Welcome,
Wherever you are,
Feel welcome there.
Know that this is your space,
Your time,
Your moment.
You are welcome to use this time as it suits you.
Sit back and listen quietly,
Journal throughout,
Or even listen to a small portion of this meditation and come back later.
This time is for you.
Find yourself further in your space.
Notice your body pressing upon any surface beneath you.
Take a moment and grab any props you might need to make this place even more supportive for any needs that you have at this time.
As you settle in,
Call your attention to your breath.
Watch it move in and out,
Up and down.
Take a few moments here to focus on breathing all the way in and then all the way out.
Clearing space for a new,
Full,
Cleansing breath.
Slowly in all the way and slowly out.
Keep breathing and notice how with each breath,
You can feel your body and your mind relax just a little.
Spend a few more moments here basking in the simplicity and the power of your breath.
Allow your breath to begin exploring your body.
On each inhale,
Breathing into a different part of your being.
Sending a breath to your foot,
Perhaps to your thigh,
Your heart,
Your shoulders.
Using the breath as a vehicle to scan the body and taking a moment on each inhale to listen to what that part of the body is communicating to you today.
Notice any areas of tension.
Notice if there is any place in your body that is calling out for more attention today.
Focus there,
Continuing to send healing breath to this place and letting each exhale carry any discomfort out of your body.
Continue to focus on this area of tension and imagine each breath bringing just a little more relaxation.
A little more and a little more.
Tell yourself in this moment that it is okay to let go.
The mind tends to hyper-focus,
To try to control,
Perpetually problem-solving.
That's what it evolved to do.
As humans,
Historically our survival has hinged on awareness of our environment and ensuring that those around us are completing their tasks as we complete ours.
One community working toward a common goal of survival,
Of preservation.
Our lives and our priorities,
However,
Have shifted.
Even when working toward a common good,
We must remember that not everything in our immediate environment is a make-or-break moment.
Points of focus fluctuate.
Priorities vary.
Plans work out sometimes and other times they don't.
It's the liquidity of our to-do lists,
Our ability to be open and adaptable,
That keeps us alert in non-survival situations.
The varying needs and desires of those around us are to be embraced,
As they are what make our interactions with each other exciting and provide opportunities for our own growth,
Our own learning,
Our own reprioritization.
As we adapt to this changing landscape,
We work to accept and perhaps even enjoy the unknown.
We find strength in navigating that which we cannot control and learn to judge ourselves based on our efforts and what is in our hearts,
Rather than on triumph alone.
The first step in staying strong is relinquishing control,
Remembering that it is okay to let go.
Bring yourself back to your body.
Remember that sensation of letting your breath break down tension,
Experiencing the breath guiding the breakdown of walls and carrying your stress away on every exhale.
Watch yourself let go.
Reassure yourself.
It is okay to let go.
If at any point now or throughout your day you struggle to let go,
Know that your attention and your care alone are enough today.
Your worth is not based on succeeding.
Simply being there wherever you are,
You are accomplishing everything that you need to.
Pause,
Breathe,
And remember that whether you find release today or not,
That it is in fact okay to let go.
