Welcome to this meditation brought to you by Create the Calm.
Find a comfortable seat or lie down if that feels better.
Allow your hands to rest softly in your lap or at your sides.
Close your eyes if that feels safe or soften your gaze toward the floor.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in and exhale fully.
Feel the support beneath you,
The chair,
The floor,
The bed or the earth itself.
Let your body soften into it.
Notice that you are not required to hold everything right now.
Right now,
You can simply be here.
With each inhale,
Draw in calm,
Steadiness and presence.
With each exhale,
Release the weight of responsibility.
Release the tension in your shoulders,
The mental load of holding it all together.
You don't have to carry it alone.
You're here now,
Supported by more than you can see.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Notice the natural rhythm without trying to change it.
Begin to lengthen each inhale just a little bit,
Drawing in strength and clarity.
Exhale fully,
Letting go of what no longer serves you,
Old tension,
Expectations and the belief that you have to do it all by yourself.
Imagine each breath moving like a gentle wave washing through your body,
Softening every muscle,
Every joint,
Every point of tension.
Feel your spine lengthen,
Let your chest open,
Let your hands rest heavy and relaxed.
With each breath,
Feel yourself becoming more steady,
More present,
More grounded.
Now,
In your mind's eye,
Imagine yourself as a tall,
Strong pillar,
Steady,
Upright and unyielding.
You've held so much,
You've carried responsibilities,
Other's expectations,
The weight of life and you've done it without complaint.
Honor that strength.
Notice the tension in the pillar,
Even the strongest structures feel strain,
And yet something begins to shift.
The pillar softens just slightly.
It begins to widen at its base,
Forming a circle around you,
A circle of strength that includes not just yourself,
But the invisible support around you.
See the circle forming out of many stones,
Threads or lights,
Each representing someone or something that supports you.
Some may be people in your life,
Some may be ancestors,
Teachers,
Friends,
Or even the earth itself.
Others are reminders of your own resilience.
Each one is a point in the circle,
Holding space with you.
Step back in your mind and notice the circle is complete.
You are no longer a single pillar holding everything alone.
You are part of a strong,
Connected structure,
A circle that holds you fully,
Evenly,
Without strain.
Now gently imagine leaning into the circle.
Feel the support of each point,
Each connection.
The weight of responsibility does not collapse you,
It is shared.
Notice how it feels to be steady without bracing,
To be held without trying to carry it all.
Breathe into the space between you and the circle.
If worries arise,
Visualize placing them into the circle.
Let them rest there,
Supported and acknowledged,
But not yours to carry alone.
With each exhale,
Release.
With each inhale,
Feel the grounding and steadiness of the circle.
Silently or aloud,
Repeat these truths.
I am part of a circle of strength.
I do not have to hold everything alone.
Support surrounds me,
Seen and unseen.
It is safe to rest and lean into the net of life.
Even when I feel like a pillar,
I am not alone.
Pause between each affirmation,
Feeling it resonate in your body,
Your chest,
Your spine,
Your hands,
Your feet.
Let it sink in,
Let it settle.
Allow yourself to feel the circle holding you.
Bring your awareness back to your body and your breath.
Feel the steadiness of the circle you are a part of.
Know that this support remains with you even as you return to daily life.
Gently wiggle your fingers and toes,
And open your eyes when you are ready.
Take a final breath in,
And exhale fully,
Letting it settle in your body.
Remember,
Even when life feels heavy,
And it seems like you should hold everything,
You are not alone.
You are part of a circle,
A web,
A community that holds you.
You are supported,
Fully and completely,
In every direction.
If this meditation has supported you,
I invite you to follow me here on Insight Timer so we can continue walking this road together.
And always remember,
You are not alone,
You are steady,
You are held.
