Through mindfulness, we develop

self-trust which emphasizes

being your own authentic self.

In this meditation, we're going to explore

cultivating this kind of self-trust,

a trust in our own deepest nature.

We'll do this by getting more in

touch with our feelings and sensations

and train in listening to them.

Honoring them and what they

may have to teach or show us.

So now just finding a comfortable

position on a cushion or a chair.

And have a sense of settling in.

When you're ready, just allowing

the eyes to gently close.

And can you allow this posture that you've

chosen to embody a sense of wakefulness?

So perhaps lengthening the spine up tall.

The crown of the head might extend

a little bit towards the ceiling.

And placing the hands

in a comfortable way.

And as a support to coming home more

fully to the here and now just taking

three deep, slow, full breaths.

And with each breath, seeing if

you can follow the flow of the

breath all the way into the body.

And all the way out.

Just two more breaths in that way.

And at the end of this next exhale, just

letting go of any control of the breath.

Just let the body breathe

in its own natural way.

And staying in touch with the

feeling of the breath in the body.

With each exhale, relaxing, more and

more fully into the here and now.

Just letting this moment be

center stage in your awareness.

And letting everything else

struggle away now into the wings.

Just this moment, just this breath.

And noticing how the body

is breathing for you.

And how you can trust the body to

continue breathing in this way.

And at the same time, you can depend

on your heart to keep beating, your

digestion to take care of itself, and

all your body systems, just continuing

to support you moment by moment.

And noticing in the physical body

where you feel the breath most easily.

The most vividly.

And really getting a sense now

of letting your attention take up

residence inside the sensations

of the breath at this point.

And if you find it a little bit

tricky to feel the breath, you

can always place a hand over the

belly or the chest, if that helps.

And remembering that there's

no need to try and control

or push away anything at all.

You're not trying to fix

anything or change anything.

Just allowing the flow of

experience to be as it is as you

rest in the feeling of the breath.

And whenever the mind gets lost,

bringing it gently back to the breath.

And now gently opening your

awareness out from the breath

and tuning into body sensations.

Begin to scan slowly through your body

with a kindly and curious awareness.

And as you scan for sensations, you

might like to find a sensation and just

hold attention here for a few breaths.

Opening up to the sensation.

Like a detective, becoming really curious

about the feeling, the nuances of it.

And if there's something a little

unpleasant, see if you can gently

open to it, making room for it in

your experience, allowing it to be

here, and gently listening to it.

And when you're ready, if you care

to, moving onto a new sensation.

And listening to it, honoring

it, letting it be felt.

And as you do this, there's no need

to get into any mental commentary

about the sensations in the body.

Just simply getting in touch

with them and feeling them fully.

That's what's most important.

And in this way, just continuing to scan

your experience, tune into sensations,

and move on when it feels right.

For many of us, it can be a habit to

ignore instead of honoring our feelings,

but emotions and sensations can be like

guides and the body has its own wisdom.

For instance, when we've been

working too long, the body

gets tired or overly revved.

If we honor those feelings,

they can teach us to take rest.

A feeling of loneliness instead

of being avoided, can be a signal

that we'd like more connection.

And we can seek out in our lives.

Wisdom grows the more you listen

to your feelings, intuitions, and

sensations with an open-heartedness.

The more you cultivate this attitude of

trust in your own being, the easier you'll

also find it to trust other people much

more and see their basic goodness as well.

So just continuing to

tune into body sensations.

Allowing them to be held in

an open, receptive, and kindly

awareness, being open to what

the body may have to teach you.

If you're tired, perhaps

there's a need for more rest.

If you have a gut feeling that wants

some attention, just giving it that.

Or maybe there's an emotion

that you've been pushing away.

If so, can you allow it

to just be felt and known.

Just continuing to scan through your

experience, listening, feeling sensations.

Knowing that in practicing mindfulness

in this way, you're practicing

learning to listen to and trust your

own feelings and your own being.

And now just guiding

awareness back to the breath.

And taking a deep breath in.

And out.

And as this practice now draws to a

close, just take a moment to notice

how your mind and body feel after

taking this time out for meditation.

And when you're ready, beginning

to wriggle the fingers and toes.

And gently open the eyes.

And I'll close today with a

passage by author and mindfulness

teacher, Jon Kabat Zinn.

He says, "Mindfulness provides a

simple but powerful route for getting

ourselves unstuck and getting back in

touch with our own wisdom and vitality.

And the most important thing is just

to be yourself and not try to become

anything that you're not already, being

in touch with your own deepest nature and

letting it flow out of you unimpeded."