Video During this meditation,
We will use mindfulness of the breath to create a compassionate attitude towards our thoughts today.
Begin by finding a comfortable position,
Sitting on a chair with your feet flat on the floor or sitting on the floor with your legs crossed.
When you're ready,
Gently allow your eyes to close.
To settle into our meditation,
We will take three big deep breaths together.
We'll start with a big deep breath in through your nose.
Inhaling your belly,
Fully expand and a long breath out.
Exhaling any tension.
Finding a second full breath in and a long breath out.
Last breath,
Trying to release any remaining tension.
A full breath in and a long breath out.
Allowing the breath now to return back to normal,
Breathing in and out through your nose.
And without trying to control or change the breath,
Notice how the breath feels as the air comes in through the nose and as the air goes out through the nose.
Does the air tingle in your nose?
Does the air feel warm or does it feel cool?
If it helps,
I invite you to count one on the inhale,
Two on the exhale,
Up to a count of ten and when you reach ten,
You can start over.
And if your mind wanders off,
If thoughts come in,
This is absolutely normal.
We average more than 6000 thoughts a day.
You are absolutely human for having a thought or two or three during this meditation.
What I encourage is you gently thank the thought and return back to the breath.
We can practice saying thank you.
Thank you for planning ahead or trying to understand a situation that's already occurred.
Thank you but I'm here now.
And returning back to counting the breath.
Bringing your attention now to where you feel the breath in your body.
This might be most prominent in the chest or the stomach.
If it's helpful,
You can place a hand here.
Seeing how it rises and falls with each inhale and exhale.
And again,
Whenever your mind wanders,
Continuing to thank it and return back.
Encouraging an attitude of friendliness and compassion towards your thoughts.
They often feel overwhelming,
Like they can get in the way or they can't stop popping up.
You can think of your thoughts like a friend who's just trying to help but doesn't know how.
Thank you for trying to help me.
Thank you for trying to protect me and continuing to follow your breath.
Seeing the rising on the inhale and the falling on the exhale.
And I'll give you a minute of space here just to practice on your own.
You can keep it calm.
And the goal of meditation isn't to eliminate all of our thoughts,
It's to become more aware of when thoughts aren't assisting the task we're trying to complete or pulling us away from enjoying the moment.
Whether it's in the middle of your work day or in the middle of playing with your kids or your dog,
You can use the same practice to bring your attention back to that moment.
You can find mindfulness at any time,
In any place.
And so before we return back,
I invite you,
If you feel comfortable doing so,
To place a hand on your heart to express self gratitude today.
For taking a moment here to show up for yourself.
When we show up and pour into ourselves,
We can become the best versions of us for others.
And my hope is that you can find one moment today,
Just one,
To say thank you thoughts for all that you do.
But I'd like to be right here,
Right now.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
As always,
I am joyed and honored that you have allowed me into your sacred space.
Have a beautiful day.
