Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position.
Let your body find a place where it can soften.
Take a slow breath in.
And gently breathe out.
Give yourself this next few minutes to simply arrive.
Perhaps allow your eyes to close or let your gaze soften.
Feel the support beneath you.
Feel your breath moving through you And for a little while,
Let your attention come home to yourself.
There are times in life when so much of what we experience happens quietly within us.
The world sees us moving through our days,
Showing up,
Carry on.
But inside,
Something might feel different.
During perimenopause and menopause,
There can be a sense that the person others see is not quite the whole story.
There is so much of you that lives beneath the surface.
So today,
Let yourself turn gently toward that part of you.
Let yourself be seen.
Start by noticing your breath.
Notice the gentle rise and fall.
Notice the body that has carried you through all the seasons of your life.
And perhaps for a moment imagine the many years you have spent giving your attention to the people around you caring,
Listening,
Loving.
And now try to bring that same attention toward yourself.
Feel that warmth within you,
That tenderness.
That quiet sense of care that you so naturally give to others.
Let yourself receive a little of that love too.
And from that warm,
Compassionate place ask yourself Who am I when I'm not tending to everyone else?
Let the question breathe with you.
Perhaps something comes to mind.
Perhaps there is simply a feeling.
Stay with this question for a few breaths.
As you rest in this space,
Allow yourself to go a little deeper.
Who am I when nobody needs anything from me?
Take a slow breath.
Allow yourself to be curious about the woman who lives in that space.
The person underneath all the roles,
Underneath all the doing.
The woman who has her own rhythm,
Her own desire and her own inner voice.
Maybe there is a part of you that has been waiting for your attention.
Waiting for you to slow down enough to notice her.
Stay here for a few more breaths.
As you give yourself this quiet space,
Perhaps you can begin to notice what has been waiting beneath the busyness of everyday life.
Let your attention gently rest there for a moment.
And with that same warmth,
Compassion and curiosity now ask yourself What in me is asking to be seen?
Stay with that for a few breaths.
Let whatever comes be welcome.
Even if the answer is not as clear.
You may place a hand somewhere on your body that feels comforting.
Maybe in your heart or your womb.
Feel the warmth of your body.
Feel the quiet connection between you and yourself.
There is something deeply tender about turning toward yourself with care and compassion,
About allowing yourself to be a person who receives your own love and attention.
Take another slow breath in.
And as you breathe out,
Soften around yourself.
Let yourself feel the simple kindness of being here.
Seen by you.
Heard by you.
Held in your own awareness.
Stay here for another moment.
Breathing,
Listening.
Being with yourself.
Let that feeling stay with you as you slowly begin to return to the present moment.
And when you are ready,
Slowly bring your awareness back to the room around you.
Notice the surface beneath you.
The air around you.
The sounds nearby.
Take one more gentle breath.
And carry this small moment of connection with you.
A reminder that there is a woman within you who is always worth coming back to.
