Let's begin this meditation by finding a comfortable position for your body.
For this practice,
I would recommend seated if possible.
Course adjust to make this work for your body.
If you can,
Elongating the spine.
Softening the shoulders.
Unclenching the jaw.
Just give yourself permission to be here for the next few minutes.
Practicing your meditation.
We're going to begin.
With some physical nervous system work,
Some somatic work for the vagus nerve and the body.
So we'll start by taking our hands,
Cradling your head.
So one hand cradles the forehead,
One hand comes to the back of the head,
And with very,
Very light pressure,
Press the hands towards one another.
Very light.
Is cradling the head.
Feeling the warmth of the hands.
I'm just noticing any effects even.
This simple exercise has on your body or your thoughts.
Now taking your hands.
Crossing them in front of you and taking your hands,
Squeezing down opposite arms.
Just giving your upper arms a little squeeze,
Moving the hands down and back up.
Doing this a few more times.
Now taking your hands behind your head,
Interlacing the fingers at the back of the skull.
Opening the elbows out wide.
And without moving your head at all,
Just take your eyes,
Look all the way over to the right.
And hold this position,
Gazing over to the right.
Head is still,
Nose still pointed forward but gazing with the eyes to the right until you sigh or yawn or have some kind of a shift in the mouth or throat.
And now bringing your gaze all the way over to the left,
Keeping your head pointed forward,
Only the eyes move all the way to the left.
Once again waiting.
Or a yawn or a sigh.
Some kind of shift in the mouth or throat.
And once that happens.
.
.
Releasing the hands,
Bringing the eyes back to center.
And if it feels good to you,
Closing down the eyes,
You could lay down now if you want.
And bring yourself into your body.
And into this space.
Experiencing this moment.
Be present with your surroundings.
And feel your body.
Feel your body in this meditation position.
Notice your skin.
Your muscles.
Your bones.
Perhaps you can feel the gentle pulse of your heartbeat within your body.
And feel your entire body and any sensations you're experiencing right here.
And right now.
Be present with your body.
Shifting your awareness to your belly.
Feel the gentle rise and fall of the belly.
As you breathe in.
And as you breathe out.
Allow the breath to flow effortlessly.
Nourishing your body with every inhale.
And relaxing your mind with each exhale.
It's allowing your breath to be simple,
Deep.
And effortless.
As you notice the natural rise and fall of the belly.
Every inhale.
And each exhale.
We will now begin a slow journey of awareness through the body.
So as I name each area,
Simply bring your attention there.
Notice any sensations without trying to change or fix anything.
Simply soften the muscles of that area.
Send breath there.
And receive whatever rest and nourishment it needs.
Bring your awareness to your feet.
Feel your feet.
Notice any sensations here in the feet.
And softening the muscles.
Tops of the few.
The spaces between the toes.
Tops of the feet and ankles.
Knowing that as you breathe,
Nourishment and breath is being sent to that part of you.
Now the lower legs.
Feel the calves.
The shins.
Soften and release here.
And knees.
The fronts and the backs of the thighs.
Feeling the weight on the legs as the muscles release.
And now the hips.
The pelvis.
And the glues.
So much tension is held here.
Let it all soften and melt.
And releasing into the low back.
The abdomen.
Releasing any holding or bracing.
Just let it all release.
The mid back.
The upper back.
The whole body softening,
Releasing.
Into whatever is supporting you.
Now relaxing through the ribcage and the chest.
Opening and softening with every inhale.
Relaxing with each exhale.
Letting go of tension in the shoulders,
The shoulder blades.
Letting them melt down your back and away from the ears.
I mean that softening continued down the shoulders.
The upper arms.
All the way down the elbows and forearms.
Down to the hands.
Releasing the fingers,
Softening the palms.
I didn't at all.
I'm still.
.
.
Broadening now through the collarbone.
Releasing through the neck and throat.
Now the face.
Forehead.
The eyebrows.
Allowing the jaw to release and the tongue to fall away from the roof of the mouth.
Releasing through the scalp and the head.
The space behind the eyes.
Letting it all be soft.
Still.
And at rest.
Now feel your whole body at once.
Feel your body completely release and melt as you breathe.
Letting this deep rest and nourishment spread down deep into every cell.
Into every bit of your being.
To give yourself permission to just be and breathe.
Now beginning to deepen your breath.
Wiggling fingers and toes.
Maybe finding a full body stretch.
And it feels good opening your eyes.
In closing your meditation practice.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
