Find a comfortable seated posture or lie down on your back.
I invite you to soften your gaze or slowly close your eyes.
Have the palms of your hands resting facing up to encourage receptivity or facing down to encourage grounding.
To release any muscular tension you're holding onto,
Gently turn your head side to side a few times.
Next,
Roll your shoulders up and back.
And return them to their original natural position.
Repeat this process a few times.
Relax your whole body and be curious about the sensations you will experience throughout today's meditation.
Now we will gently bring our awareness to our breath.
Breathe in and out from your nose a few times.
Keep your breath natural.
First,
Let's try to notice the temperature of each inhale and exhale.
Begin by bringing your awareness to the inhalation and exhalation through the nostrils.
Feel the cool air as you inhale through the nose and the warm air when you exhale from the nose.
If you can't feel much of a temperature difference between the inhale and exhale,
That's okay.
Be open to whatever you're experiencing.
You're here as an observer to notice and feel the sensations right here,
Right now.
Begin to switch your focus to the quality of your breathing.
Is it shallow or deep?
Fast or slow?
Where in your body can you feel the rise and fall of your breath?
There is no need to change how you breathe in any way.
Simply be aware of the rhythm and quality of your breathing in this moment.
When your mind starts to wander off with thoughts or emotions,
Simply release what is distracting you.
Just let it come and go in their own time and try to redirect your attention back to your natural rhythm of breathing.
Now bring your attention to the pause between each breathing cycle.
Be open to notice the length of the rest period after each exhalation.
Does it feel short or long?
What does this empty space feel like to you?
In silence,
We welcome stillness and calmness within us.
Finally,
Observe your natural breathing for the next minute.
Slowly bring your awareness back to the body.
As you become aware of your exterior surroundings,
Gently move your fingers and your toes.
Take a couple of deep breaths to bring yourself back to the present.
Breathe in through the nose and sigh out from the mouth.
Breathe in through the nose and out from the mouth.
You can choose to rest for a while and whenever you feel ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Thank you for showing up for practice today.
