There are times when life feels heavy,
Not because something is wrong necessarily,
But because we've been holding ourselves tightly for so long.
The world asks a lot of us.
It fills our minds with noise,
Our calendars with tasks,
And our hearts with quiet pressure to keep it all together.
We become practiced at bracing,
At staying strong,
At managing,
Smiling and pushing through.
But under all that effort,
The body whispers,
Please,
Let me breathe.
Letting in is not about giving up.
It's about letting yourself in.
It's the brave act of meeting your own experience.
As it is.
As it is.
Not as you wish it would be.
When we stop resisting what we feel,
Even just for a few breaths,
Something inside us softens.
The shoulders lower,
The breath slows,
And the nervous system begins to trust that it's safe to rest.
Peter Russell reminds us that letting go begins by letting in.
We can't release what we haven't first acknowledged.
So in this practice,
We begin not by fixing or analyzing,
But by allowing.
By allowing.
By letting the truth of this moment move through us with compassion and curiosity.
Our lives are full of possibility.
Letting in is how we start to listen.
We listen to what our bodies are asking for,
What the heart is holding,
What the spirit is ready for next.
So today,
Hear with me.
Give yourself permission to pause.
Give yourself permission to feel what's here.
To let go of judgment,
And simply meet yourself in your breath.
You don't have to have it all figured out here today,
My friend.
You just need to let yourself in.
Let's meditate together now.
Take a few moments to make sure that you are comfortable.
You can lie down or sit with your spine supported.
Let your hands rest gently,
A symbol of permission and openness.
Gently close your eyes.
Begin by noticing your breath.
Without changing your breath,
Just observe how your breath moves in and out.
Inhale through your nose.
Exhale through your mouth.
Let your breath lengthen and slow down naturally,
Like waves smoothing the shore.
Feel the ground beneath you,
The way it supports your weight effortlessly.
You are being held right now.
You don't need to hold yourself up.
Keeping your breath deep and even,
Bring your awareness now into your body.
Start at the crown of your head and scan downward,
Noticing your forehead relax.
Eyes,
Jaw,
Shoulders,
Arms,
Hands,
Without trying to change anything,
Simply notice what's there.
Maybe tension,
Maybe warmth,
Maybe stillness.
Just acknowledge it.
Whisper inwardly,
I see you.
You belong.
Let your attention drift to your chest and your ribs.
Feel the rhythm of your breath beneath your hands,
The gentle rise and fall.
What's it like to simply notice this movement?
Noticing without judging,
Without it needing to be different.
Each inhale,
I'd like you to think,
I allow.
Each exhale,
I soften.
Inhale,
I allow.
Exhale,
I soften.
Move your awareness into your belly.
This is where we often hold emotion,
Fear,
Or fatigue.
Let your breath reach this space.
Imagine each inhale drawing in light,
And each exhale dissolving any tension.
Let your belly be soft,
Forgiving,
Alive.
Take a deep breath in,
And exhale through your mouth.
Release.
Now expand your awareness to your whole body.
This beautiful,
Intelligent body that carries you through every season of your life.
Feel how your body is trying to find balance.
It's communicating with you every day.
And using your breath,
You can always return to center when given the chance.
Pause here.
Let yourself listen for a moment.
What is your body asking for today?
Is it asking for rest?
For stillness?
For kindness?
Maybe your body is just asking to be noticed.
There's no wrong answer here.
Just breathe.
Be present.
Allow it all to be let in.
Now I'd like you to imagine that your awareness is a soft light,
Glowing in your heart space.
With every inhale,
This light expands,
Gently illuminating everything within you.
With each exhale,
It extends outward,
Welcoming in every part of your experience.
Welcome in the busy thoughts,
The tender feelings,
The quiet fatigue,
The gratitude.
Everything belongs here.
Let it all in.
Everything belongs here.
You don't have to resist or label any of it.
You are here.
Only have to let it in.
Rest in that feeling for a few minutes.
Allow your body to melt into stillness.
Allow your breath to become effortless.
This is what safety feels like.
It is the breath,
It is the awareness,
And it is the presence.
Take a deep breath in and out.
Allow your awareness to come back to the space around you,
To your body.
As you return,
Bring your hand to your heart.
Feel the breath.
Feel the steady rhythm of life moving through you.
Whisper softly,
I let in what is.
I let in what is.
I meet myself here.
I meet myself here.
I am enough as I am.
I am enough as I am.
Take a slow,
Generous breath in through your nose,
And a long,
Sighing exhale out through your mouth.
Feel your breath as an invitation.
Each inhale welcoming life in,
And each exhale softens the edges.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes.
Let the light of the room return gently,
As though the world is meeting you with fresh eyes.
Carry this openness with you.
Into your next breath,
Your next moment,
Your next conversation.
You don't have to hold it all.
You only have to stay open to what is.
And that,
My beautiful friend,
That is enough.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
Until next time,
This is Shauna.
