Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
And allow your body to soften,
Just a little.
Feel the support beneath you,
Giving you a place to rest.
Gently bring your attention to your breath.
This is simply a moment to turn inward,
To listen and to be with yourself.
Take a slow,
Comfortable breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Allow yourself to arrive a little more fully in this moment.
Now gently bring to mind someone you love.
Someone whose well-being matters to you.
Notice what happens inside as you think of this person.
Perhaps you become aware of a desire to care for them?
To support them?
To make sure they are ok.
Simply notice how much space this person and their feelings may take up inside you.
Imagine now that you are carrying a bag.
Inside this bag are all the things you have been carrying for this person.
But perhaps there is a worry about how they feel.
A need to make things better.
A fear of disappointing them.
Or a feeling that you need to keep the peace.
Maybe there are things you have been trying to solve,
Emotions you have been holding.
Or responsibilities you have quietly taken on.
Take a moment to sense the weight of this bag and everything it represents.
And when you feel ready,
Imagine gently opening it.
You can begin taking out one thing at a time.
Perhaps you take out the responsibility for someone else's happiness and place it gently on the ground.
You might take out the need to solve every problem and let it rest beside you.
With each one,
See how you feel a little more space around your heart.
Around your breath,
Around your body.
You can care deeply and allow each person to carry their own life.
You can offer love and support while honoring your own needs.
Now gently bring your attention back to yourself.
Feel your breath moving through your body.
Notice your heart.
Your sensations.
Your own inner world.
And ask yourself quietly.
What am I feeling right now?
Give yourself a moment to listen.
Then ask,
What do I need?
What would it feel like to give myself some of the care I so naturally offer to others?
Let that question stay with you for a few breaths.
You are allowed to have your own needs.
You are allowed to have your own feelings.
You are allowed to have a life that belongs to you.
And love can have space for all of this.
Take a slow,
Gentle breath in.
And feel the ground beneath you once again.
Notice the room around you.
Slowly bring your awareness back to the present moment.
Carrying a little more space within you and perhaps a little more of yourself back home.
