The space before the beginning.
Find a comfortable position,
Seated,
Lying down,
Or gently supported by cushions or blankets.
Let your eyes soften closed or lower your gaze.
Begin by noticing your breath,
Not changing it,
Just noticing the gentle rise of the inhale,
The soft release of the exhale.
Let the body arrive in this nestled and supported space.
There are moments in life when something inside us knows a change is coming.
Not always what it is,
Not always when it will happen,
Just the quiet feeling that something is shifting beneath the surface.
This meditation is for that space,
The space between what has been and what is still becoming.
Take a slow breath in through the nose and a longer breath out through the mouth.
Begin to notice the crests between the breaths,
The small pauses between the bottom of the exhale and the top of the inhale.
You may notice how each surge of air carries a gentle promise of return.
Each return makes space for the next rise.
Feel the weight of your body being held by the floor,
By the earth,
By whatever is beneath you.
There is nothing you need to figure out right now,
Nothing you need to solve,
Nothing you need to force.
Just feel like a seed nestled in the dark of the earth.
You are being contained by something wiser than effort.
The soil offers pressure,
Warmth and nutrients,
Not to rush growth but to make becoming feel safe.
Nothing is required of the seed,
It simply rests and allows the conditions for growth to hold it.
Notice any sensations in the body that feel heavy,
Tight or restless.
These are places where emotion,
Information or desire may be gathering.
See if you can meet them with curiosity instead of judgment,
With presence instead of pressure.
Imagine that each breath out creates a little more space inside of you,
Space to soften,
Space to release.
Space to let go of what you've been carrying.
You might notice longings,
Hopes,
Restlessness,
A sense that you're ready for something new even if you can't name it.
Let all of that be here.
This is not a moment for action,
This is a moment for listening.
Listening to the body,
Listening to the heart,
Listening to what's ready to be acknowledged,
Felt and gently integrated.
Because before anything new can truly begin,
The nervous system needs safety,
The body needs steadiness,
The breath needs space.
Take another slow breath in and let it go.
Trust that what is meant to emerge will do so in its own time.
Not through forcing,
Not through rushing,
But through presence,
Through honesty,
Through stillness,
Through feeling.
This is the wisdom of the pause,
The contraction before expansion,
The quiet moment before the next chapter unfolds and roots begin to take form.
Stay here for a few more breaths.
Resting in knowing,
Resting in being,
Resting in the gentle truth that something new is already forming within you.
When you're ready,
Slowly begin to deepen your breath.
Wiggle the fingers and the toes.
Let your eyes open softly.
Carry this steadiness with you,
The calm beneath the noise,
The center beneath the change.
You are allowed to begin again,
Slowly,
Gently,
From the inside out.
