One of the benefits of silence at the beginning of meditation is that it is a conscious stepping into the unknown.
What happens in the quiet?
What does the body say?
What sounds are happening within the greater silence that holds all sounds?
Silence can allow the mind to unwind.
The unwinding of the mind can sound like stories,
Echoes of memories,
Hopes and fears might arise.
This is all the mind unwinding.
Silence allows for it.
Silence allows for the mind to unwind.
The emotions of the heart might speak in silence,
Giving voice to the feelings moving through,
The sorrow or the joy.
Even in crises,
We can find joyful moments.
It's okay.
It's okay to be delighted by snow or birds or sunlight or whatever might be around you that gives you a little twinkle.
Silence also gives us a chance to connect with spirit.
Whatever each of our spiritual beliefs might be,
The silence allows for that connection to happen naturally,
For spirit to enliven each of us.
Perhaps our ancestors speak.
Perhaps we have a rather abstract and undefined spirituality.
A person's spirit is very personal.
Spirit can arise through the animals like birds,
But also fox.
Maybe you have a spirit animal or an animal you would like to commune with and find out more about.
Silence also gives us a moment to catch up with ourselves and accept things as they are.
Accept ourselves as we are.
Accept the different sensations in the physical form,
Noticing what they are to begin with,
Accepting that they're there.
Invite you to breathe deeply into your belly.
With each breath into your belly,
Have the courage to accept the unknown.
Remember that miracles come from the unknown.
The unknown can feel all sorts of ways,
And I encourage you to remember the magic of what we don't yet know.
Breathe into your belly and grow courage.
So you exhale,
As you exhale out of your belly,
Offer a prayer for the world.
Offer a prayer for yourself.
Offer a prayer for your loved ones,
Those in our human family that you know and that you don't yet know.
Breathe in courage.
Exhale prayer.
So you breathe in courage and exhale out a prayer.
If your prayer changes,
Allow it to.
This is the beautiful thing about being present with what is.
Every moment is new.
Allow it to be.
Allow this moment to be new.
And whether you have a prayer that remains true or you have a prayer that evolves,
Allow each moment to be new.
Allow your courageous breath deep down in your belly to rise up to your chest.
So you engage a belly chest breath.
And as you exhale,
Relax everything.
Relax shoulders,
Relax jaw,
Relax tailbone,
Relax feet,
Relax hands,
Relax heart and mind,
Relax everything.
Thank you.
