Welcome friends to this mindful movement for moms.
My name is Lauren and I will be with you today for our practice.
All of the movements we will be doing today you can do from a seated position so I invite you to go ahead and find a comfortable seat.
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze and settle into this space.
For this meditation you may choose to put one hand on your heart and one hand on your belly or to place your hands in your lap.
Settle into your breath and simply notice any feelings or sensations as your body rises and falls with each new breath.
Maybe you notice the warmth of your hand on your chest or the steady drum of your heartbeat.
Maybe you notice the sensation of cool air on the inside of your nostrils with each inhale.
And without judgment notice any areas that feel tight or fatigued.
What do these areas need?
A small movement or stretch maybe?
Can you send a warm breath to these areas?
In motherhood we rarely get moments of stillness and relaxation.
When we're told to be fully present this isn't always easy with all of our responsibilities,
All of the unknowns,
All of the stresses.
There's this idea that we are supposed to have it all figured out,
That we are supposed to feel a certain way,
Maybe not ask for help.
There can be a pressure to be like other moms or to do things the way they do them.
And how could we possibly be present with all of this on our plate?
I invite you to loosen your grip on some of these expectations,
To release this idea that everything needs to be perfect all of the time,
To surrender to life as it is in this moment with all of its beautiful imperfections.
And as you dip your toes into this surrender I invite you to ask yourself,
What do I notice shifting in my body as I sit with this idea of allowing everything to be just as it is?
Know that as you breathe and slow down thoughts and feelings may arise and that's okay.
Feelings like fear,
Frustration,
And loneliness are all temporary states,
Not endearing traits.
So simply acknowledge these thoughts without judgment and mentally attach them to a cool breeze that will eventually pass you by.
And now that we've settled into this meditation,
Let's offer some movement to our bodies.
During your next exhale,
If it feels okay,
I invite you to let your right ear fall to your right shoulder and take a couple deep breaths here.
On your next inhale,
Simply lift your head and allow your left ear to gently fall to your left shoulder.
Notice the space you are creating in your neck and throat.
Move your head gently back and forth between your right and left shoulder.
Meeting back in the center,
By lifting your head so that your chin is parallel to the floor beneath you,
Gently nod your head yes.
Yes to taking this time to myself today.
Yes to allowing myself to feel all that I am feeling.
And yes to validating my own thoughts and emotions.
With your next inhale,
Bring your head back to the center.
With kindness,
Shake your head no.
No to any mom guilt.
No to comparison.
No to the things not meant for me today.
And with your eyes still closed,
Lift your head.
Starting from a neutral position with your arms at your sides,
I invite you to begin to gently roll your shoulders from front to back,
Creating a circular motion.
And know that if you feel any tightness or tension in your neck and shoulders as we do these movements,
You're not alone.
Stress and anxiety can cause your body's muscles to involuntarily contract in these areas.
On the next inhale,
Bring both hands up overhead,
Maybe letting your gaze follow.
Reach your hands up to the sky,
And as you exhale,
Bring your hands down to your heart center.
Take a breath here.
One last time,
Bring your arms up overhead,
Letting your gaze follow,
And bring your arms back down to heart center as you exhale.
And as your hands meet,
Take a moment to think about one thing that you'll be taking with you as you continue with the rest of your day.
Gently open your eyes or lift your gaze.
Thank you for taking this time for yourself today.
My hope is that you leave this meditation with just a little more energy than what you came in with,
And I hope to see you again on Insight Timer.
Blessings.
