Welcome to your practice.
Get comfortable in a seated position of your choice with your hips higher than your knees and a tall neutral spine.
Rest your hands wherever they naturally fall.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
We'll begin with three deep long breaths.
Breathe in deeply through the nose.
And a long slow exhale through the mouth or nose.
Again a deep breath in Long slow exhale,
Letting the body soften a little.
One more time.
As you inhale,
Feel your body gently expand.
As you exhale,
Feel it soften.
Notice if there is even a slight difference.
Do you feel even a little more calm?
Maybe the slightest sense of ease or relief.
Now let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
Feel this energy flowing through you.
Breathing in.
Breathing out.
N.
Out.
Resting your attention with this natural effortless flow.
Now gently bring your awareness to where you feel stress in your body.
You might notice tightness in the chest.
A lump in the throat.
A knot in the stomach.
Tension in the yarn.
Or somewhere else entirely.
If it feels supportive,
Place a hand there.
Feel the warmth of your touch.
Rest your awareness in that area.
Notice the sensations.
Pressure,
Heat,
Pulsing,
Heaviness,
Movement.
Let the sensations exist.
Giving them a little space to move in their own timing.
Breathe into that space.
Let the breath move through it,
Around it.
Let your body communicate in its own language.
If difficult emotions are present,
Allow them to.
You don't need to analyse them.
Simply become aware.
Here we practice responding with mindful attention,
Not with resistance.
The more you meet your inner world this way.
The more you build trust with yourself.
And from that trust,
Inner calm becomes accessible.
Not because life is calm,
But because you are more resilient within it.
Stay here for a few more breaths.
Resting.
Listening.
Allowing.
Now as you stay with the breath.
Begin to notice if any inequalities are present.
Perhaps there is a bit more clarity seeing what's here without pushing it away.
Maybe compassion.
A softer way of being with yourself.
You might sense connectedness to your body,
Your breath,
This moment.
There may be calm or simply a little more space around.
What you are feeling.
Or curiosity or just a little interest in your inner experience.
There is nothing you need to create.
Just note these spots already here.
And let these qualities be felt in the body.
Even in the smallest way.
And remember,
This is something you can return to again and again.
Take one last slow breath.
And when you are ready,
Gently come back.
