And let's go ahead and begin.
I'll be guiding through a seated posture,
But make any modifications you need for if you're laying down today.
So let's first begin by tending to our bodies and our posture as a foundation for our practice.
So feet flat upon floor,
And feeling the floor supporting through the soles of feet.
And as far as where you're seated in the chair,
If your back needs some additional support,
Then using the back of the chair to support,
Or perhaps scooting forward a little and being seated unsupported.
Either way,
Inviting a rising up of spine towards sky.
One vertebrae atop the other stacking all the way up and then through crown of head up towards sky.
Nothing forced,
Just a lifting up.
And then perhaps some shoulder rolls.
You're like me,
Maybe you carry a little tension in those shoulders and neck and some shoulder rolls forward and backwards.
Gives you a chance to feel that tension and maybe even a little letting go.
Inviting shoulders to loosen and lower on torso.
And then arms draping down from the shoulders and hands finding a comfortable resting place,
Maybe upon the thighs or cup within lap.
And then it's very common,
Especially spend our days on the computer to have our head kind of move forward ahead of our body.
It puts a great deal of strain on the back of our neck.
And just like you gently push a drawer back into a chest of drawers or a cabinet,
Gently sliding head back over shoulders and neck.
Nothing forced,
But giving an opportunity for the cervical spine to support neck instead of those muscles in the back of the neck.
And noticing,
Is there any tension being carried in jaw in this moment,
Inviting a loosening of jaw.
And then lips either gently touching or slightly parted,
Whichever you prefer.
And then eyes either opened or closed.
Again,
What do you need to feel a sense of ease and comfort and safety?
So eyes open or closed.
And we'll do a slow sweeping of attention through the body from feet up to head to bring about some wakefulness today.
So down in your feet,
Noticing any tension or tightness and inviting a letting go as best as you can.
Moving your attention now up into calves,
Thighs and hips.
Noticing tension and inviting a letting go as best as you can.
Moving your attention now into belly and low back,
Ribs and mid back and chest and upper back.
Noticing tension,
Inviting a letting go as best as you can.
Bringing your attention now into fingers and hands,
Forearms and arms.
Noticing tension,
Inviting a letting go.
Bringing your attention now into shoulders and neck and rising up the back of head.
Noticing tension,
Inviting a letting go.
Moving your attention across ears and jaw,
Up across face and arriving at crown.
Noticing tension,
Inviting a letting go.
Now having checked in with body,
Bringing your attention to a central focal point which could be body breathing.
Or some folks,
The breathing can sometimes be a bit challenging,
Maybe even anxiety provoking.
So you can choose any sensory based experience,
Maybe feet resting upon floor,
Palms resting upon thighs or looking for here is a safe,
Comfortable home base for our attention.
So if body breathing,
That can be the rise and fall of chest and belly,
A movement of air through nose or mouth.
And if you are experiencing some sleepiness and brain fog,
Inviting a few fuller breaths,
Not forcing,
Just a little deeper,
A little longer on the inhale.
A little more slowly on the exhale.
Can continue to invite some wakefulness,
Not only into body but to mind as well.
So perhaps a few fuller breaths in this moment.
And then trusting our bodies will breathe as needed,
Allowing our breath to fall into its natural rate and rhythm.
And at any point in this meditation,
When you notice focus has drifted away,
Which will happen,
It's a natural occurrence,
It's what our minds do.
Maybe into memories of the past,
Or worries of the future,
Regardless of the content of the thinking.
Once you notice you're drifted away,
Just acknowledge,
Oh,
Look,
My focus has drifted away.
And then with a sense of gentleness and kindness towards self,
Ushering your focus on back to body breathing or whatever sensory anchor you're choosing today.
Especially with a muddy mind,
This is a way of activating those brain networks of gathering and directing our attention.
There's a way to further invite a sense of awakening minds today.
Let's take a walk through the senses together.
Our sensory doorways are a wonderful place and a wonderful way of receiving energy and providing some wakefulness to mind and body.
And we'll begin with the sense of taste.
So bringing your attention into your mouth,
Resting upon your tongue,
And just noticing what flavors are there to be experienced.
Maybe something recently that you've eaten or had to drink.
Or if you haven't had anything recently,
Sometimes it is,
I don't even know how to describe,
But whatever you want to use to describe what to be found if you haven't had anything lately.
And also noticing,
Is this pleasant or unpleasant that you're experiencing?
And noticing as far as taste and your reaction to it.
So noticing what taste is to be found upon tongue and my reaction to it,
And then letting all of that go as best as you can in the moment.
Just noticing the sensory experience and my reaction and letting go.
Now with our next inhale and exhale,
Moving on to the sense of touch.
Bringing your full attention to your skin,
Both clothed and portions of the skin exposed to the air.
Just noticing the sensations found through sense of touch.
You can include the texture of clothing.
And then for your skin,
Which is not covered in clothing,
Temperature and movement of air.
Just noticing again.
This experience of touch upon skin.
And also my reaction to it,
My clinging to or pushing away this particular sensation and exploring the possibility of just being with the sensation as it is,
Receiving experience of touch upon skin.
Now with our next full breath,
Moving on from touch and directing attention to sense of smell.
Bringing your full attention to receiving odors and aromas in through nose with each inhale.
The most obvious smells first and then maybe noticing more subtle ones arriving.
And what's my reaction to these smells?
Pleasant ones clinging to unpleasant,
Pushing away and finding that middle ground of just being with the smells as they are.
Now with your next full breath,
Letting go of smells and bringing your attention to hearing,
Receiving the sense of touch upon skin.
And sounds to your ears beyond my voice,
From your environment,
Just listening to the orchestra around you.
And again,
Noticing reaction to and inviting a being with sounds as they arrive.
And with the next full breath,
Letting go of sounds.
And then if your eyes were closed,
Slowly opening eyes and receiving light.
Vision is such a powerful sense.
A lot of times we go looking for something.
In this moment,
Practice receiving through the eyes.
Perhaps just noticing light,
Shape and color.
First with what's directly in front of you and then opening up to your peripheral vision,
Which requires a certain softening of this sense of vision,
Receiving from the periphery,
Just noticing.
Not having to label or do anything with this visual information,
Just receiving.
And then allowing lids to lower and coming back to body breathing once again.
And just taking notice what effect it had upon mind and body to practice this receiving through the sensory doorways.
And carrying this perhaps into the remainder of the day as an opportunity to recharge as your day continues.
And so now bringing this formal meditation to a close,
Opening eyes,
Maybe a little gentle stretch and transitioning back into your day.
So thanks and may you all be well.
