This is a 15 minute guided meditation to deepen your mindfulness of the body.
It can be practiced lying down on the floor or on your bed,
seated at work, or even on public transportation or in a car.
Adjust your position so you are as comfortable as possible.
Your body settled and relaxed.
Allowing your eyes to close.
And your breath to flow in and out naturally without changing it in any way.
If you're lying on the ground or on a mat.
Allow your arms to rest gently by your side, palms facing up,
allowing your legs to relax, your feet falling naturally outwards.
If you're seated in a chair, make sure your two feet are flat on the ground, your spine elongated,
but relaxed, your shoulders open, your hands resting lightly in your lap.
As you breathe in and out, become aware of the whole body.
Feel all areas of the body that are in contact with the ground or with the chair.
Feet,
calves
thighs,
buttocks,
back,
shoulders.
With each outbreath, feel yourself sinking deeper
and deeper into the contact with the floor or the chair.
Letting go of all tension.
Letting go of any worries.
Not holding on to anything.
Allowing everything to dissolve into the ground.
As you breathe in, feel the abdomen rising.
As you breathe out, feel the abdomen falling.
Abdomen rising.
Abdomen falling.
Continue to notice the rising and falling of that abdomen as the breath comes
and goes like a wave lapping at the shore.
Flowing in.
Flowing out.
Now, as you breathe in, become aware of your two feet.
As you breathe out, allow your two feet to relax.
Breathing in.
Sending love to your feet.
Breathing out.
Smiling to your feet.
As you breathe in and out, see how wonderful it is
to have two feet that allow you to walk,
run,
play sports, dance, drive,
and to do so many other activities throughout the day.
Send gratitude to your two feet for always being there whenever you need them.
Breathing in.
Become aware of the legs.
Breathing out.
Allow all the cells in the legs to relax.
Breathing in, smiling to the legs.
Breathing out.
Sending them love.
Appreciate whatever degree of strength and health is there in the legs.
As you breathe in and out, send the legs your tenderness and care.
Allow them to rest, sinking gently into the floor or the chair.
Release any tension that may be there in the legs.
Breathing in, becoming aware of your two hands.
Breathing out,
completely relaxing
all the muscles in your two hands.
Releasing any tension that may be there.
As you breathe in,
appreciate how wonderful it is to have two hands.
As you breathe out, send the smile of love to your two hands.
Breathing in and out.
Come in touch with all the things your two hands allow you to do.
To cook, write,
drive,
hold someone's hand,
hold a baby.
draw, play a musical instrument, type,
hold a cup of tea.
So many things are available because of your two hands.
Just enjoy the fact that you have your two hands
and allow all the cells in your hands to really rest.
Breathing in.
Become aware of your two arms.
Breathing out.
Let your arms fully relax.
As you breathe in, send your love to your arms as you breathe out.
Smile to them.
Take the time to appreciate your arms and whatever strength and health are there in them.
Send gratitude to your two arms for allowing you to hug someone.
To swing on a swing.
To help and serve others.
To work.
Breathing in and out.
Allow your two arms to let go and rest completely.
Feel the tension leaving your arms as you embrace them with the energy of mindfulness,
feeling joy and ease in every part of your two arms.
Breathing in.
Become aware of the shoulders.
Breathing out.
Allow any tension in the shoulders to flow out into the floor.
Breathing in.
Sending love to the shoulders.
Breathing out.
Smiling with gratitude.
Breathing in and out.
Becoming aware that you may have allowed a lot of tension and stress to accumulate in the shoulders.
With each exhalation.
Allow the tension to flow out of the shoulders, feeling them relaxing more and more deeply.
Send them tenderness and care, knowing that you do not want to put too much strain on them.
You want to live in a way that will allow them to be relaxed and at ease.
Breathing in.
Become aware of your heart.
Breathing out.
Allow your heart to rest.
As you breathe in.
Send your love to your heart.
As you breathe out, smile to your heart.
As you breathe in and out,
get in touch with how wonderful it is to have a heart, still beating in your chest.
Your heart allows life to be possible.
It's always there for you every minute of every day.
It never takes a break.
Your heart has been beating since you were a four week old fetus in your mother's womb.
It is a marvelous organ allowing you to do everything throughout the day.
Breathing in.
You know that your heart also loves you.
Breathing out.
Commit to live in such a way that will help your heart to function well.
With each exhalation feel the heart relaxing more and more.
Allowing each cell in your heart to smile with ease and joy.
Breathing in.
Becoming aware of the stomach, the intestines.
Breathing out.
Allowing the stomach and intestines to relax.
As you breathe in, send them your love and gratitude.
As you breathe out, smile tenderly to them.
Breathing in and out.
Cherish how essential the stomach and intestines are to your health.
Allow them the chance to rest deeply.
Each day they receive, digest and assimilate the food you eat,
giving you energy and strength.
Take the time to recognize and appreciate them.
As you breathe in, feel the stomach and intestines relaxing.
As you breathe out, release any tension that remains.
Breathing in.
Become aware of your face.
The brow.
The eyes.
The jaw.
Allow the eyes and the muscles around the eyes to relax.
Relax your brow.
Forehead.
And release any tension you may be holding around the jaw.
Breathing in.
Smile to your eyes.
Breathing out.
Send your eyes, your love.
Allow your eyes to rest.
You may like to raise your eyebrows to help release any tension around the eyes.
Breathing in and out.
See how precious your two eyes are.
They allow you to look into the eyes of your beloved.
To see a beautiful sunset, to read and write,
to move around with ease, to see a bird flying in the sky.
So many things are possible thanks to your eyes.
Take the time to appreciate the miraculous gift of sight
and allow your eyes to rest deeply.
Smiling peacefully to your eyes.
Becoming aware now of the whole body from the top of the head down to the shoulders,
the back, the buttocks, the legs and your feet.
Aware of every point of contact between the body and the ground.
Aware of the ground fully supporting,
holding and embracing the body.
Now gently beginning to move the body.
Starting with the feet.
Wiggling the toes.
The fingers, moving the fingers.
Your head, moving gently from side to side.
Slowly allowing the body to wake up.
You may like to open your eyes.
Stretch your limbs.
Keeping every movement gentle and full of the energy of mindfulness you have generated during this meditation.
You can slowly prepare to get up, all the while staying connected to this powerful energy of mindfulness
and appreciation we have generated together.
We hope you will carry this gentle awareness
and gratitude with you as you continue your day.