Welcome To A New Year Filled With Possibilities

Welcome,

And I hope that each one of you will come to find peace within yourself.

We've entered a new year,

And this is a good time to set our intention for the year to come.

Due to the pandemic and all the things associated with it,

Like jobs and travel restrictions and closures,

And so much more,

2021 was not an easy year for many of us.

This is where meditation and mindfulness can step in to lighten the load.

All the problems brought about by the pandemic have caused many people to have anxiety and tension.

People feel stressed and irritable,

And meditation can really help to take the edge off.

I've said many times before that meditation is most beneficial when you do it regularly,

So that the benefits are compounded,

And over time it will become easier.

Each person's meditation practice will be a little different,

But every time you meditate,

You will benefit.

If you've listened to my other meditations,

You know that I advocate getting in touch with your breath many times throughout the day.

And if you do this,

I can promise that it will change your life.

And it's important that you don't ever expect perfection in your meditation practice.

I've been meditating now for almost 53 years,

And yet occasionally I'll still have a bad day.

I just have to keep on keeping on.

The more you practice,

The better you get.

It's kind of the same idea as doing a somersault on the balance beam,

But between you and me I'd rather meditate.

And as you get more comfortable in your practice,

You'll find that you can spend more and more time in the present moment,

One breath at a time.

And the idea of being in the present moment is a powerful concept.

When it comes to anxiety and stress,

Being in touch with your breath and in the present moment is immensely helpful.

Just breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

We often find our mind cluttered and overthinking.

We worry about things that are in the past that we can't even change.

Or we sit and wonder what the future will bring,

And that hasn't even happened yet.

Worrying can help to calm your overthinking mind.

It will help you to be present so that you can simplify and clear the clutter from your busy mind.

It can be used to focus your mind,

To tone down the useless worrying about the past and about the future.

And remember that the more you practice,

The easier it will be.

To begin your meditation,

Make sure you get rid of as many distractions as possible.

This is your time.

In this moment,

We need to let go of our schedules and forget about our to-do lists.

The world will be there waiting for us when we are done.

But for now,

It's our time.

Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and mute the sounds.

Try to go to a place where you won't be distracted or interrupted.

Close your eyes now,

And let's begin to find our inner peace.

Does it matter if you're sitting,

Lying down,

Or standing?

It only matters that you're comfortable.

Adjust your position until you are.

This,

Here,

Now,

This moment is for you.

Allow your breath to flow naturally,

Breathing in and breathing out.

And as you breathe,

Just observe each breath,

See how your body just naturally breathes in and breathes out.

Observe your breath.

There's no need for you to control it or regulate it.

Just let your body do what your body does.

Let's begin to relax.

Relax your face.

Unclench your jaw and unfurl your brow.

Relax your neck.

Maybe you'd like to shake out your arms and hands.

Just let them rest comfortably.

Let your body sag.

Ease any tension in your shoulders or in your chest or your belly.

As you begin to really relax into this moment,

Let's focus on our breath.

As we continue to breathe,

Feel the relaxation flow through your body,

Breathing in and breathing out,

One breath at a time.

Do whatever you need to do to settle into this moment,

Because this is the only moment that exists.

And if you notice thoughts entering your mind,

Don't worry about it or make any judgments.

Simply observe the thoughts as you observe your breath.

Let each thought pass across your mind and then let it go.

Thoughts are like clouds in the sky or waves on a lake.

You don't need to do anything but observe.

Our breath is our anchor and it provides us with life and energy.

It sometimes helps if you can visualize the energy flowing into you as you breathe in.

Let any negative thoughts or feelings pass out of you with each and every breath.

Let go of anything that doesn't serve you.

We're starting off a new year and we're going to cast out anything that doesn't serve us.

We're on the path we need to be on.

And remember,

I've said before that all the things we're looking for are on this path.

Just listen to the sound of my voice.

Observe each breath and thought and just continue to relax.

Breathe.

Just breathe.

Make up your mind that as we move into the new year,

The first thing you have to do is let go.

Following your breath is the key to doing that.

We have to be okay with our lives just as they are.

You are enough and you always have been.

Breathing in and breathing out one breath at a time.

And next you have to make sure that you love yourself.

You have to know in your heart that you and your life are doing the best you can.

That your life is what it should be and you're working on making it better.

In a new year,

That's all that matters.

Feel your breath as it flows in and as it flows out.

You have to take time to care for yourself.

In this new year,

Give your body the nourishment and care it needs so you can function at your best.

Do something you like to do without judgment and without worrying about the time you spend.

What it all basically boils down to is that you have to accept yourself for who and what you are.

And you can't dwell on failures from the past.

We've all had failures in the past.

But the past is just that.

It's past.

There's nothing we can do about it except clutter up our minds thinking.

We have to look at ourselves with honesty and kindness and in this moment,

Not based on the past.

Try to stay in this moment.

If you have negative thoughts,

Just acknowledge them and let them go.

And this is what I mean when I say that all the things we strive for are just points along the same path.

In order to find peace within yourself,

You have to let go.

You have to love yourself and you have to accept yourself for exactly who and what you are.

Just continue to follow your breath.

One breath at a time.

Breathing in and breathing out.

Each person who chooses to walk this path of mindfulness must find what works for them.

We're at the beginning of a new year and now is a perfect time to set our intention.

Not a resolution,

But a new commitment to ourselves,

To our well-being,

To our own growth.

Set a goal for yourself to be more mindful,

To be more focused,

To be kinder to yourself.

And don't judge your meditation practice or compare it to anyone else's.

Your practice is unique to you.

Make it about you.

Do what you feel comfortable with.

If you want to meditate every single time while lying down saying a mantra with your hands over your heart,

Then do that.

No matter what any teacher says,

Your practice needs to be about you.

Whatever works for you is the best advice I can give.

In 53 years,

I found that the only critical thing is the breath.

Breathing in and breathing out.

One breath at a time.

Now as we come to a close,

Open your eyes and come back into the room.

Wiggle your fingers and toes and stretch and feel how good it is to be alive.

Take in a deep breath and let it out through your mouth,

Letting out a sigh.

You're ready to move back into your day a little calmer and a little more joyful than before.

I hope this has been a beneficial session.

Your meditation practice is about you and at the beginning of a new year is a perfect time to set your sights on making your practice all that it can be.

Until next time.