This guided meditation practice supports us in cultivating moments of steady awareness.
The breath can be a bridge to steady the body and the mind,
Allowing us an opportunity to reconnect and focus on what is actually happening.
When the mind begins to wander,
Distracted and hooked into story,
Propelling us into the future with worry or fantasy,
We can use the breath as a tool to reconnect the body,
Re-engage and cultivate focus,
And choosing a posture for your practice today.
Paying particular attention to the elongation of the spine,
Bringing the body into a more relaxed position,
Removing the point,
Bringing the body into a position that is settled,
And stable,
With a sense of extension,
Remaining relaxed and alert,
And closing the eyes if that feels comfortable or lowering the gaze.
Allowing the eyes to rest.
The mind to begin to calm.
Taking a moment to turn inwards.
Beginning to consciously extend the spine.
Reaching the crown of the head towards the sky.
Allowing a loosening in the shoulders,
Down and away from the ears.
Hands resting on the thighs,
Palms down.
Feeling and sensing into this connectedness and groundedness.
Rooting and connecting to self.
Releasing any gripping or tension in the fingers.
Noticing the soles of the feet in contact with the floor.
Feeling the connection to this presence.
Allowing the lips to close,
Drawing a deep inhale in through the nostrils.
Allowing for a slow,
Steady release through pursed lips as if you're gently blowing out a candle.
Slow and directed.
Two more just like that.
Inhale,
Slow and steady.
And exhale,
Slow,
Steady through the lips.
One more inhale.
And a release.
Noticing the quality of the breath at this moment.
Observing the inhales and the exhales.
Smoothing out the breath,
Calm and controlled breathing.
Returning to the natural breath and allowing the breath to circulate naturally without forcing.
Inviting a sense of calm and centeredness.
Connecting to how the body feels at this moment.
Sensing into the soles of the feet connected to the earth.
The heaviness of the thighs,
Pelvis and hips.
Consciously allowing a release in the shoulders.
Clenching the jaw,
Releasing any tension between the eyes.
Consciously and with a directed focus.
Gently guiding your attention into the sensations in your body.
Noticing any tingling,
Vibrations,
Areas of discomfort along with areas of ease.
And feeling into the energy of the body as a whole.
Intentionally choosing a place in the body to focus your attention.
A place to anchor the attention in the body.
An area in the body where the breath is more prominent.
At the belly,
The heart space,
The tip of the nostrils.
Settling here for a moment on the breath in the body.
Inhale and exhale.
Inhale and release.
Inhale and release.
And steadying that focus.
Now as you're ready,
Intentionally turning your focus of awareness to a place in the body.
Perhaps an area where there's a tingling or vibration.
Or a sense of heaviness.
The hands.
Your sit bones in contact with the chair or the mat.
The soles of the feet.
Choosing this spot of awareness in the body.
Gently and kindly guiding and redirecting your awareness towards your anchor when the mind starts to wander.
Spinning or propelling into the future.
Replaying the past.
If there is an echo of boredom or listlessness,
Just notice it.
Bringing kindness and then encouraging a return to the anchor.
This anchor to presence.
Gently nudge your focus back to this steady point in the body.
And with intention,
Begin to slowly scan through the body.
Using focus and awareness.
Noticing into any areas that feel tight or constricted.
Or perhaps sensing into numbness.
Staying with the sensation.
With a directed breath,
Extending the inhale to one of these points in the body.
Focusing your energy to perhaps slightly loosen or soften.
Sensing into a releasing.
Perhaps sensing into any thoughts or emotions that may be entangled or layered in the body.
Just breathing in.
Loosening.
Perhaps bringing a gentle investigation.
Choosing to meet whatever is here with a renewed sense of connection and focus.
And steadying the mind without layering on or getting caught up in the story.
Choosing to notice.
Perhaps investigate lightly and then return to the anchor of awareness.
Allowing for this presence.
Grounded and awake.
Connecting with the focus of the stillness.
Sensing the energy that radiates in your body.
Lengthening through the spine.
Connecting the palms at heart center.
Noticing the whole body here.
Drawing your attention now to some deeper,
Fuller breaths.
Feeling into the waves of the breath.
Beginning to reawaken the senses.
Slowly beginning to allow the eyes to blink open.
Gently.
Reconnecting with the sensation of the palms.
Each breath,
Each sensation,
A new beginning.
Rooting here.
Grounding.
Steadying the focus.
Perhaps choosing to set an intention.
Reconnect with the breath in the body when the mind wanders.
And reengage the muscle of awareness to strengthen focus and a gentle discernment for what serves.
Bowing to the wisdom that lies within.
This concludes our meditation.
