to experience it and feel it,
But then give yourself the grace to let it go and release it as a temporary experience.
Take a deep breath in and release it out.
We will now begin to create a picture in our mind's eye.
Imagine a beautiful,
Vast sky on a clear sunny day.
You may choose to see yourself sitting or laying on a field of lush green grass.
It feels soft and it supports you.
Moving your awareness upwards,
You see pillowy,
White clouds floating above.
Feel a soft breeze blowing.
See how the clouds slowly pass by you.
As thoughts arise,
Simply view them as clouds that come and go,
Gently moving across the sky.
They carry your thoughts away,
Which no longer serve you.
You can release each thought one by one,
Recycling them back into nature.
Each breath out is like a breeze carrying the clouds away,
Along with any old thoughts,
Feelings,
Worries,
No longer part of your present moment.
Here in this space,
There is no need to plan,
Do,
Or think about anything.
No need to analyze or contemplate on things.
Here you can give yourself permission to just be.
Breathe in and out.
Be gentle with yourself.
You don't have to push away thoughts.
Just allow your breath to be that gentle breeze that softly guides them away.
Here,
You are no longer the experiencer of your thoughts and emotions,
But an observer.
You are seeing through the lens of wisdom and compassion now.
From this space of stillness and inner peace,
Everything looks different.
Here you can see things much more clearly than ever before.
To carry us into an even deeper state,
We will now introduce today's mantra.
Thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky.
My breath is my anchor.
Thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky.
My breath is my anchor.
Thoughts pass by like clouds in the sky.
My breath is my anchor.
Repeat this mantra on your own for the next several minutes in silence until you hear my bell and voice to guide you out.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
You can always return to your visualization or your breath in and out if that feels good to you.
Keeping your eyes closed,
Take a few deep breaths in and out.
If it feels good,
You may choose to continue to sit in stillness,
Enjoying this new energy you have created in your body.
Otherwise,
As you're ready,
You may gently wiggle your fingers and toes,
Shifting awareness once again from the inner world back to the outer physical world.
As you're ready,
You can gently blink your eyes open.
To close out our meditation,
I wanted to remind you that with every meditation sitting,
You're gaining a newer,
Broader perspective on your own life.
And you're strengthening your ability to make this shift more easily and deliberately.
It's unlikely that an old habit would be released overnight,
But rather this happens gradually through repetition and integration of new patterns across time.
Take this wisdom with you and apply it to your waking state.
In any situation,
In any moment,
You have the power to shift your own perspective.
Know that any uncomfortable thought or feeling you experience is actually an opportunity for further clarity and growth.
And it's temporary.
Acknowledge it,
Experience it,
And then release it.
I'm so glad that you carved out this time for yourself that you so well deserve.
You are worthy just as you are.
Sending love and light from my heart to yours.
Namaste.