Our intention today is to find ease within

Just for visualization purposes, imagine you're holding a helium balloon attached to a string and the balloon holds all of your thoughts, worries, and general contents of your mind.

It's no surprise this is where we spend most of our time.

But this way of being leaves us detached from our bodies, floating somewhat above our frame and selves and therefore largely unconscious of how we are feeling in our physicality and our selves.

With careful attention, we can come down from the balloon and into our bodies so to release tension and reconnect with ourselves.

This exercise is best done lying down.

Just arrive in your body and gently close your eyes. We'll begin with our breathing exercise.

When we start we'll breathe in through the nose and then out through the mouth slowly, as if you're blowing up a big balloon.

Breathing in through the nose,
short inward
long and slow out

short in
long and slow exhale

inhaling
and exhaling

Good.

Now just return to your normal breathing
no forcing, just as natural as possible

Now we're just going to work to further release any tension left in the body with your breath as your companion allow each exhale to pull you further down into yourself.

Let your shoulders sink down toward the earth
imagine someone blowing a strong but cool breath onto your forehead

and that breath is blowing all tension and gripping away from your head,
your mind,
your face,
your forehead,
your eyelids,
around your lips.

Just let pour from you any fear
or worry
or overthinking in the mind.

just let go
swallow and let the throat open
your jaw unclenched

imagine as each breath runs down
through the body
it clearing away any tension
or tightness
through the neck
down your shoulders.

Very good.

Now bring your focus and attention into your chest

into the ribs
the heart
the lungs
the belly

Just follow the breath
as it passes
through the center
of your body and
feel your back
sink deeper
into the earth.

We often tense in our belly.

See if there's a sensation of holding
or tightness
in the stomach,
and if there is,
just relax that and
feel the sensation
of tightening and relaxing.

Really notice and feel the relaxation of the lower belly, soft belly.

Send your next few breaths
down into your legs,
all the way into the ankles,
the base of your feet,
into each toe.

Beautiful.

Take your hands and place them on your thighs palms down.
Can you feel the pulse in your hands or any sort of tingling?

Put your full attention into your fingers.
See just what you can feel there.

I'm going to leave you now in silence and ask that you take time to notice what is living there within you.

Notice if you can sense a natural peaceful energy or hum within your very being.

And if you can, for a moment, just allow yourself to fully trust in that energy.

Let it hold you for a moment

Over the next day or two,
if you notice yourself or body straining or overwhelmed,
or if you notice you're floating above in your balloon,
try for a moment to remind yourself
of the peaceful rhythm within you.
by taking a few conscious breaths
and directing it to any areas
that are feeling tight or constricted.

I hope you are feeling re-energized and connected with your body.

- notes taken from "day 4 of learn to meditate" on the Insight Timer app.