Come into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
This could be lying down,
Maybe you're reclined,
Sitting upright,
Or maybe you have your legs up the wall in an inversion.
Try not to get caught up in what you think a meditation pose should look like,
But allow your body to lead you to the right shape.
As you settle in,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Beginning to take this journey inward.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the nose.
As you breathe in,
Think inhale,
And as you breathe out,
Think exhale.
Throughout practice,
Your mind may be bringing up things for you to think about.
Try to allow those things to settle so you can focus solely on this experience.
Notice any sounds around you.
Let each sound come into your awareness and then let it go.
There is no need to analyze or label the sounds.
Bring your focus to your breath,
Noticing your body movement with each inhale and exhale,
Allowing your body to relax a little more with every exhale.
Tune in to your body by doing a slow body scan that starts at your toes and goes all the way up to the head,
Noticing any sensations or tension that you may be experiencing.
Along the way,
Make any adjustments you can to feel more comfortable.
Remember,
Small adjustments can make a big difference.
Perhaps you are beginning to reach a place of inner and outer stillness and you can feel the beating of your heart.
If your mind has not settled yet,
Remember you can continue to think inhale as you breathe in and exhale as you breathe out.
You can also add a count after every exhale,
Counting up to ten and then starting back at one.
If you're able to settle your thoughts completely,
Perhaps you can let go of the counting,
Even let go of the labeling of the inhales and exhales and allow your entire body to just be.
Now that you're settled in,
Let's tap into your inner wisdom by asking yourself a question and trying to keep the mind still and listen for something deeper to arise.
Today's question is inspired by the Hindu deity Parvati,
The goddess of devotion,
Love,
And yoga.
Parvati represents commitment to practice,
Unbreakable willpower,
And the power of self-transformation.
She highlights the importance that your direction in life should be pointing inward and that spiritual development is a journey that unfolds only when you begin to walk the path.
Turn your own focus inward and consider,
How can I cultivate a deeper connection with myself?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think,
Just pay attention to anything that comes up.
How can I cultivate a deeper connection with myself?
As you practice listening to your own inner wisdom,
You may find that you get a sense or a knowing of an answer.
You may not have gotten anything or something could come up later.
There's no wrong experience.
It takes time and practice to learn to listen to and trust yourself.
Remember,
You are on a journey of spiritual growth and self-discovery.
Take the next few breaths to appreciate your practice today.
Recognize what came up for you,
Thoughts,
Sensations,
Feelings.
The accomplishment is that you spent this time practicing.
After that,
There is no judgment or success factor.
Whether you sat in silence or if your mind was racing,
The goal was to increase your awareness.
To close,
Bring your palms together at heart center,
Slightly bowing your head,
Taking a moment to honor your practice.
Allowing this experience and any insights you've gained to stay with you.
Open your eyes and allow your body any movement that it needs.
