Amid the rapid pace of everyday life, it’s common to feel isolated, with our attention tightly focused on our personal experiences—our physical sensations, our thoughts, our emotions.
Mindfulness offers a pathway to break down these walls, bringing into our awareness just how connected we really are to everyone and everything around us.
Mindfulness offers a pathway to break down these walls, bringing into our awareness just how connected we really are to everyone and everything around us.
During this meditation, Nadene will lead you through exercises designed to help you relax, contemplate, and forge a deeper bond, not only with yourself but also with the broader tapestry of human experiences.
Envision facing a moment of challenge or making a significant decision. Imagine how these situations can be approached differently through the lens of connection and collective insight—values nurtured by this meditation. Whether you’re navigating a tough discussion, embarking on a creative project, or simply taking time for introspection, this practice provides you with a more profound, interconnected viewpoint.
A Guided Meditation for Cultivating Connection to Yourself and Beyond
A 12-Meditation for Cultivating Connection to Yourself and Beyond by Nadene Cherry
- Begin by finding a comfortable posture of your choice. You can do this practice while sitting or lying down. If you are sitting, let your hands rest on your lap as you embody a position of dignity.
- When you’re ready, gently close your eyes. Softening your gaze is fine, too, if keeping eyes open is more comfortable for you.
- Invite into your heart an intention of inclusivity, opening a space where all is welcome.
- First, bring awareness to the top of the head. Notice the sensations on the top of the head and at the back of the head and the face, considering that all of us have these working brains in our head, processing information every day.
- Shift your attention now to your eyes. Remember all of us have eyes with the same desire to see beauty and nature and things we love.
- Now shift your awareness to your ears. Recognize that every living being has the same shared desire to hear things like the sweet voices of ones we love and our favorite songs.
- Next, bring your attention to your mouth. Each one of us shares the same desire to smile easily with happiness, to laugh, and to speak important words and messages.
- Give yourself permission to let your shoulders relax down. All of us have these shoulders that can become hyped up as we feel like we’re carrying the weight of the world. Yet each one of us desires the ability to allow our shoulders to be relaxed and for our bodies to feel calm and peaceful.
- Sense now into the chest and the lungs. Recall we are all breathing in and breathing out from the same source of air every day.
- If the mind has wandered off to the past or is caught and being pulled into the future, like a lost puppy, gently shift your awareness back to the present, without any judgment. .
- Bring your awareness now to your arms. Recognize all that these arms do and that all of us are included in sharing this desire to have arms to hug those we care for and to feel the sensations of being hugged back.
- Now sense into your hands. We all have these hands that help us in meaningful ways.
- Now move your attention to the belly. Each of us desires our bellies to be relaxed and at ease and peaceful.
- Allow yourself to feel held by the chair or any surface you’re resting on. We all share a desire to feel supported and safe and held. Feel into the legs and feet, remembering this shared desire for our legs and feet to take us places we dream.
- Lastly, shift your attention back up to your heart. Remember that each of us have these incredible hearts. Not only pumping blood around to your entire body, but also holding all of the love within us. No matter how we identify, we are all made of the same stuff. We all share the same desires to love, to be loved, to be seen, heard, and understood.
- When you’re ready to close the practice with an inclusive heart, bring some soft, gentle movement to the body. And when you feel ready, allow the eyes to open.
- Thank you for your practice today. I hope you found it helpful.
