Come into a position where you feel both comfortable and alert.
You could be lying down in a reclined position,
Sitting upright or even 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.
Take a deep breath in through the nose and out through the nose.
Continue to focus on your breath by thinking inhale as you breathe in and exhale as you breathe out.
Notice how your body moves with each inhale and exhale.
Try to allow your body to relax a little more with every breath out.
Throughout practice,
Your mind may bring 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's no need to analyze or label the sounds.
Tune into your body by doing a slow body scan that starts at your toes and goes to the crown of your head,
Noticing any sensations or tension that you're experiencing.
Along the way,
Make any adjustments you can to feel more comfortable.
Remember,
Small adjustments can make a big difference.
Perhaps you've reached a place of inner and outer stillness that allows you to feel the beating of your heart.
If your mind has not settled,
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 are able to settle your thoughts completely,
Perhaps you let go of the counting.
Even let go of the labeling of the inhales and exhales and allow your entire being to just be.
Now that you're settled in,
It's time to tap into your inner wisdom.
You will do this 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 tarot card the Queen of Cups.
The Queen of Cups is nurturing,
Caring,
Compassionate,
And sensitive.
She represents a nurturing mother energy that supports others by listening with your heart,
Being compassionate,
And caring for others deeply.
She indicates that it's time for you to trust your intuition and pay attention to your feelings and emotions.
Lead with your heart,
Not your head.
Take time to feel your feelings,
Even if those feelings are tricky or challenging.
You are stronger than you know.
Turn your focus inward and ask yourself,
What is my heart telling me?
Sit with this question without trying to analyze or think.
Just pay attention to anything that comes up.
What is my heart telling me?
As you practice listening to your own inner wisdom,
You may find that you got an answer or maybe nothing came up.
Something could come up later.
There is no wrong experience.
It takes time and practice to learn to listen to and trust yourself.
Remember you allow your heart to show you the way.
Take a moment to reflect on this practice,
Recognizing anything that came up for you,
Thoughts,
Sensations,
Feelings.
Now bring the palms of your hands together at heart center,
Slightly bowing your head,
Expressing gratitude towards yourself for taking time for meditation and self-reflection.
The accomplishment is that you made space to practice.
After that,
There's no judgment or success factor.
Whether you sat in silence or if your mind was racing,
The goal is simply to practice.
Start to bring your awareness back to your physical surroundings and when you're ready,
Open your eyes and allow your body any movement that it needs.
