Please take a comfortable seat so that the pelvis feels grounded and stable and the spine is lifted tall so that the effort is relatively easeful in finding a tall spine.
Place the hands somewhere on the lap that feel comfortable for you so the shoulders can move slightly back,
The chest is open,
The torso is long and there's space for the lungs to breathe.
Then you can close your eyes softly or pick a gazing point in front of you.
And just begin by noticing the breath in and out of the nose.
You might elongate the breath a little bit more just to bring some attention there.
So maybe a little bit longer exhale first and then a little bit longer easy inhale through the nose.
Just continue to breathe normally here,
Noticing the movement of the breath and all of the sounds around you.
Understanding being a witness to our experience,
To the sounds,
To the thoughts,
To the sensations as they move in and out of our ears,
Our body and our general awareness.
And if the attention ever wanders from these things you can very simply guide it back to the breath.
If it's helpful you can even name the breath as inhale and exhale as it arrives and as it leaves.
If you're outside you might notice the breeze on your skin or the feeling of the sun on your body.
And wherever you are you might just notice general sensations in the body where they're located.
Even if it's just very simply the ground underneath you,
What you're sitting on.
Where you might feel the breath move in and out.
Often it's the ribs or the chest.
Just noticing,
Being aware.
You might notice a fluctuation of thoughts moving in and out the awareness.
Not trying to change them or anything about the experience but just witnessing them,
Noticing them as they come and go.
If the thoughts or the sensation or the emotion connected to any of these things feels challenging for you,
You might just notice that challenge and either allow it to be there or return your attention back to the breath if that feels too much for you to work with right now.
Just continually witnessing over and over how these things all fluctuate.
Noticing that nothing is stuck.
Nothing is fluid,
Just like the waves of the breath.
And allow yourself if possible today for these last few moments here just to watch the movement of these things,
The breath,
The thoughts,
Sounds and sensations.
And if it's helpful you can name them as such as they rise and fall,
As they exit,
Enter,
As they maybe shift or return or leave for good.
Human teacher Tara Brock says that everything belongs.
The more we practice allowing these things to be there,
Allowing the thoughts and sounds and sensations and emotions to be part of our experience,
The less attached we might be to them.
And the more ease might come with our general experience,
Whatever it is we're feeling,
Whether we're joyful or stressed.
And we can witness those things too,
Allow everything to be there,
Not just negative feelings or sensations but also positive,
Happy ones.
Maybe even just neutral,
Letting everything exist.
Return your attention to your breath.
If it's helpful you can take a soft breath out of the mouth.
Bring your attention back to your body,
What you're sitting on,
The lift of your spine,
The hands.
And I invite you if you like to bring the hands together,
Sit up a little bit taller and let the head again bow down to the chest,
Returning the mind to the heart and the heart to the mind and thanking yourselves just for being here today,
For being willing to show up and be with yourselves exactly as you are.
Thank you.
Let's go back to your virtual world first.
