Before we begin,
I want to let you know this is not a typical meditation.
These are not typical times.
Given the recent events that have occurred in my home state of Minnesota at the end of 2025 and early 2026,
I have decided to create a meditation for those feeling the weight of this moment.
For those who want to take action but have nothing left to give.
This meditation is not about bypassing what's happening in the world or pretending everything is fine.
It's about creating enough inner strength and steadiness so that your nervous system can settle,
Your body can breathe again,
And your energy can come back online so you can be present for your neighbors who need you.
During this meditation,
You may experience moments of deep emotion,
Release,
Or just stillness.
Whatever shows up for you is welcome here.
And if at any point you need to open your eyes,
Shift your body,
Or stop,
Please do so and gently place your hand on your heart,
Letting you know that you are present and you are safe.
This is a meditation for our nation,
For our tired bodies,
For our broken hearts,
For the part of us that knows we cannot pour from an empty cup,
But we also cannot turn away.
Let's begin.
Find a position that feels supportive,
Whether seated with your feet flat on the floor or lying down with your body fully at rest.
Let your spine feel soft but anchored.
If it feels safe,
Allow your eyes to gently close.
Take a slow deep breath in through your nose and a long steady exhale out through your mouth.
Notice how the air feels cool in the back of your throat as you inhale and feel the warmth as you exhale.
Feel the weight of your body sinking deeper into the chair or the floor or the bed beneath you.
And know that you are fully supported and safe.
Take one more deep inhale and hold it at the top for 3,
2,
1,
Then exhale with a loud sigh.
Now surrender back to your normal breathing pattern and bring awareness to the sound of your heartbeat and your breath.
There is nothing you need to fix right now,
Nothing you need to decide,
Nothing you need to do.
For this moment,
You are allowed to simply be here.
Now begin to imagine a gentle layer of protection forming around your body,
A soft,
Intelligent boundary.
You might imagine it as an enclosure of light,
Of warmth,
Air,
Or a subtle energetic field around you,
Whatever feels most natural to you.
This protective layer allows your breath,
Your truth,
Your humanity to move freely while filtering out the constant noise,
Fear,
And intensity of the world that your nervous system was never meant to carry all at once.
You are creating a sacred container for your energy to recharge,
A space where your system can recalibrate.
Say silently to yourself,
I am allowed to protect my energy while still caring deeply.
Let this protective field stabilize and feel it completely surrounding you now.
You are safe here.
Now gently bring your attention to where your body meets the ground,
The soles of your feet,
Or the bottom of your spine.
Any place where you are in contact with the ground supporting you,
Begin to imagine roots growing from this point on your body.
They grow deep into the earth beneath you.
These roots move past the surface soil,
Past layers of stone and clay,
Down into the ancient,
Steady core of the earth.
You are connecting to her deep wisdom,
A living intelligence that has held grief,
Fear,
Destruction,
And rebirth for millennia.
Mother Earth knows how to turn pain into renewal.
Now imagine the earth opening slightly beneath you,
Creating a vast,
Safe space below.
And one by one,
Allow the weight you've been carrying to fall downward.
The constant alerts,
The images,
The shouting,
The sirens,
The whistles,
The screams,
The fear that tightens your chest at night,
The anger you don't know where to hold.
Let it fall into Mother Earth's opening beneath you.
You don't need to carry it all alone.
The earth can hold this for us.
Breathe and release.
Now bring to mind all of the emotions you've been holding onto this week,
This month,
Or even this year.
The rage,
The grief,
The despair.
Feel these emotions sitting at the edge of your chest now,
Rising up.
And if you're comfortable,
Safely allow those emotions to release at this time.
If there are tears here,
Let them come and roll into the abyss beneath you.
If there's a scream that never made it past your throat,
This is the moment.
Let it all out.
You may sigh.
You may scream.
You may cry.
You may laugh.
Whatever your body needs to release,
Trust it and allow it now.
You are not weak for feeling this.
You are human.
I'll give you a few minutes to release everything you've been carrying now.
It's okay.
Let it out.
You are safe.
You are protected.
Breathe and release.
Once you feel everything has been released,
The negative pent-up energy has been drained from your body and given to Mother Earth,
Begin to release everything you've been carrying.
Rub your thumbs against your middle fingers as a way to bring you back to the present,
To ground yourself and remind yourself that you are safe.
It's okay.
Stay here for several breaths,
Witnessing,
Allowing,
Letting the Earth take what you can no longer hold anymore.
Now imagine the Earth responding.
She is closing the abyss,
Absorbing your pain,
And she will start to re-energize your body.
From deep below,
A steady,
Nourishing energy begins to rise,
Moving up through your roots and into the soles of your feet or the base of your spine.
You feel the Earth's energy start to spread through your body with a soft,
Warm,
Tingling sensation,
Grounding you,
Stabilizing you,
Nourishing you.
It moves up through your legs and into your lower belly,
Restoring creativity,
Life force,
And emotional flow.
Breathe into this space now.
You feel the bright energy move up into your solar plexus,
Reigniting your sense of agency,
Dignity,
And inner power.
Breathe the life into your solar plexus now.
The energy moves up into your heart,
Filling it with compassion and empathy,
A love that includes you,
A deep love for yourself.
Breathe deep into your heart now.
You sense Earth's life source moving further up through your throat,
Clearing space for truth,
For boundaries,
And a steady voice.
As you inhale here into your throat,
Imagine a bright light growing here.
And now the energy moves into your brow,
The space between your eyes,
Bringing clarity,
Discernment,
And intuition.
Breathe life into this space now.
And finally,
The energy makes its way to the crown of your head,
Where a soft,
Expansive light meets you from above.
Take a deep breath here as the light pours down.
You are divinely connected and protected.
You are a part of something larger,
And you are not alone in this moment.
Feel this energy connecting you to your neighbors,
Your friends,
Your family,
To everyone else who is listening.
Let this energy circulate through you,
Fully vibrant and energizing,
Filling every crevice in your body,
Filling the spaces that were emptied by fear.
Breathing life back into your body.
Now gently ask yourself,
Without forcing an answer,
How am I being called to show up today?
There's no single right way.
For some of you,
It will be rest.
For others,
Conversation.
And for a few,
Maybe it's action.
Whatever arises,
Trust that your way matters.
You are not here to do everything.
You are here to do your part.
Feel yourself now,
Lighter,
Steadier,
And clearer.
Courage does not always have to roar.
Sometimes it simply breathes and says,
I am still here.
Begin to bring your awareness back to your body,
To the room you are in,
To the sounds around you.
Now,
Wiggle your fingers,
Your toes.
Know that you can return to this grounding at any time,
With one breath,
One pause.
The earth has an abundance of energy to share.
She also has an abundance of space to receive,
So do not hold in your fears.
Give it to the earth.
Remember to choose presence over panic,
And that your presence is more powerful than you know.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Take this divine energy and go forward,
Carrying hope as fuel.
Go forward with courage as truth,
Because this is how we endure.
This is how we care.
This is how we move forward together.
Thank you for being here today.
