Bring your body into a comfortable seated position either in a cushion,
A chair or on the ground.
Try to sit as symmetrical as possible with a straight spine,
Hands on your knees or in your lap and as you take a breath see if you can lower your shoulders.
At any point throughout this meditation know that if you need to move or alter your position that is okay and take your time to gently give your body what it needs to feel supported.
Once you feel as settled as possible pause and take some nice deep breaths if that is comfortable for you.
You may like to put your hands on your heart and say the following to yourself.
Thank you.
Thank you for taking this time to reconnect.
Know that in this moment all there is for you to do is breathe.
However is comfortable for you gently take a deep breath and know that today your breath may feel or look different to yesterday.
That is okay.
Take a few more deep gentle breaths and see if you can settle into your seat a little bit more.
As you continue breathing notice any fragrances you can smell.
The air may smell clean and fresh,
Have natural woody tones or may smell like a favorite perfume or oil.
The air may have no strong smell just note what you are noticing.
Draw your attention to your ears now and notice what they can hear.
There may be noises from outside the room you are in,
The distant sound of traffic,
Birds or maybe the weather.
Observe any sounds you can hear those sounds in the room with you.
You may become aware of the sounds of your breath the way it enters and exits your body.
You may also hear very little.
Simply experience what your ears are noticing.
Draw your attention to your eyes and notice how they are feeling.
Notice any tension behind or around your eyes.
You may experience a warm darkness with your eyes shut or you may notice shapes or different shades behind your eyelids.
You may like to softly open your eyes.
Just gently choose a point of focus and allow your eyes to rest on this point.
Otherwise you might like to slowly shut your eyelids and notice the feeling as they come softly together.
As you sit or lie still notice the parts of your body connecting with the ground below you.
You might feel the cushion,
Mat or carpet.
Note the different textures and how they feel.
Observe any sensations you can feel on your skin whether it is the weight of the fabrics from your clothes gently resting on you or the temperature of the air on your exposed skin.
Observe how you are feeling internally and take note of any areas of tension in your muscles,
Your organs,
Your bones.
As you become more aware of any of these areas of tension see if you can just gently let go and soften with each breath.
Notice how you are feeling.
Any emotions that are there or are not there.
There is no need to engage just observe.
Observe any thoughts that are emerging and you might like to watch them float by like a cloud or simply fade out.
Just observe and if your mind does wander just return to the breath as an anchor.
Take your attention back now to your breath and become aware of the air entering through your nostrils without the need to change or alter your breath.
Notice how you may be able to feel the air gently come past the tip of your nose before coming right down into your lungs.
Become aware of how the air leaves your body.
You may feel it exit over your top lip from the edges of your nostrils or it may go past the tip of your nose on the exhale as well.
Simply be with the breath and observe how it enters and exits your body.
Take your attention now to the temperature of the air.
Is it cool?
Warm?
And notice if this changes the deeper your breath goes into your body.
Your body may continue to gently warm the air as it travels down towards your chest.
Moving your attention to your chest,
Your lungs.
Take note of how the air feels as it expands your lungs.
May feel relaxing,
Nourishing,
Cleansing.
Allow yourself to focus on how the breath makes you feel.
The breath can offer safety and security as it gently continues to calmly enter and exit your body.
It may remind you of gentle ocean waves continuously rolling in and out with a little thought attached.
Take your attention now to your toes and notice any sensations that you may be able to feel in your big toes.
Your little toes,
All the toes in between.
Notice the arches and tops of your feet and become aware of all the little bones that connect your toes to your ankles.
Become aware of your calves,
Your tendons and muscles that they support your lower leg bones and notice any tension or tightness.
Notice your knees,
Your hamstrings,
Glutes.
Become aware of the stability that they provide you as you sit or lie down.
Notice any sensations in your lower back,
The arch of your back and your stomach.
Take your attention to your chest and how it may gently rise and fall with each breath.
Notice any areas of tension or softening in your shoulders,
Your neck and take your awareness to your scalp,
The skin on your face,
The muscles in your forehead,
Your jaw.
Notice where your tongue is sitting in your mouth and become aware of how the different parts of your body are all connected.
Allow yourself now to tune into your own awareness of self as you contemplate and sit with this quote.
I listened to the old,
Brave my heart.
I am.
I am.
I am.
I listened to the old,
Brave of my heart.
I am.
I am.
I am.
You might like to repeat I am.
I am.
I am.
Quietly to yourself as you take some time now in contemplative stillness and silence.
Then gently let it go.
Return to the breath and let the words resonate through you.
You you you you you you you you you you hmm coming back to your breath now on your next inhale gently return back to the room and start to notice any sounds that you can hear in the room or from your own breath start to bring some awareness to your body introducing gentle movement maybe gently move your head from side to side wriggle your fingers or toes a few times before lifting the corners of your mouth into a gentle smile that reaches your heart as we end this meditation take this moment to once again thank yourself for taking this time for you if you would like to I invite you to raise your thumbs or your hands to your third eye for kind thoughts down to your lips for true speech and down to your heart for acts of compassion remember to think and speak kindness to yourself and show yourself the compassion that you deserve whenever you are ready take your time to gently open your eyes and take this feeling into the rest of your day
