And just gently closing your eyes,
Focusing all your attention on the tone behind my voice.
And finding your breath,
The sensation of the air coming in through your nose,
Leaving through your mouth.
Do it again a little deeper into the chest,
Noticing the sensation of expansion and contraction.
Starting to focus on your face,
Softening the eyelids,
Softening the muscles in your face,
And breathe,
Beautiful.
Beautiful.
Placing your attention on your shoulders,
Softening the shoulders,
Allowing them to relax and drop.
And as your mind wanders,
You bring it back to your breath right now.
Take the deepest breath of your day thus far,
Right to your belly,
Deep,
Deep breath in.
Do it again.
Take your time.
This should take a little bit longer than a normal breath.
Exhale and a deep breath in.
This sensation of expansion and contraction just leads us to our topic this morning.
What does it mean to be human?
What does it mean to be human?
The very core of it is the simplicity of expansion and contraction and the feeling of it.
Breathe that in.
This meditation today is important for you to come back to whenever you start to lose track of what it means to be human.
Breathe.
And why is this important is because we're sitting today,
At the beginning of February in 2026,
At a time where we can still understand the separation between humans and what we are calling AI.
We still understand it today.
Breathe in that understanding.
But in time,
And in quick time,
This will not be as simple to distinguish what is human and what is not.
Just breathe and notice how that feels.
Notice what,
If any,
Emotions come up around this idea that I might not know right away what is human and what isn't.
Many of our minds will go to this idea of fear.
That's normal.
Part of being human is what we don't know may scare us.
But there's another side that human beings and our minds will awaken to.
What is possible for good when we get support in places we never dreamed of?
Breathe that in.
What might be possible in this new,
Evolving world that we haven't experienced yet?
And just notice the two sides of self.
Feel them.
That's what it means to be human.
To be able to be aware of these sides of self.
This is how you will know who and what is human.
Breathe.
Let's remember what it means to be human right now.
I want you to try to feel some emotion.
I want you to remember a time in your memory of joy.
What comes to mind?
Who or what brings you joy?
See it.
Breathe and let it go.
What in the world right now has you feeling sad?
Perhaps even loss.
See it in your mind.
And feel it.
Breathe now and let as much of that feeling go.
Beautiful.
That juxtaposition of joy and sadness and your ability to expand and contract is what makes you human.
Breathe it in.
You will be the teacher to those who forget,
Disconnect,
Push away being human.
Following the sound and the tones,
Noticing the mind drift in and back towards present,
Enjoying this moment of being human.
Deep breath in.
The future is beautiful.
Believe it.
Breathing with your human lungs that are alive.
Take a deep breath in.
Expand.
Just coming back into your body.
Just even the concept of coming back into your body.
Wherever you leave and come back.
A reminder of being human.
Take a deep breath in.
Let it go.