Set your phone to do not disturb,
Close the door,
Find the comfiest chair and settle in.
Place one hand lightly on your chest and the other hand on your belly.
Let your eyes close or your eyelids lower and just observe the gentle rise and fall of your hands following the natural cycle of your breath.
Now take a deep inhale through your nose and hold it at the top.
Make an intention to let go of all that came before this moment today and all that requires your attention afterwards.
Now exhale through your mouth.
Take another deep breath in and hold it.
Decide what you want to release and let it go.
Another slow deep breath in.
You're here,
So be here.
Let go and listen to your breath out normally and feel the movements between your hands like a wave,
Each inhale drawing the tide closer and each exhale sending it gently back to the ocean.
Falling.
When the mind drifts,
Remember that thoughts are a natural part of the process.
Whether ruminating,
Problem-solving or listening to surrounding sounds,
Treat distractions as you would a new puppy or a needy friend.
It just wants reassurance that you're there.
Give it a little stroke,
Acknowledge that you've heard and then invite your intention back to the movement of the breath between your two hands.
Notice how it feels when you don't engage in conversation with those distractions.
Breathing in lightness,
Releasing doubt,
Inhaling the present moment,
Exhaling tension.
Now imagine you're breathing in from the tips of your toes to the crown of your head.
Sense the tiny pause of possibility and release,
Exhaling the breath down to your feet.
Notice the sensations in the soles of your feet,
Grounding you to this space,
To this moment.
Breathe normally,
Naturally,
Listening to the gentle sounds of your breath in and out of the nostrils.
Now ask yourself one question,
What am I grateful for?
No right or wrong answers,
But allow three things to come to mind.
Let the gratitude soften your body as if dissolving tension.
Gratitude is balm for the nervous system.
It can't coexist with anger,
Resentment,
Fear.
And as you think about what you're thankful for,
You're igniting instead the rest,
Restore and repair system,
Releasing feel good neurochemicals,
Helping to improve your mood and increase feelings of pleasure,
All by counting your blessings.
Reflect without judgment and observe how you feel.
What is changing?
What is staying the same?
Before we return to a new day,
Capture this moment by noticing what you can hear right now aside from the sound of my voice.
What can you see behind your eyelids?
Notice the taste in your mouth and the feeling of contact with the chair.
Take the deepest inhale of the day and hold at the top.
Slowly exhale.
Meditation is like beginning again.
At any moment,
In any day,
You can close your eyes,
Unplug,
Recharge and reconnect.
Now gently open your eyes.
