Welcome to day 11.
As you settle into your seat today,
Do it with a big,
Bright,
Proud smile.
For doing this for 11 days in a row now.
Wow,
You're incredible.
Sit nice and tall,
Rest your hands in your lap or on your legs.
Close your eyes.
Begin by taking three deeper breaths than normal.
In through the nose and out through the mouth.
Now shift your breathing so it is in through the nose and then back out through the nose.
And bring all your attention into your breath.
Follow the breath as it enters the body.
Pay attention to where the breath moves within the body.
Then follow it back out of the body.
Follow the breath itself.
Follow the air coming in.
Followed by the air going out.
The inward inhalation followed by the outward exhalation.
Become aware of when your attention shifts from following the breath and acknowledge the thought,
Emotion or sensation that has taken your attention.
And then gently bring it back to the awareness.
Back to your breath.
And simply follow the breath again.
Become aware when your attention shifts from the breath.
Acknowledge the thought,
The sensation,
The emotion.
Maybe you want to stay with what came into your awareness.
Maybe it needs the attention.
That's why it comes up.
And again.
Over and over again.
Become aware of the shift of attention.
See if you can redirect your attention.
Maybe you bring your awareness back to your breath.
Maybe you want to start to explore your body.
Maybe you want to follow the sounds around you.
The wind you might feel on your skin.
It's completely up to you.
You've learned different ways of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
Use what has felt the most comfortable for you.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
You've learned the most comfortable way of redirecting and focusing your attention and awareness.
Wherever you are,
Gently return your awareness back to your breath.
Noticing the gentle in and exhalation.
Gentle movements of your chest and stomach.
And know that if you've struggled,
Sitting quiet for so long,
That you're not alone.
Meditation is described as a simple practice.
That doesn't mean that it is an easy one.
Living our lives,
We're constantly reacting.
We're constantly reacting to things that are happening around us and we sometimes end up asking ourselves,
Why is this happening to me?
We put ourselves into that role of the victim.
Meditation turns all this around.
It helps you to understand that it is your eyes that are turning photons into pictures.
It is your ears that are turning the sounds around you into noise that you can hear.
Noise you like and noise you don't like.
It is your tongue,
Your mouth that turns dirt into food.
Your nose that is turning molecules into smells.
It is your skin that is turning sensation into touch.
And you come to realize that you're actually creating every single bit of your experience,
Every single bit of your reality yourself.
Meditation helps you to see through it.
It helps you to stop thinking that life is happening to you.
It helps you to understand who you truly are in this moment.
What thoughts you're having and how you react to those thoughts.
You'll be able to carry this new sense of self love out into the world with compassion for yourself and for others.
Take three deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Whenever you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Sit quietly for a few moments.
Reflect on the past 10 minutes.
Maybe grab your journal.
Write down how you went.
What thoughts you had,
What emotions came up,
What sensations you felt.
I'm so proud of you and I see you tomorrow.
Namaste.
