The Daily Insight,
Produced by Fleur Chambers for Insight Timer.
Welcome to this 20 minute meditation designed to help you relax and cultivate calm amidst the busyness of modern life.
During this meditation we shall find calm in the gentle movement of our breath,
In the relaxation of our bodies and in the felt sense of the ground receiving our weight.
We shall extend this feeling of calm by cultivating feelings of being cared for.
We shall end this meditation with a full body smile,
The ultimate act of stress relief.
So settling now into a comfortable position and just gently casting your eye around the space you are in.
Just noticing colours,
Textures,
Shapes,
Details both big and small.
Perhaps you are noticing something new or seeing things with fresh eyes.
This is the power of focus and present awareness.
And now noticing elements of your environment that allow you to feel safe and secure.
Perhaps the door,
The roof,
Some of your possessions or creature comforts.
And taking a nice deep breath into this feeling of physical safety.
Taking a few more deep breaths into the idea that right now you are safe,
You are free from harm.
And from within this sense of safety I invite you to close down your eyes.
Gently allowing your attention to turn inwards to your breath and your body.
And as you settle in remembering that it's okay to take this time for yourself,
That you deserve this opportunity to relax and cultivate calm within you.
Scanning your body now for any spots of tension or any sense of holding on,
However subtle.
And just offering these places a few deep nurturing breaths.
Allowing your breath to soothe these places now.
What a gift to be able to soothe yourself in this way.
And now just beginning to connect with your breath a little more.
This gentle life force that exists within each of us.
Noticing for a few breaths the air as it enters your nose.
Noticing for a few breaths the air as it leaves your mouth.
Noticing the gentle rise and fall of your chest.
Noticing the soft expanse of your belly as the air flows in and out.
Noticing how so many parts of your body come together in this shared act of breath.
Noticing how effortlessly your body breathes.
Surrendering into the idea that your body is able to breathe on its own.
Surrendering into the intelligence of your body,
Into its deep sense of knowing.
Focusing now on your exhale,
Allowing it to be long and smooth.
Perhaps you can hear its gentle force as it leaves your mouth.
For a few breaths now can you lengthen your exhale.
This is the breath of relaxation.
When we breathe in this way our body automatically begins to relax.
Can you be curious about this sense of relaxation now?
Noticing your ability to soften across your eyes,
Across your cheeks.
Encouraging a sense of softening across your jaw.
Noticing your ability to let go of tension in your shoulders.
Imagining your shoulders softening from the inside out.
Taking a nice deep breath into your stomach.
Feeling any sense of relaxation spread across your stomach as you breathe out.
Allowing your hips and pelvis to soften.
Feeling a sense of relaxation to move down your legs all the way to your feet and toes.
This sense of softening spreading down your arms to your hands and fingers.
And as you continue to focus on your exhale can you allow your body to let go a little more?
Letting go of any sense of holding on.
Letting the earth receive your weight.
Feeling safe in this act of the ground supporting you.
Perhaps you can notice the gentle interaction that exists between you and the ground below.
As you relax further the ground receives you even more.
As you surrender into this felt sense of relaxation of letting go the ground rises up to meet you,
To hold you.
Testing here in this sense of being held for a few more moments now.
From within this sense of being held I invite you to cast your mind back to a time when you felt cared for.
A time when you felt supported by family or friends.
A time when you felt held.
Perhaps you were having a hard time and you received the love and support of family and friends.
Maybe you experienced ill health and people were there to care for you.
Perhaps you can remember a time when friends and family stood up for you,
They were in your corner,
On your side.
Or perhaps you can remember the small and simple acts like a warm cup of tea or breakfast in bed.
How did it feel in your body to be cared for?
How did it feel in your heart?
Allowing this feeling of support to wash over your body.
Just like a wave washes over the sand.
And from this place of feeling supported perhaps you can enjoy a gentle smile.
A smile that serves to relax you,
To reduce stress and encourage a sense of inner contentment and happiness.
Let's invite this smile into our whole body now.
Beginning with your feet.
Noticing sensations.
Noticing all ten toes,
Perhaps giving them a wiggle.
Feeling grateful for our feet,
For taking us where we need to go each day.
For allowing us to walk towards our dreams.
Letting your feet smile.
Noticing your lower legs.
Sensations.
Feeling your knees,
The front and the back of your knees.
Noticing your upper legs.
Any sensations where they come in contact with the surface that supports them.
Letting your legs relax into this opportunity for stillness.
Letting your legs smile.
Noticing your hips and pelvis.
Letting the bones soften into the shape of a smile.
Your tummy,
Taking a nice deep breath in and out.
Feeling a softening,
A sense of relaxation across your tummy.
And within this softening comes a smile.
Noticing your chest and your lungs.
Letting them expand at the front,
The sides and the back.
Feeling grateful for this expansion,
For this opportunity to breathe in new energy.
Feeling this new energy to transform into the essence of a smile.
Noticing your shoulders.
Allowing them to relax from the inside out.
These shoulders that hold your strength and your tension.
Feeling the essence of a smile across the width of your shoulders.
Noticing your arms,
Allowing them to rest heavy and relaxed by your side.
Can your arms rest in the comfort of a smile?
Your hands and your fingers that open and close,
Hold and embrace.
Giving your fingers a wiggle.
Letting this movement resemble the etchings of a smile.
Moving up your neck to your head.
Can you relax your skull just a little?
Letting go of the pressures of thought.
And if thoughts come,
Can you offer them a smile?
Your mouth,
Teeth,
Gums and tongue.
Can you let the landscape of your mouth become soft?
Within this softness,
Can you sense a smile?
Your lips,
Can you turn them slightly upwards?
Yep,
You got it,
Into a smile.
Letting your lips smile now.
And what about your eyes that allow you to see colours,
Shapes,
Faces of those you love?
Can the feeling of gratitude for your eyes transform them gently into a smile?
Letting the essence of a smile permeate your entire being now.
Shinking into your organs,
Your blood,
Your life force.
You are now the essence of a smile.
And within this smile can you rest in a deep sense of peace,
Calm and relaxation.
Slowly finding some gentle movement.
Opening your eyes when you are ready.
