To begin,
Just become comfortable wherever you are,
Whether that's lying down or sitting.
Once you're settled,
Close your eyes or soften your gaze and tune into your breath.
Simply notice your breath without trying to change it.
Also notice if you feel tense or relaxed without trying to change that either.
Inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Continue to take these deep full breaths in through the nose and out through your mouth.
And as you breathe,
Become aware of the state of your body and the quality of your mind.
Notice where your body is holding tension.
Do you feel closed off or shut down emotionally?
Notice any thoughts as they arise and pass through the mind.
See if you can let them come and go without identifying with their content.
Observe them as if they were clouds in the sky.
Notice any feelings and emotions as they arise.
See if you can let these come and go and include everything within your awareness with a kind and compassionate perspective.
Each time you notice your mind has wandered,
Gently notice that and guide the mind back to the breath in the body,
Noticing whether you're on an inhale or an exhale.
Now allow your awareness to gather around the experience of the breath in the body.
See if you can drop your awareness inside the breath,
Feeling all of the different sensations in the front,
Back and sides of the torso.
Can you feel your awareness within the flow and movement of the breath?
Use the breath to anchor your awareness in the present moment,
Breathing in the body,
Noticing each inhale and exhale again and again.
Now gently expand your awareness to include the whole body.
Feel the weight and shape of the body as it sits or lies here.
If you notice any tension or resistance towards painful or unpleasant sensations,
See if you can gently turn towards them.
Accept them as best you can.
As you re-engage with the activities of your day,
See if you can carry this awareness that you've cultivated with you.
Now begin to broaden your awareness even further to become aware of sounds both inside and outside of the room.
Become aware of the points of contact between your body and the surface beneath you.
Begin to move the body by perhaps wiggling the fingers and toes,
Rolling the shoulders or giving the spine a nice upward stretch.
Gently open your eyes when you are ready.
Thank you so much for joining me in this practice today.
You can come back to this practice at any time you need.
Have a wonderful day.
