Hello and welcome to.
.
.
This meditation.
Meditation today called a moment for you and this is for anybody who maybe doesn't have the luxury of time.
But.
.
.
They want to take a moment to themselves and I think this meditation is particularly beneficial for those who are a caregiver.
Maybe you're caring for a relative,
A friend,
Maybe it's part of your job.
Maybe you've had to give something up and sacrifice something.
To take on this role.
Whether it's caring for an elderly person,
An unwell person,
A child with additional needs.
Today is about taking this time for you.
So thank you for being here.
And I just invite you to settle into the space.
Letting your body find whatever position feels most supportive right now.
You can be seated,
Lying down,
Curled up in a ball.
And to let your hands fall wherever feels good.
And just letting your breath arrive exactly as it is.
You don't need to be ready for anything.
Just be here.
So let's just notice the simple truth that you have paused.
Even if part of you feels guilty for it.
Or you feel too tired.
Just noticing that you are here now.
Let's let the breath move in its natural rhythm.
And just let the weight of your body be held.
Held by the chair,
The floor,
The earth.
Just lean into that support.
Caregiving asks so much.
More than most people will ever see.
And quite often more than anybody will admit to.
The constant vigilance,
The emotional labor,
The invisible tasks and the way your nervous system stays slightly braced even on a quieter or good day.
And so we're just going to let any exhaustion be present.
Letting it be here.
Not as something to work through,
Not as a failure,
Just as a truth.
You're tired because you care.
And you're tired because you show up.
And you're tired because you hold so much.
And just taking a nice deep breath in as we acknowledge that truth.
And perhaps maybe guilt is present for you today.
Guilt for taking this moment of rest.
Guilt for stepping away.
For needing something.
Guilt often appears when you've been carrying more than any one person should.
The sign of your devotion.
And you're allowed to pause.
You're allowed to have needs.
And you're allowed to have a capacity.
So just mating any guilt with kindness.
Caregiving often carries a grief.
Grief for what has changed,
For what is hard.
For the version of the life you imagine.
And for the parts of yourself that you've set aside.
We're just going to witness that for a moment.
Without trying to fix it,
Without trying to make sense of it.
And if it feels right for you,
I invite you to place your hand on your chest or your belly.
And just feel the warmth of your own touch.
Reminder that you are here too.
That you matter.
You are not only a caregiver.
You're a person with a body,
A heart,
A future.
You deserve nourishment,
Spaciousness and moments of being hell.
Just taking in this breath.
As you acknowledge that you matter too.
Just allowing your shoulders to soften,
Your jaw to loosen.
And your body to remember a sense of its own belonging.
Just taking in a nice deep breath.
Cleansing exhale.
Just notice how you feel now maybe a little bit more present with yourself.
When you're ready just slowly allowing your eyes to open,
Lifting your gaze.
Landing back in the room and in your space.
And I invite you back here anytime you feel the need to take a moment for yourself.
To acknowledge that you are allowed to rest,
To have needs and to be held.
And wishing you beautiful day ahead and don't forget to take care of yourself while you're taking care of others.
