Find a comfortable space to sit or lie down.
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
Allow your body to settle and your mind to become calm and open.
Step one,
Identifying the part under pressure.
Bring to mind a relationship or situation where you feel pressured.
As you hold this in your awareness,
Ask yourself,
What part of me feels most activated when I experience pressure in this relationship?
Notice where this part resides in your body.
Is it in your chest,
Stomach,
Or elsewhere?
As you focus on this part,
See if you can get a sense of what it looks like,
Feels like,
Or how it expresses itself.
Just observe without judgment.
Step two,
Exploring the protector's role.
Now gently inquire,
Is there a part of me that is trying to protect me from feeling vulnerable or hurt in this situation?
I'll ask it again.
Is there a part of me that is trying to protect me from feeling vulnerable or hurt in this situation?
Allow this protective part to come forward.
Notice how it interacts with the part that feels pressure.
Ask this protector,
What are you worried about?
What are you trying to prevent?
Hold space for its answer,
Knowing that it is trying to keep you safe.
I'll say it again.
Ask this protector,
What are you worried about?
Step three,
Connecting with the self.
Shift your attention inward to the part of you that is calm,
Centered,
And compassionate.
This is yourself,
The core of who you are.
From this place of inner wisdom,
Ask,
How can I respond to the parts that feel pressured with more calm?
How can I respond to the parts that feel pressured with more calm?
As you breathe,
Send kindness and understanding to the parts that have been working hard to deal with this burden.
Step four,
Understanding the source of pressure.
Now reflect on a situation again and ask,
What underlying belief or story is driving the pressure I feel in this relationship or situation?
What underlying belief or story is driving the pressure I feel?
In other words,
Is the pressure coming from external expectations or is there an internal belief fueling it?
Sit with whatever arises,
Being curious about where these beliefs may have originated without needing to fix or change them just yet.
Step five,
Self-identifying,
Negotiation.
In this space of quiet observation,
Ask yourself,
How do different parts of me respond to this pressure?
How do different parts of me respond to this pressure?
Notice if there's any conflicting parts.
Take a moment to notice if one part wants to please while another may want to rebel,
May want to withdraw from the situation completely.
Sitting with the energy of the self,
Allow these parts to express themselves without forcing a resolution,
Just simply observe their dynamics.
Almost like you're sitting at a conference table or a dinner table,
Giving each part a turn to speak while you reside in the self.
Step six,
Unburdening.
Gently ask,
Is this pressure tied to expectations or beliefs passed down from my family,
Culture,
Or past relationships?
Is this pressure tied to expectations or beliefs passed down from my family,
Culture,
Or past relationships?
If a yes comes up,
Notice the weight of those expectations and realize that they're not yours.
Visualize yourself placing those inherited beliefs on the ground in front of you.
Imagine the weight of them lifting off your shoulders.
And step seven,
Creating space for new responses.
With this new awareness,
Ask yourself,
How would I like to respond to pressure in this relationship or situation from a place of true freedom and clarity?
How would I like to respond to pressure in this situation or relationship from a place of true freedom and clarity?
Envision yourself acting from a place of calm and confidence.
What does it feel like to respond in this new way?
Take a few breaths here,
Visualizing yourself navigating this relationship with compassion,
Authenticity,
And ease.
Slowly begin to bring your awareness back to your breath,
Feeling your body and the space you're in.
Take a moment to reflect on how you feel after this exploration and know that you can return to this inner space whenever you feel the weight of pressure.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
My name is Brian Beloved.
If you enjoyed this meditation,
Please leave a review and follow me.
Blessings on your path.
