Welcome to this meditation on coming home to the self.
So often we are given the message that the busier we are,
The more worthy we are.
Our worth is reflected in how packed our schedule is,
How many likes we have on our most recent social media post,
The number of hats we wear.
It can be exhausting,
And it can lead to a deep feeling of disconnect from the self.
I invite you today to come into stillness,
To reconnect with yourself,
To touch those deep parts of yourself that call out for nourishment.
Let's begin by taking a deep breath in,
Feeling your lungs and belly fill with the breath.
And with each exhale,
Sense the release that comes with it.
Continue with three more slow,
Deep breaths,
Bringing your focus to the sensation of the cool air coming in through the nose,
Moving down your throat,
And into your chest and belly.
You can even place your hands on your chest and upper belly,
Really connecting with the expansion of both as you inhale.
And with each exhale,
Really feel the softening of your body as you release the breath,
Drop your shoulders,
And release any tension that you may be holding in your body.
Now return to a natural rhythm with your breath,
Continuing to focus on the breath coming into the body as you inhale,
And ushering out any tension as you exhale.
Maintain this rhythm.
Mindful focused breath work can be the pathway to connecting with our inner world.
This is especially powerful when we feel so disconnected with the self.
Often this arises from frantic schedules,
Over committing oneself,
Or not setting the boundaries necessary to honor your need for self care and time for yourself.
I love the concept of dropping down into the self.
When we pause and step away from the busyness,
We offer ourselves the gift of stillness and the gift of silence.
We can soothe ourselves by slowing down,
Deepening the breath,
Placing our hands on our chest and our belly,
And connecting with the warmth of holding oneself.
I want you now to drop down into the self in this moment.
Inhale deeply and scan your body for any places of tension,
Any places that are calling for your attention.
Perhaps you feel a knot of tension in the belly,
Or your jaw is clenched,
Or your brow furrowed.
Slowing the breath brings space and release to these places of tension.
Notice where you tend to hold stress and bring tenderness to these places.
You are worthy of this care.
You are worthy of release.
You deserve time away from all of your responsibilities and obligations in order to just breathe,
To connect with the self,
And to connect with your needs.
Inhale deeply and hold the breath at the top of the inhale for a count of four.
Explore the sensations in your body and what is calling out for your attention.
Bring light and warmth and care to these places as you release the breath and drop down even deeper into the self.
Feel your body grow more relaxed with each inhale and exhale,
Again softening and releasing.
You may wish to bring your focus to your feet now.
If you are seated in a chair or on a cushion,
Feel the contact with the ground.
Sense the rootedness of your feet with the floor and the greater earth below.
Carry within you this connectedness with the earth.
If you are lying down on a mat or on your bed,
Feel the contact of your body with the surface.
Inhale deeply and as you exhale,
Feel yourself sink deeper and sense yourself being enveloped and cradled.
Connect with the sensations within your body as you settle more and more deeply into the mat or into the bed.
Inhale and exhale,
Sighing and releasing the breath.
You deserve these moments.
You are worthy of rest and restoration.
When we connect with the self and honor what lies within,
We return to the self.
We live from a place of deep authenticity.
We are directly in touch with our truth and from this,
We honor the self and we trust and know the self.
What is meant to be ours and what aligns with our truth will come naturally to us.
Notice this often and remind yourself of the gift of stillness and of the gift of dropping into the self.
Connect deeply and often with your need for care,
For you are worthy of this.
Inhale deeply and as you exhale,
Begin to come back into the room,
Noticing any ambient sounds.
Take a few more breaths here and maybe wiggle your fingers and wiggle your toes.
And when you feel ready,
Slowly open your eyes and give thanks to the self for honoring yourself today.
Namaste.
