Hi,
I'm Melissa from Meditation for Regular People.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
In this session,
We'll be learning how to help ground yourself when you're feeling unsure,
Scattered,
Or even a little bit stagnant.
Sometimes when we're feeling bored,
Uncertain,
Or experiencing a lack of direction or purpose,
It can be very unsettling.
So let's start by finding a comfortable and quiet place where you can limit any distractions or disturbances.
Invite your body to rest comfortably in your space.
Let's be comfortable but alert.
So it's okay to sit up or recline as long as you can stay aware enough to listen to my voice and sit for your meditation.
Whatever's most comfortable for you today,
Right here,
Right now.
Take your time getting settled and be kind to yourself because this is your time to connect with yourself.
The practice I'm teaching today I've used for many years and comes from my experiences rock climbing.
Some of my most exhilarating but truly terrifying experiences were hanging out on a ledge waiting for my turn to climb,
Playing a partner,
Or looking at a map,
A little unsure of where to go next.
These are the times when panic can set in and that level of panic can cost your life or the lives of your friends.
Out on those ledges I learned the importance of leading with calm,
Pausing when necessary,
And my mantra of start slow and then slow down.
One weekend many years ago I was climbing with friends and the technical risk was at the edge of my comfort level.
I was in my tent so gripped with panic that I couldn't leave.
I called a friend who knew my edges pretty well and he said this simple thing,
Breathe and look at your feet.
Whatever bubbles up for you today,
Breathe and look at your feet.
I know you can do this and you know you can do this so go do it.
These simple instructions have come back to me over and over and are a part of my DNA now.
Let's bring them into your consciousness,
Into your life,
And into your DNA.
You don't have to hang from the side of a mountain to do it.
So let's begin by looking at your feet.
You may need to lean forward or shift your position but look at your feet.
There they are.
Take a nice long look at them,
Taking them in.
And then let your eyes drift closed.
Continue to picture your feet wherever they are.
Your mind may wander into,
Hmm,
Maybe I should get some new shoes or hey,
These socks are nice or my feet aren't very attractive.
It's natural.
Let's bring your attention back to how your feet look today and begin to expand your awareness.
What makes your feet your feet?
Pay attention to your feet like it's the most important and noble job in the world.
If you take your attention off your feet,
They might disappear.
If your attention drifts,
Just say feet and bring it back to resting your attention on your feet.
Then begin to notice how your feet are resting on the earth,
How they're connecting to the earth.
They might be wrapped up under you,
Resting on the floor,
Flat on the bed.
Accept the gravity the earth offers to us all day every day.
From the moment we are born,
Begin to flow your breath from the top of your head to the soles of your feet and into the earth.
And flow your breath back through your feet into the top of your head.
Allow yourself to connect to the earth through your breath and invite your breath to connect more deeply to the earth with each breath.
Let's sit for a bit,
Just flowing our breath through the earth and into our bodies,
Flowing our breath through our bodies and connecting to the earth.
We'll sit for about 15 minutes.
I'll be here to keep an eye on the time.
And you continue to connect your breath to the earth.
When you find that your mind drifts to something else,
Gently bring your attention back to your feet,
Reconnect with the earth and flow your breath again.
Let's begin.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
We'll sit for a bit.
Begin to be aware of the sounds around you,
The room where you're sitting and the world around you.
You might want to wiggle your fingers and toes and become more present in the room.
Let's take a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in together and gently let that go.
Let's take another long,
Slow,
Deep breath in together and slowly release it.
Thank you for your practice today.
I know you can do this and now you know too.
If you're feeling scattered or ungrounded today or any day,
Breathe,
Look at your feet,
Reconnect to yourself and the earth with your breath.
Thank you for being here and shifting the world by shifting yourself.
That's how we change the world.
One breath at a time,
One sit at a time,
One person at a time.
Keep breathing.
