Welcome to this guided meditation,
I'm your guide,
Dr.
Andrew Goff of Love is a Classroom.
In this guided meditation,
We are going to work on discovering our true selves,
Not the roles created for us or by us,
Our true inner self.
Begin by finding a comfortable position,
Gently closing your eyes.
Take a slow,
Deep breath in.
Feeling the air filling your lungs,
Exhale slowly,
Allowing yourself to relax.
Allow your breathing to flow naturally,
Feeling its rhythm guide you into the present moment.
Take your time to settle in,
There's nowhere else you need to be,
Nothing else you need to do,
Simply be here in this moment.
As you breathe,
Start to reflect on the many roles you've carried with you throughout your life,
The role of an educator,
A caregiver.
These roles were shaped by expectations,
Responsibilities,
And the stories you've heard and told yourself about what it means to be enough.
Now gently ask yourself,
Have these roles and expectations ever felt heavy?
Is there discomfort,
A sense of never fully reaching what you think you should be?
Maybe there's a quiet pressure or an underlying sense of stress that comes with trying to fulfill all that's been asked of you.
This is a common experience,
Feeling uneasy when we're trying to live up to the roles we've been given.
It's not because you aren't doing enough,
Rather it's the result of attaching your sense of self to these external expectations.
The more tightly we hold on to these roles,
The more we feel the discomfort when things don't go as expected or when we feel we are not measuring up.
Take a moment to breathe in deeply and exhale,
Releasing the pressure of those expectations.
Feel your body soften as you let go of the need to define yourself by these roles you've taken on.
Consider this,
What if you are more than the roles you play,
More than the responsibilities you carry?
What if these roles,
While important,
Are not the core of who you are?
Listen for a moment,
Releasing the attachment to these stories.
Allow yourself to feel lighter with each breath as the grip of these roles begins to loosen.
The responsibilities,
The expectations,
They don't need to disappear,
But you can release your attachment to them as a source of your identity.
As you continue to breathe,
Recognize it's not about giving up your roles or your work.
It's about realizing that your worth doesn't depend on them.
You are whole and complete just as you are,
Beyond any labels or external measures of success.
Take another deep breath in.
As you exhale,
Feel the peace that comes from letting go of the need to be anything other than what you are in this moment.
The stress and discomfort arise when we attach ourselves too closely to those roles,
Believing that they are what defines us.
But when we release that attachment,
A sense of calm can emerge.
As you sit or lie here in this moment,
Remind yourself you are not bound to any role or expectation.
You are free to be exactly who you are,
Beyond the stories that have shaped your life at this point.
Take your time to rest in this understanding.
Each breath offers an opportunity to return to this feeling of ease,
To the simplicity of being without pressure.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
As we bring this meditation to a close,
Gently bring your awareness back to your surroundings.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes slowly.
Carry with you a sense of lightness and the understanding that you are more than any story.
You are more than any role.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation.
