Practice Mindfulness with this Guided Meditation

Guest Bio: Jenna Kobakov
Preparing for this Guided Meditation:

By taking time for the following steps, you will put yourself in the best mental position to have a focused and uplifting meditation experience.

1. Prepare Your Environment
You will need a time and space where you will not be disturbed. Plug in headphones or even hang a “please do not disturb” sign on your door.

2. Take Care of Your Body
If you’re thirsty, drink some water. If your stomach is growling, get a little something to eat. Go to the bathroom if you feel you need to. Have a blanket available if you need one. 

3. Find a Comfortable Position
Sit upright if possible and wear comfortable clothing that won’t make you fidget. 

4. Breath and Relax
Before you begin, take a few deep breaths. This can help release tension from the body, mind and emotions. 

5. Handle Distractions
In other words, anticipate any possible physical distractions to your meditation and take care of them before you start.

Enjoy!

Jenna Kobabov is a certified meditation and mindfulness coach based in Toronto, Canada. Follow Jenna's guided meditation during your commute, at your desk or whenever you feel stress levels rising.  Take a few minutes to yourself and move through your daily work with a clear and optimistic outlook.
    Practice Mindfulness with this Guided Meditation
    Jenna discovered meditation five years ago. As she continued to notice the profound impact it had on her quality of life, it quickly became a daily practice. Jenna felt compelled to obtain her certification so that she could help others discover, benefit and ultimately love the effects of regular meditation practice.

    In her effort to help others discover the benefits of meditation and mindfulness, she started an inclusive, interactive and uplifting online community. She offers free, weekly guided sessions via Instagram Live on Thursdays at 8pm ET/ 7pm CT. Follow @the.found.wanderer on Instagram to join!
    Transcription:

    Bill Klaproth: This is a special edition of the SHSMD podcast. As we present a guided meditation exercise with Jenna Kobakov, a Certified Meditation Practitioner.

    Jenna Kobakov: Make yourself comfortable in any position. Ensuring the spine is straight. Gently placing your hands on your knees or in your lap. Share the connection between your sit bones and the surface below you. I really feel a sense of grounding and rooting to the earth, rooting to your body, rooting and stillness. With each inhalation, lengthen up through the spine and grow taller. And with each exhalation, letting go, melting into the ground, melting into the earth. Dropping your shoulders away from your ears, relaxing your facial features, your eyes between your eyebrows to your jaw, to your mouth. Let your body be soft in this moment. And if you haven't already done so, gently close your eyes and allow yourself to feel as if you're floating, drifting, so lite, so relaxed. Now give yourself three very long, deep present breaths. Inhaling through the nose and letting all the air out through the mouth. And again. And last one.

    Inviting your presence in your body, inviting your presence to your breath, feeling your body relax a little bit deeper, allowing your breath to return to its natural state. Letting your body guide its rhythm. Not trying to change or force anything, simply noticing the rise and fall of the chest and belly. As you inhale and exhale, noticing the temperature of the air as it moves through your nose, down your throat, and into your belly. Just having the natural rhythm of your breath to completely relax you. Each time you exhale, let go of all distracting thoughts. Imagining your thoughts are the clouds in the sky. Acknowledge them and let them go. Gently nudging your awareness back to the sound of my voice. Back to the ground. Now allow your breath to become slower, [inaudible 0:14] and deeper. Feeling your breath, traveling down into your belly and connected to the sensations and feelings throughout your body.

    As you inhale, breathing in peace, trust, and hope. And as you exhale, let go of the day, the week, the months, let go of the past and the future. Giving freedom to the future to be whatever it is going to be. Trust that you are completely safe and secure, calm and grounded in the here and now. It's time to let go of our worries. It's time to reconnect with our hearts. Reconnect to each other, to the present moment, to our breasts. Now with the mind dying, visualize a beautiful, pure white light, cascading down like a shower of light from above. Feel yourself growing lighter and brighter as this healing light pours down through your crown Shakur, into your head, down your face, your ear, your neck, out into your shoulders, your arms and hands, and then down into your chest, your ribs, your pelvis, legs, and feet. You can imagine that as we inhale, this light is filling and illuminating every pore of your being.

    And on every exhale, expand through your body even more. Take a few moments here to bathe in this white light of love and protection. Knowing this power for healing light is always available to you when you need it. Breathing peacefully. A friend to yourself. I am safe, I am calm, I trust. I am safe, I am calm, I trust. Now take a long, deep breath in through your nose, holding your breath at the top. And whenever you're ready, exhale with a long audible sigh. And with your eyes still closed, begin to bring your awareness back to the space around you, coming back to your body. Still staying connected to the present moment. Maybe bringing a smile to your face. And in your own time when you're feeling ready, you can begin to bring some gentle movements to your body, wiggling your fingers and toes, maybe some shoulder shrugs. Anything that feels good to reawaken. And when you feel ready, you may open your eyes. Namaste.