In these few minutes that we spend together,
We're going to slow down and get curious about some of the dynamics at play as we mask.
Specifically,
Wanting to offer some empathic witnessing to the parts of us who are fatigued from masking,
Maybe feeling stuck in a muscle memory that we feel caught up in.
Before we start,
I want you to take some nice gentle breaths,
Not feeling any pressure to breathe in a certain way.
Maybe placing a hand over your heart,
Your abdomen,
Just noticing how your body would like to breathe into some spaciousness right now.
If it feels helpful with each exhale,
You can imagine placing any mental to-dos on a shelf to the side,
Knowing those things will be there waiting for you after this audio.
But that for right now,
For these few minutes,
You get to be right here,
Dipping into some curiosity,
Tending to fatigue that you've been carrying with you.
If you haven't already,
You can close your eyes or fix your gaze somewhere in front of you,
Letting your breath settle,
Inviting your muscles to sink in,
Specifically checking in with the muscles around your jaw,
Neck,
Shoulders,
Back,
Gut.
And if you'd like any more time to settle in,
You can pause the audio,
Take as much time as you'd like.
Whenever you're ready,
We're going to play with some mental imagery,
Thinking about what is it that the world sees when I'm asking,
And what is it that's happening internally that the world does not see.
So masking can look a lot of different ways,
Depending on the person,
Depending on the day.
But something that is a common theme in masking is that there's something happening externally and something that's happening internally,
And oftentimes there's a pretty big distinction there.
So just noticing what mental imagery might come up that can represent those external and internal dynamics of masking,
Even if it feels a bit silly or strange or random.
Just taking a breath,
Going with what comes up naturally.
In addition to mental imagery,
This might include thoughts,
Emotions,
Body sensations,
Memories,
As long as it feels safe and tolerable.
Going with what's coming up naturally,
Simply noticing it and being curious of how this represents what you experience as you move through your days.
With a nice gentle breath,
I invite you to focus on one example of masking.
Maybe this is an example that comes up when you're feeling a need to perform in a certain way.
Maybe this example comes up when you interact with certain people or you're in a certain kind of space,
Whether it's a workplace,
A faith community,
Certain family members.
Maybe this is an example that is pretty rare,
But when it comes up,
It leaves you feeling confused and frustrated.
Maybe this is an example of something that happens pretty much every single day.
If you need more time to locate an example you'd like to focus on,
You can pause the audio here.
Otherwise,
I invite you to be curious about the parts of you that play different roles in this dynamic of masking.
So this might include parts of you that are showing up in the world,
The parts of you that are taking the driver's seat in terms of what other people see.
You might think of this as the part of you that other people are interacting with,
The part of you that's performing,
The part of you that's holding it all together,
The part of you that is pleasing or not rocking the boat,
The part of you that's hiding to not be noticed.
And alongside this,
In those dynamics of what's happening externally and internally,
You might also get curious about any parts of you that you can think of as being behind the scenes.
So parts of you that might have fears,
Longings,
Worries,
Wounds,
Weariness,
The parts of you that people around you don't see and might actually not at all be aware of.
If it's helpful,
You might imagine these different parts of you as embodied beings.
So it might be that you can envision these parts of you as versions of yourself,
Maybe at different ages,
Holding different postures or dressed in a certain way,
Different facial expressions and tones.
Maybe you envision some of these parts of you as a character from a TV show or a movie,
Cartoon character,
Or even an animal,
Some sort of living and breathing depiction that might also include movement.
Noticing how big or small these parts of you seem,
How loud or quiet.
Again,
Pausing at any time if you'd like more spaciousness to be curious about what you're envisioning.
It's more helpful to actually sketch these things out on a piece of paper rather than in your mind.
Just noticing and following what seems most helpful for your own personal processing.
And as you're envisioning these parts of you,
These different dynamics,
What's happening externally and internally?
What is it that the world is seeing?
What's happening behind the scenes?
With curiosity,
I invite you to ask these parts of you what they might want you to know about this dynamic.
Maybe you ask curious questions about when this started.
How was it that this dynamic helped you?
What are the ways and the seasons,
Relationships and spaces where this has been something that has genuinely helped relationships or work?
Maybe there's been a sense of safety,
I'm asking in these ways.
A sense of acceptance.
A sense of security.
Simply noticing any feedback you might receive.
Pausing the audio if you'd like more time to get curious with this question.
Maybe you also ask these parts of you if any of them are tired.
Would any of them like a break?
Also asking if any of them are scared of what might happen if you take a break from asking.
If you don't hold it together or perform or please or hide in a certain way.
Are there any parts of you that are scared of what might happen?
Worried about the implications of that?
Feeling like you don't have permission or choice to take a break.
That taking a break is not an option.
That it's not safe to take a break or try something different.
Continuing some gentle breaths,
Simply noticing any feedback you might receive from these parts,
From your body.
And any fatigue or exhaustion that you have noticed,
That you've seen and imagined,
Rather than trying to respond or fix it in a certain way,
I invite you to simply witness this.
To let these parts of you know that you see them.
Rather than trying to come in with some sort of agenda to restructure things,
Change things,
Fix it,
Make it look different.
That right now,
What you simply want to offer,
If they're okay with it,
So asking for consent,
Is to simply witness their exhaustion,
Witness their hard work,
Witness the ways these parts of you have helped you to hold it together or perform or please or hide or whatever it might be.
However,
Masking shows up in this example that you've been focusing on.
Witnessing their hard work,
The muscle memory that they have lived in and the roles that they have been loyal to,
And the ways that these parts want to help you,
The ways that these parts want to keep you safe,
All of the work and exhaustion that might be wrapped in and around that.
Simply witnessing what these parts have held and continue to hold for you.
With a nice gentle breath or two,
If it feels safe and comfortable,
I invite you to wrap your arms around yourself,
Offering yourself an embrace,
As an embodied way to offer witnessing and empathy to these parts of you.
Again,
Asking for consent,
Making sure that these parts of you,
That your body is comfortable with this,
That it feels safe enough to try this.
Even if just for a moment,
To hold these parts of you that hold so much.
Letting them know that you see them,
You honor their wisdom,
Their intentions,
Along with their weariness,
Fatigue,
Longings,
Fear,
And anything else that you have noticed and witnessed during this time.
You can pause this audio to spend as much time here as you would like.
Whenever you feel ready to close,
I want to invite you to be really gentle and mindful about how you shift out of this time.
If it feels genuine and authentic,
Letting these parts know that you will come back to them,
Continuing to offer them attunement,
Witnessing,
Empathy,
And care.
Maybe considering going for a walk or journaling,
Taking a nap or a bath,
Anything that might sound restorative and like a breath of fresh air to these parts.
Maybe even asking these parts of you,
What would they like on the other side of this?
Even if you don't have time today or in this moment,
Something that you might do later this week or next week over the weekend.
What made a helpful touch point look like to continue to foster any connection with these parts that you started today?
And starting to deepen your gentle breaths,
Chasing your inhale all the way into all four corners of your abdomen,
Lengthening your spine a little bit,
Maybe wiggling your toes and your fingers,
Gently rolling your shoulders up,
Back,
And down,
Sinking your breath with this movement.
If you would like to,
Inhaling as your shoulders go up and exhaling as you roll them down.
Shifting side to side,
Stretching out your arms and legs,
If that would feel nice,
Gently opening your eyes if you haven't already.
Maybe opening and shifting your jaw side to side,
Inviting a deep breath or a yawn,
Maybe even a heavy sigh.
Ending with three intentional breaths as you place a hand over your heart and your abdomen.
Breathing in.
One last time,
In and out.
Thanking the parts of you inside that allowed you to touch base,
And gently shifting into the rest of your day.
