Let “It” Be
Welcome to the mindfulness moment wrap-up for 2023. I would like to invite you to settle yourself wherever you are. In your desk chair in your wheelchair, at a stand-up desk, in bed or on a walk with nature. Close your eyes if that is comfortable for you and rearrange your body to be as comfortable as possible for the next few moments.
Take a big deep breath in through your nose and release it through your mouth with intention. How you breathe out, stretch your arms way up the sky and wiggle your fingers. Take another deep breath in through your nose. Feel it fill your lungs with fresh energizing oxygen. As you breathe out, push the energy out through your feet and wiggle your toes. If they don’t wiggle, imagine what wiggling them would feel like.
As we settle into ourselves and a few nourishing moments of quiet, take notice. Notice all that is noisy and loud around you and within you. The constant noises of life, cars, computers, cell phones, buzzing at you to hurry up and rush to the next thing. Oh, the noises within! They can be audible or silent and are often the loudest noise we here. Your thoughts: “I don’t have time for this. My list just keeps growing and growing. I’m supposed to be happy and somehow the holidays touch every loss I’ve ever had.” Our bodies can also be loud. “Oh no, not another headache! And that crick in my neck that won’t go away, Knots just keep gathering around it.” Fill the blanks with your own distracting thoughts or distressing alarms in your body. And all the while continue to B – R – E – A – T – H -E. Don’t try and fight the distractions, welcome then instead. Invite them to show you what you need. Is the noise just noise or is it an invitation to take care of yourself or to see something differently? Keep focusing on your breath. Whatever else gets clogged up inside of us, air and oxygen continue to move in and out. Most of this time this happens without much effort or even awareness on our part. This life-giving cycle of breath and breath out just is. Consider the magnitude of the gift. One of the most necessary elements for life doesn’t need your permission your time or your perfection. It happens on its own, with you not to you, and not because of you.
For a few more moments be consciously aware of the gift of breathing. Let it relax you! Let it fill you with relief. Let gratitude wash over you as you realize how much of life doesn’t need your effort. It only invites you to be Present.
