Find a comfortable seated position,
And gently close your eyes if that feels okay,
Or simply lower your gaze.
Take a few moments to focus on the sensations of breathing,
Using your breath as an anchor to the present.
Take a few mindful breaths,
Focusing on the feel of your body expanding slightly on each in-breath,
And relaxing slightly on each out-breath.
Then,
When you're ready,
Move your attention to your thoughts.
Begin by simply becoming aware of what's there.
Is your mind full and busy,
Or calm and quiet?
If there are thoughts,
Notice what kind of thoughts they are.
To-dos and shoulds,
Questions and wonderings,
Perhaps looking back at yesterday,
Or looking forward to tomorrow,
Or maybe staying in the present.
Are the thoughts racing through your mind?
Are they urgent and demanding,
Or quieter and easy to let go of?
Let's take a moment here,
Bringing if we can,
The expanse of our mind into our awareness.
You may notice your attention getting stuck on a particular difficult thought.
If you do,
Try to hold that thought in your mind for a moment.
If there are no difficulties or concerns coming up for you during this meditation,
See if you can deliberately bring to mind a difficulty that's going on in your life at the moment.
It doesn't have to be big or important,
Just something unresolved that you don't mind thinking about for this short while.
It might be a situation where you felt angry,
Upset,
Regretful or guilty.
Perhaps a stressor from the past,
Or a worry about something that might happen in the future.
Holding that thought in your mind,
Expand your attention to include your feelings or emotions.
Are there any particular emotions arising?
And if so,
Can you name them?
Notice what they feel like.
Are they strong or subtle?
Do they feel close,
Or are you able to create some distance?
If no emotions come up,
Notice what that's like.
Try to become aware of your response to your emotions,
Or your absence of emotions.
Do you welcome your experience,
Or do you notice some resistance?
Let's breathe here,
Resting in our experience for a few moments.
And now I'll ask you to expand your attention further into your body.
Becoming aware of any physical sensations occurring alongside your thoughts and feelings.
Maybe there's tension,
Heat,
Tingling or prickling,
Or perhaps numbness or pain.
Focus your attention on the part of the body where these sensations are strongest,
And breathe into that area.
Try to become aware of your response to these physical sensations.
Are you trying to resist them,
Or are you able to give them your full attention,
Accepting them and letting them be?
Use each in-breath to welcome in a sense of calm,
And each out-breath to soften and open to the sensations you're experiencing.
Let's spend a few moments here,
Drawing together our thoughts,
Feelings and physical sensations.
If your attention begins to drift,
Just gently guide it back.
We'll stay here for a moment more.
I'll ask you now to gently shift your awareness away from your thoughts and feelings,
And back to your breath.
Take a couple of mindful breaths,
Paying attention to the sensation of breathing in your body.
Notice the weight of your body,
The contact with the surface beneath you,
Your feet on the floor.
Begin to invite in some gentle movement,
Easing yourself out of this meditation,
Perhaps moving your fingers and toes,
Your wrists and ankles.
And when you're ready,
You can open your eyes.
