Hello and welcome.
Welcome to your practice.
Welcoming yourself to arrive,
To land,
To be here,
Just as you are.
Sometimes,
Things in life feel really heavy and difficult.
It feels as though nothing is going right.
We feel down,
Deflated,
Discouraged.
I want you to know that I have those days too.
You are not alone.
This is a self-compassion practice,
A space to be with yourself,
A space to be with yourself as you are,
Without any need to change or fix.
Instead,
An offering to yourself of care,
Of warmth,
Of tender attention.
It can be difficult to give those things to ourselves and so the fact that you're here,
You've chosen to be here,
You've made this intentional choice to nourish yourself,
To tend to yourself,
To look after you.
In a world that makes it so easy to numb,
To push down,
To push away,
To disconnect,
You've done a really brave and courageous thing.
Thank you for being here.
I'd like to invite you to get really comfortable,
As comfortable as you can.
You could be laying down on your bed,
Snuggling on the couch,
Seated on some cushions,
Maybe a beloved pet or favourite blanket is with you.
As you are arriving and landing,
I really want to welcome all of who you are into the practice.
I welcome you just as you are into the practice.
Wherever you have chosen to begin your practice,
Please know that you can change your mind,
Move your body,
Make any shifts to find a little more ease and comfort.
Although it sometimes feels as though we are stuck,
You're never stuck.
It might feel nice to begin our practice by crossing your arms and giving yourself a hug,
A warm embrace.
Snuggle into yourself,
Cocoon your body,
Really nestle in,
Symbolising this giving,
This offering of care to yourself.
Another option here might be to place your hands on your heart,
Feeling that connection to yourself.
You might have something else that you wish to do,
Something else calling out to you.
Really lean into what your body needs and craves in this moment.
I'd really like to say that whatever you are experiencing and feeling,
It's valid.
These times can feel really challenging.
What might it be like to give yourself full permission to arrive,
To be here,
Just as you are?
No editing,
Performing,
Pretending,
No perfection.
Showing up today for your practice,
Being as messy,
As teary,
As heavy,
As sad,
Whatever it is,
Giving yourself the permission to be just as you are.
If it feels okay,
The invitation here is to notice what you're feeling,
Moving away from the need to change it or understand why,
Sinking into what it is you're feeling.
And I'm right here with you,
You're not alone.
You could notice the pace of your breath,
You could notice your posture,
There might be some discomfort or physical pain or heaviness in your physical being,
Your physical form.
Taking this time to really notice and feel what is going on in your body.
If your mind is trying to intervene,
Attaching stories,
Narratives,
Unhelpful core beliefs,
I know what that's like.
Seeing if you can practice feeling into the physical body,
The physical sensations.
Pivoting from the mind,
Wanting to have all the answers.
Perhaps there is a constriction or a heaviness,
An ache in your body somewhere,
Something that is weighing you down.
Acknowledging that it's there,
That it's challenging,
That it's difficult.
Maybe it's a numbness,
An inability to feel,
And that's okay too.
Does that constriction,
Heaviness,
Ache or even numbness in your body?
Does it take up the whole of your body?
Or do you feel it more prominently in one place?
Could there be a place somewhere,
A tiny place perhaps,
That feels just a little lighter,
A little more spacious?
Observing if your thoughts want to run with a story or familiar narrative,
Taking you away from your body and experience.
Gently inviting a hug and embrace,
Resting your palms on your heart or your belly.
Reminding yourself that it's okay to feel flat,
It's all part of the human experience.
And you're not alone to feel as though things aren't going the way you wanted or expected.
You don't need to be perfect,
You don't need to have it all figured out.
Sometimes there are no answers.
In this moment you are enough,
Just as you are.
If it feels okay,
Inviting you to draw in a full belly breath,
Sending your inhale deep down into your belly.
And as you exhale,
Letting your body soften.
Noticing whether there's some rigidity or tension that's stored in your shoulders,
Somewhere across your face,
Your jaw.
Can you invite in a little lightness,
A little space?
A little spaciousness.
This is a moment to care for yourself.
Maybe it feels new and unfamiliar.
But this can be a ritual for when the days are hard and dark and heavy.
A chance to understand and get to know yourself.
It's not about improving ourselves or never having a difficult day.
Setting aside this time to be with yourself.
To choose to feel the full spectrum of your human emotions.
Not just the ones that feel pleasant,
That feel joyful.
Choosing to turn inward,
To connect to yourself.
Such an act of courage.
Allowing your emotions to surface.
Giving them an opportunity to resolve.
Giving them an opportunity to communicate with you.
For the next few moments of our practice.
Inviting you to place your hands somewhere on your body that feels supportive and nourishing.
That could be wrapping your arms around yourself in a warm embrace.
Nestling in,
Snuggling in towards yourself.
And whether you are laying down or seated,
Wherever you are.
Beginning to gently rock and sway your body.
Inviting you to lift the corners of your mouth up into a gentle smile.
Giving thanks to yourself for this courage to show up.
To tend to yourself with such warmth and care and love.
Any day that feels a bit heavy,
A little sticky.
Know that you can return to this practice as a way of showing up for yourself.
When the time feels right,
You can return to a sense of stillness.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
Reminding you that I too have difficult days.
What you're feeling in this moment won't last forever.
You're not alone.
I'm so grateful for the privilege to hold space for you today.
Reminding you that you are enough just as you are.
