A Sacred Pause: Calming, Mindful Presence In A Noisy World

Welcome.

I'm so very glad you're here.

My name is Mar.

Fellow traveler on this journey inward and homeward.

And for the next short while I will be your guide.

However much your thinking mind is caught up with or worrying about at this moment.

Feel and intuit on a cellular level that there is nothing being asked of you here.

No effort.

No doing.

Simply an invitation to surrender.

And be held in a container of loving acceptance.

It's okay to be fully here.

You are safe and supported.

Let everything else fall away.

The pace and intensity of the world in which we find ourselves is overwhelming.

It all simply feels too much.

So much noise,

Distraction.

A relentless pull of our attention in myriad directions.

The steady background hum of fear,

Worry,

Anxiety nipping at our heels.

Always keeping us braced for impact and one step removed from our lives.

What a fierce and compassionate act of rebellion and reclamation it is then to intentionally slow down.

Slowly.

Slowly.

Inviting surrender to this sacred pause where we may once again meet ourselves.

In deep reverence and alignment.

A simple yet exquisite homecoming.

What kindness it is to create a cocoon of stillness in a world disinterested in our state of rest,

Of wholeness,

Of peace.

There is nothing being asked of you now.

Simply arrive.

Sit or lie in whatever position feels most nourishing to your whole being right now.

Invite comfort in whatever way it wishes to express.

A warm blanket,

Soft lighting,

Gentle self touch on the face or in the heart space.

This is your sacred space.

There is nowhere else to be right now and nothing else to do.

Calling awareness into the muscles of your body all the way from the toes,

Up the legs,

Pelvis,

Buttocks,

Abdomen,

Arms,

Shoulders,

Jaw,

Face and now squeezing as tightly as possible.

Tensing,

Squeezing,

Tightening,

Holding,

Holding and release.

One more time gripping,

Tensing,

Tightening,

Holding all that tension just a moment longer and release.

Let it all go.

Allowing all that is no longer needed to drop away.

Sensing a softening within your being.

Patterns of physical and mental tension now free to unclench.

Drawing awareness onto your breath,

This beautiful movement of life to you and through you.

Trace the movement of each new breath as it arrives.

Feel the sensation of cool air flowing through the nostrils.

Follow its journey through the body,

The chest and down into the belly.

Feeling that very subtle movement of muscle as the belly expands and contracts.

And each out breath a gentle,

Slow,

Steady exhale.

Following the movement of the breath as it travels upward.

No effort,

No forcing,

Just allowing.

The noise and the busyness of the world out there may continue but in here all is quiet,

All is well.

No doing,

Just being here in presence and stillness.

As each breath arrives sense the possibility and hope it brings.

A brand new moment that has never before existed.

New life,

A new beginning.

And with each exhale letting go of all that no longer serves.

All that has weighed upon you.

Allow it to be carried away with the breath.

Releasing,

Renewing.

Sensing into the settling that is quietly taking place.

Like a snow globe that has been shaken and now everything is gently quietening down.

No effort.

Scanning your experience in the body,

Mind,

Emotional landscape and sensing into any places where there is still tensing or constriction.

And seeing if it's at all possible to unfurl what is clenched.

Like warm water thawing what has frozen.

For a few moments now we will intentionally deepen the breath,

Breathing all the way down to the lower belly.

Feeling the muscles expand like a balloon and lengthening the out breath with a long,

Slow,

Steady exhale.

Squeezing out every last droplet of air.

Marking the ending of one moment,

Noticing the slight pause and the beginning of a new breath,

A new moment in time.

Staying with that cycle of deep breathing in your own rhythm for a few rounds now.

Sensing again into the softening,

The settling.

Feeling into this cocoon you have created for yourself where it is safe to pause,

Slow down,

To simply be.

Nothing is expected of you here and however you are in this moment is just right.

No demands,

No judgements,

Just quiet,

Gentle acceptance.

Anytime the thinking mind jumps in wanting to pull you away,

Just nod to it with a smile.

I see you,

I know you want my focus,

But right now I am just going to breathe and be.

Softening the binds of active worrying that the world tries to grip us with,

One breath at a time.

Maybe mentally saying to yourself,

Just this breath,

Just this breath.

That's it,

That's all you need to be with,

Just this one precious breath.

And now dropping down one layer deeper and simply allowing yourself to be breathed.

There is no work to be done here,

Just simply allow the flow of life to move through you,

No effort.

Observe with wonder how your life is being sustained perfectly without you needing to do a single thing.

Just this breath,

Remembering your true essence,

Coming home to the deep well of loving presence that is always and forever within you,

Patiently awaiting your return.

And while the outside world will talk and entice you in so many directions,

This stillness is always just a few conscious breaths away.

If it feels nourishing placing a hand on the heart and meeting yourself in this moment,

You are here,

You are home.

Thanking yourself for creating this time and space to nurture the precious being that is you.

And taking a moment to offer whatever kind,

Loving words to yourself,

Speaking as though you were to someone you deeply cared for.

If you would like to stay longer in this space,

Simply pause the recording and stay here as long as feels nourishing.

If you are ready to begin to call the practice to a close,

Start by allowing your ears to receive sounds around.

Without any need to get caught up in them,

Just let them land in your conscious awareness.

And then inviting gentle movement into the physical body.

A wriggle of the toes,

Slow intentional neck rolls,

Maybe arching the back,

Gently squeezing and moving any areas ready to allow in movement.

And together taking a big breath in and exhaling with a sigh.

If your eyes have been closed,

Become aware of the darkness behind your eyelids and then gently cupping your eyes with your hands as you begin to softly blink them open.

Remembering that this place is within you,

I have simply guided you here.

You can return anytime you want and no one can take it from you.

Thank you for being with me for this short journey and in the greater journey of life.

In those precious words of Ram Dass,

We're all just walking each other home.

Take good care of yourself.

Namaste.