Come to a comfortable seated position.
If you have any discomfort in your knees or lower back,
Place a bolster or blanket under the hips,
Under the knees or sit on a prop.
Adjust your position until you find comfort and be still.
If you feel any discomfort in the chest or head throughout this meditation,
Come back to your normal breath.
If you have anxiety,
You may just like to listen rather than go along with the breath awareness.
Stop whenever you feel unease if you do choose to try.
Pose and mudra,
Palms facing up for more energy or down to feel more grounded.
Spine is nice and straight,
Crown of the head reaching towards the sky,
Chin is slightly tucked towards the chest,
Activating jalandra bandha.
Roll the shoulders back and down.
Close your eyes and rest in your silence for a moment.
We begin with an intention.
Ask yourself what is your intention right now for practice?
What feels most important to you?
What does your heart long for?
Listening inwardly and sensing what you feel sincere about.
Perhaps it might be having more presence in your life,
Feeling more open,
Having more clarity or balance.
Or perhaps it is the freedom of knowing who you really are beyond all the stories.
That's what brings you to meditation.
Now bring your awareness to the sound outside,
To the birds,
The cars.
Seeing the sounds appear and disappear.
Now bring your attention to the sound furthest away.
Can you bring your awareness closer?
And by sound.
Arriving at the sounds inside your room,
Inside your building.
Listen closely to all sounds.
Let your awareness notice these sounds.
Try not to get attached to what the sounds come from,
But rather let the sounds come and go with non-judgment and ease.
The portal of our awakening is scanning the body with awareness.
You may like to imagine the image of a smile filling the sky.
Let your mind merge with that sky.
Your mind is filled with the light and brightness of a smile.
Now let that mood and sense of kindness fill you.
You may sense a smile filling the eyes.
Slowly feeling the flesh of the eyes soften.
Now let the smile fill the mouth.
Notice your lips part in a small smile.
Let your muscles of your face soften with this image of a smile in your mind.
Let the upper tongue relax.
Notice if you can let your face relax a little more.
Bring your awareness to the sensations in the body.
Noticing if you can let your shoulders relax back and down away from your ears.
Feeling here and as you exhale,
Feel the shoulders dissolve.
Tension melting away.
Ice to water,
Water to gas.
Letting them float in awareness.
Bring your awareness to your hands.
Can you let them soften on your next exhale?
Perhaps you can feel the sensations in the hands pulsating or energy there.
Allow the breath to come naturally.
Notice your inhales and exhales.
Can you notice the rise and fall of your belly?
Can you notice the breath through your nostrils?
Using this breath as an anchor whenever you feel your mind wander.
You can label the breath silently to yourself as it enters your nostrils.
Feel it breathing in and label the outgoing breath as it leaves,
Breathing out.
Let's continue in silence.
Thank you.
You can start fresh at any moment.
If the mind has wandered,
Just come back to the breath.
Inhaling,
Breathing in.
Exhale,
Breathing out.
Exhale,
Breathing in.
Exhale,
Breathing in.
Exhale,
Breathing in.
Slowly bring your awareness back to the sensations in your body.
Noticing the sensations in the hands.
In the feet.
Noticing which parts of the body are resting.
On the floor,
On the chair,
Or on the bed.
Slowly bring your awareness to the sounds inside the room.
Notice the sounds come and go.
Picture yourself sitting inside the room.
See your body in the space.
Bring your hands to your heart,
Coming back to your intention.
Repeat it to yourself silently three times.
Thank yourself for this time with yourself.
Sensing gratitude and love.
Bowing your head down towards yourself,
Hands in prayer position,
Or on your knees.
Taking a long,
Deep inhale here.
And exhaling completely.
And two more times.
Inhale.
Exhale.
Feeling the shoulders relax down.
Inhale.
And exhale.
And just sensing how you feel.
Maybe you feel different,
Or maybe you don't.
Either way,
It is fine.
And with this peaceful and focused attention that you may take with you today,
Throughout the day,
Or throughout your sleep.
If you wish,
You can stop blinking,
Open your eyes.
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