We'll start in the normal way and say good morning,
Good evening,
Good afternoon,
Wherever you may be,
Whatever you may be doing,
Hello.
And kind of officially thank you for showing up,
Thank you for showing up for yourself and for being here in this space.
And before we begin,
I just want us to all just slow everything down.
Let things get quiet.
Deep breath in.
Take another deep breath and hold it at the top.
And then sigh it out.
Let the weight of the day,
The weight of the world just slip away.
One last time.
Deep breath in and then we'll sigh it out.
Hold it at the top.
And sigh it out.
Let's begin.
I want you to all know and realize that this practice is much a selfish practice.
It's all about you.
It's all about returning to yourself with kindness.
And maybe informing for the first time that you can be your own greatest ally.
That person who consistently is there.
I always say really the first abandonment that we experienced was ourself.
And the journey and the work,
As far as I'm concerned,
Is getting back that relationship.
So let's place ourselves into this container.
Let's just close our eyes straight away.
And bring focus and attention to the breath.
Bring focus and attention to the rise and fall of your chest.
Put you into a place of stillness.
And as we begin this practice,
Let's start with the breath by inhaling slowly for a long count of four.
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
A longer exhale of five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
And a long exhale of six,
Five.
And allow your breath to just settle in and find a natural rhythm.
Notice the weight of your body supported beneath you.
You feel the ground,
The chair,
The cushion,
The bed,
Whatever it is holding you,
Just let it do that.
Let your shoulders drop.
Relax your jaw.
Soften the space between your eyebrows.
Now see yourself walking along a quiet path.
The air is calm,
Safe.
In the distance you see at the front of a house.
And with each step you take,
You find yourself naturally getting closer and closer to that door.
The house feels familiar.
Could be the house you grew up in as a child,
Or current house.
Whatever it looks like,
You know that it's home.
This home is a place that belongs only to you.
And as you reach the door,
You stand at the threshold of the handle.
Walk gently down on the handle,
Open the door inside.
And as you do that,
You notice a warm light in the room.
A soft chair sits waiting for you.
The air has a texture to it.
It feels gentle against your skin.
Everything in here has a memory.
It's familiar.
You've seen it before.
The cushions on the chair,
The chairs.
It all reminds you that you belong to yourself.
Let's just take a moment now to just sit here.
Spend this time really looking.
And now in this,
Your home,
You,
Standing in front of you.
In what could easily be a mirror,
It's you.
Exactly what you're wearing right now in this practice is what's staring back at you.
But the you that you're looking is the version of you who loves you without conditions.
The version who speaks to self with kindness.
Who knows the depth of your stories,
Your suffering,
Your pain,
Your anxiety.
Who stands beside you through all of it.
Never shirking,
Never criticizing.
Just always there.
Reliable,
Faithful,
Resolute.
You pay attention to how they look at you.
Not with judgment,
With curiosity,
With warmth in their eyes.
They speak to you in the same voice,
In the same tone,
In the same manner that you speak to your external best friend.
And that voice of confidence comes through.
That is who this is.
You just have a slight engagement with them.
The voice that they use is your voice.
I want you to answer,
If they were to say something to you right now,
What would it be?
What would this loving version of you say to you right now?
Perhaps they invite you to sit together with them.
Perhaps they offer you something,
A gift,
A gesture,
An embrace.
Whatever it is,
Just allow yourself to receive it unconditionally,
Without thought,
Without question,
Without control,
Without wonder.
I'm going to ask them one last question.
What do you need from me for the rest of this week,
So I can be the friend that you deserve?
What do you need from me this week,
So I can be the friend you deserve?
And listen to what they say.
So I can be the friend you deserve.
So I can be the friend you deserve.
Just listen.
Listen to what they say.
Now place one hand on your heart,
And repeat these affirmations softly in your mind.
I'm going to repeat them three times.
I'm going to repeat them three times.
Let the words settle into you like seeds planted in warm soil.
I am here.
I am now.
I walk beside myself always.
I am here.
I am now.
I am present.
I walk beside myself always.
I am here.
I am now.
I am present.
I am my own safe place.
I walk beside myself always.
Let's take a deep breath in and hold that at the top.
And as you exhale,
Bring a slight gentle smile to your face.
Bring your focus and attention.
And as you do that,
One last look at that image in front of you,
That face,
That version of you.
Place your hands together.
Give a deep bow.
Give gratitude to self.
And simply say these final words.
Thank you.
Walk with me for the rest of the day.
Take one final deep breath in and hold it at the top.
And exhale.
Roll your shoulders.
Roll your neck.
And with just calm and gratitude,
Open your eyes.
Bring yourself back into the room.
And appreciate the connection that you've made tonight.
Know that that inner home has and always will exist.
You can return there any time that you need to.
And that best friend or self is always waiting to welcome you back.
The next few weeks will engage more and more with that version.
And establish a relationship.
And help us become your best friend.
Take one final deep breath in.
Hold it at the top.
And sigh it out.
Deep bows to you all.
Thank you for being here this evening.
Thank you for the time.
Thank you for joining.
And I look forward to seeing you all again.
Thank you.
All the best.
Have a good night.
Good day.
Good morning.
And a good rest of your time.
