Hello and welcome to today's meditation.
We'll do this meditation laying down so find a comfortable way to lay down and relax your body.
Did you know the average person takes 15 breaths per minute?
We are constantly breathing and the simple act of guiding awareness to our breath is such a helpful tool to practice presence.
Think about how it feels when someone is truly present with you.
That's something I know we all really appreciate and meditation could be a nice way to offer the gift of presence to yourself.
It's not uncommon that I hear someone tell me their intention is to be more present.
I think it's something each of us has considered at some point or another.
Let's use this meditation to practice presence.
If you aren't already,
Close down your eyes.
Notice how your body arrives.
Ask yourself if there are places you can let go of effort.
Relaxing your shoulders,
Relaxing your eyes,
Your jaw.
Take all of your attention to both of your legs.
Feel every single muscle.
Let go of resistance.
Let your body become effortless.
Notice how your mind arrives into your meditation.
How do your thoughts feel right now?
Maybe take this opportunity to check in with how you've been feeling lately.
What has been at the forefront of your mind and also what state of mind would you like to continue your day with?
Let's get closer to that.
Deepen your breath.
Actually listen to the sound that your breath creates.
Actually feel the movement that your breath creates.
What does it feel like to breathe in?
What does it feel like to breathe out?
Invite a bit of a pause in between each inhale and exhale.
Slow down every piece that makes up a cycle of breath.
Right now I will give myself the gift of presence.
I am allowed to slow down.
I am capable of clearing my mind.
I deserve a moment of feeling stress-free.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
Exhale from your mouth.
Good.
Let's do that again.
Deep breath in.
Exhale from your mouth.
Breathe in and out through your nose.
Take your awareness to the way the sides of your body expand with each inhale.
With your next exhale,
Feel your upper body get heavier into the floor.
Observe how each inhale expands your entire torso,
Front,
Back,
Both sides.
With your exhale,
Relax your mind a bit more.
Wherever I go,
There I am.
When I am present with what's right in front of me,
I feel more connection,
More joy,
More patience,
More clarity.
Now I'll invite you to connect with yourself here by inquiring if there is some place in your own life where presence would be a really helpful practice.
What area could you apply extra presence today?
Now that you have set that intention,
When the opportunity arrives for you to really show up there,
I trust that you will be able to do so and I trust that it will be very rewarding and it will feel good.
Today is a good day to practice presence.
I appreciate exactly as I am.
Let's finish with the deepest breath in.
All of your breath out.
One more time.
Inhale as much as you possibly can.
Inhale more than you think you can.
Pause.
Hold your breath.
Exhale.
Good job.
Namaste.
