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Good morning, and welcome to this morning meditation that will help you to harness a sense of inner peace that you may carry with you throughout your day.
Whether you have woken up feeling calm and collected or anxious and unsettled, this meditation will draw you deeper into the stillness and serenity of your core being.
For this meditation, you may choose any position that is most comfortable to you.
A seated posture will harness an increase in energy for the day; however, if this does not feel accessible to you in this moment, allow yourself to remain in a straight, lying down position, resting on your back.
Take a few moments now to explore which posture will best serve you for this meditation, making any adjustments necessary.
Once you are settled, I invite you to begin by simply taking a few moments of mindful breath awareness.
Observe the natural rhythm and flow of your breath, making note of how this life force nourishes and sustains you through both waking and sleeping life.
Though you may consciously guide your breath in a particular direction, it does not require any effort to perform its task; it is a well of wisdom of its own accord.
Take a few moments now to pay closer attention to it, perhaps giving thanks for its presence.
Though we do not often grant it much attention, the breath is a steady anchor that is always available to us to help us settle into the space we are in.
Before we move forward with our daily activities, grounding ourselves in this space and time helps us to shed any feelings of anxiety, restlessness, or fear that may be lingering in body or mind.
So, take a few minutes now to simply observe the space you are occupying… and the breath… as it nourishes every cell of your body.
Inhale, allowing the stomach to expand completely … and exhale, allowing the abdomen to soften and all muscles of the body to be released.
If you have woken up this morning with any feelings of heaviness… of worry… or of uneasiness about what this day will bring, see if you can softly detach mentally from this sensation by noting its presence in the body.
Detaching does not require us to suppress or deny; instead, it is a way of shifting our relationship to whatever we are experiencing.
So, beginning at the toes, gently scan your way through each and every muscle group, witnessing if there is any tightness, any heaviness, or any tingling that may be present there and perhaps associated with your mental or emotional state.
If you feel calm and at peace already, continue to witness this harmonious state you are in, focusing on the steady rhythm of your breath as you enjoy these moments of serenity and stillness ahead of the day’s activities.
Making your way up towards the head, tune into the muscles around the eyes… the eyebrows… and the forehead, seeing if you can soften this area even further.
As you do so, notice if the breath or rest of the body changes in anyway; notice, too, if there is a shift in the state of your mind.
Hold your entire body in your conscious awareness now, breathing into each cell of the body as you rest here with nothing to do yet and nothing to accomplish.
Sink into the pure bliss of simply being here.
The beauty of morning meditation is that it sets the stage for the rest of the day, granting us the opportunity to harness the energy we wish to experience as we move into the world.
So, I invite you to take a few moments to tune into the heart space as we explore our deepest yearnings.
Drawing your attention to the chest, witness the heart opening and softening with each full breath.
On each inhalation, the chest expands, and on each exhalation, it softens, freeing up any stagnant, fearful, or tense energy that may be lingering. Continue to breathe through the heart space, seeing if you can connect with what this space represents to you.
The heart is the center of our being – the meeting place of earthly and spiritual energies. As such, it represents balance, harmony, and wholeness.
When we operate in the world from the heart of who we are, we feel a great sense of alignment with everything around us.
As each and every new day opens us up to the unknown, moving from the heart space helps us to embody a greater sense of inner peace.
Trusting the heart and allowing it to be our guide helps us to surf whatever waves come our way with grace.
So, tune into the breath now as it moves through the heart, seeing if you can sense the peaceful rhythm of its continual comings and goings.
Peace is not only inherent in stillness; it is a quality we can find beneath the surface of moving energies as well.
With that notion in heart and mind, see if you can find a sense of inner peace alongside this subtle movement of air into and out of the lungs.
Whether you feel sure or unsure of what this day will bring, there is always an element of uncertainty in life.
We can be aware to some degree of what might happen, but we always come up against situations, opportunities, and challenges that we could not have predicted.
As we surrender our need to control or to ‘know’ exactly what will happen, we find a greater ability to flow with life as it unfolds. An inner confidence begins to unveil itself…
So, take a few deep breaths now into the base of the spine, witnessing the expansion and contraction of the belly with each full breath.
As you gently guide the breath into the belly, any residual stress within body or mind begins to fall away.
This deep belly breathing activates the body’s relaxation response – or the ‘rest and digest’ system.
When the body is at ease, we are in a better position to take on whatever the day brings us. So, take a few moments of silence now to sink even further into this deepened breath.
If or when the mind wanders, compassionately witness this as you come back to the breath to ground you comfortably into this present moment.
You might sense a lightness washing over you, or an expanded presence that wasn’t there upon waking.
Tune into this expansion, allowing the chest and belly to grow even larger on the inhalation. You might even release a sigh on your next exhalation.
From this place of lightness and presence, tune back into the heart as you check in with what your most authentic self yearns to embody today.
It might be a continued sense of inner peace… it might be confidence… it might be compassion… it might be radiance.
Whatever it is, ensure that it is aligned with the peaceful presence you are moving into right now, and then, take a few moments to silently whisper your intention to yourself. Frame it in the present tense rather than the future tense.
Envision that you already embody this virtue you yearn for
Now, take just three more deep breaths, slow and steady, as you enjoy these last few moments of mindful meditation before stepping peacefully into the day ahead of you.
Gently draw your hands to your heart, placing them one on top of the other over the center of your chest, as you silently repeat the words:
Peace begins within. Peace begins within. Peace begins within.
When you are ready, gently flutter your eyes open and bring gentle movement into your body.
As you move into this unfolding day, remember this peaceful place you have cultivated within you.
In any moment, you can return to this place through mindful awareness of the breath and through the stillness that lives within you.
Read next: 20-Minute Guided Meditation on Gratitude
