Staying Consistent

Hi, and welcome to today's meditation. So today we're going to focus on consistency, whether it's in training the body, in training the mind or any area of our life, it's so important that we show up regularly. And we're going to focus on that quality in our meditation today, as well, finding that combination of discipline, flexibility, focus, relaxation. The more we can train that in our mind the more we start to find is showing up in other areas of our life as well. But we're going to begin today's exercise in the usual way. So make sure that you're sitting comfortably, arms and legs aren't cross if you're sitting on a chair. Eyes open. A soft focus. And just take in the space around you as you take two or three big, deep breaths, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. As always as you breathe in, just feeling the lungs expand as you breathe out, feeling the muscles soften. And with the next out breath, you can just gently close the eyes. Or just take a moment, having stopped. Notice how it feels to stop, to pause, the mind may be busy. That's fine, just let the thoughts come and go. Just appreciate that feeling of having nowhere to go, nothing to do in the next few minutes. And just feeling as well, the weight of the body pressing down. Start to notice as you check in with the body, whether the body's feeling restless today or still, if it's light or heavy. And whenever you feel ready, starting at the top of the head, just gently scanning down through the body. Just maintaining a nice, steady, even pace. Take about 20 seconds or so to scan from head to toe. Not only noticing the areas that feel out of balance in some way, but also the areas that feel relaxed, at ease and a little more in balance. And as you scan down through the body, just beginning to notice that rising and falling sensation of the breath. And if we're consistent, if we show up each day, we may assume it's just the same old breath, but the breath is different every single day. And each breath is different from the last, different from the next. So with a very gentle focus, just starting to tune in to that rhythm. And if you'd like to, just slowly beginning to count the breaths as they pass. So as always, just up to 10 each time. Know that the mind will become distracted at some point. That's fine. Once you've realized the mind's wandered, just acknowledging it, letting it go and coming back to the breath again. And then just as we did last time, we're going to let go of any focus on the breath now for the next few seconds. Just let your mind do whatever it wants to do, give it all the space it wants, let it think if...