Welcome to this guided resourcing practice,
Designed to help calm your nervous system,
Feel good in your body,
And break through chronic pain.
We can often be so disconnected from our bodies,
And this practice helps us remember what it's like to feel good in our bodies again,
To feel safe in our bodies again.
Over time,
As this sense of safety increases,
It can help reduce chronic symptoms and allow us to fully experience what it's like to be in our bodies without resistance.
You can use resourcing not only in a meditation setting,
But in a bite-sized way at any time throughout the day to feel more grounded.
In this practice,
I'll be guiding you to bring to mind a resource and help you learn to use it effectively.
But first,
What is a resource?
A resource is anything that makes you feel good,
Safe,
Loved,
Or strong.
Resources can be both internal and external.
A resource could be a positive experience you've had,
A place you love to visit,
People,
Music,
Or even personal values or affirmations about yourself.
This is the most important part.
A resource is a resource when you bring it to mind and you feel more expansive in your body.
So what resource comes to mind for you today?
It might be different than what you expect.
Think of the details.
What's happening?
Who are you with?
How do you feel?
Great job.
Let's move into the guided practice where we'll ground ourselves and then bring to mind our resource.
You can do this practice either sitting or lying down.
So wherever you are,
Just gently closing the eyes and taking a few deep,
Nourishing breaths into the belly,
Letting these be the most intentional and nourishing breaths you've taken all day.
Just bring to mind the contact point between your feet and the ground or the surface beneath you.
And if your feet aren't touching a surface,
Do this with your legs instead.
Just feel the contact point between your feet and the surface.
Feel the support beneath you.
Just rest your awareness there for a few moments,
Appreciating this groundedness,
This support.
Then gently gliding your focus upward through your body,
Through your knees,
Your thighs,
And bring into your awareness the contact points between your bottom and the surface beneath you.
And just feel the weight of your body being supported.
Just allow yourself to melt into that support,
Releasing any tension in the body as you release your resistance.
Imagine this structure being there to just hold you.
And just notice what it's like to feel held in this way.
Nice.
Now I invite you to bring to mind your resource,
That memory object that helps you feel good and expansive.
Really take some time to experience that resource vividly,
As if you were there in that moment right now,
Noticing the space that you're in,
The colors,
What does it feel like beneath your feet in this memory or resource.
Just notice what it feels like to hold this expansive resource in your mind,
Allowing it to be vivid and allowing yourself to be held in this experience.
And as you bring to mind this resource,
Notice what's happening in your body.
Are there any particularly pleasant sensations that are arising?
Is there a tone of calmness or tranquility or expansiveness that you can feel in the body?
Just noticing where it feels good in the body as you imagine this resource.
And create a space where you can be present,
Imagining your resource,
And present in the body at the same time.
Not forcing anything,
Just being,
Dwelling in this experience.
And if another resource comes to mind,
You can move to that one,
Or stay with your current one.
It's completely up to you.
Just letting this resource envelop you,
And taking your time to deeply experience this resource,
And notice what changes in your body.
Can you feel less tense?
Is anything changing about your breathing or your heart rate?
And if there are unpleasant sensations that arise,
That's perfectly okay.
Not pushing them away,
Just staying with this resource,
This feeling of expansion.
And as you do this,
You might notice new perspectives,
Emotions,
Or parts of the body that you weren't really tuned into before.
That's perfectly normal.
If you notice any resistance,
Any resistance to feeling good,
What happens if you just gently drop that,
And allow yourself to rest just a little bit more?
Now move your focus,
Expand your attention to the entire body,
From head to toe.
Just get a sense of what the body feels like.
What do you notice is different compared to before we began?
Are there any words that come to mind to describe the feeling tone of the body?
And knowing you can come back to this resource at any time,
Let this resource fade from your mind,
And start to come aware of your body in the room or the space that you're in.
Gently wiggling your fingers and toes,
Feeling the body come alive,
Feeling it come awake.
Taking a nice,
Deep breath in through the nose,
And letting it go.
Letting a smile curl to your lips,
And whenever you're ready in your own time,
You can gently open your eyes.
Excellent work.
This resource is always at your disposal.
It can be so easy to get sucked into the day-to-day,
But practices like resourcing remind us that we can shift our experience,
Even in small ways.
When we do that,
We realize we have more control over what's happening to us than we thought.
We recognize that we can hold space for ourselves,
Regardless of what's going on around us.
Not pushing anything away,
But building a capacity and a strength to be with whatever we're facing.
You can try resourcing in bite-sized ways throughout the day,
Or return to this practice in a dedicated setting.
And I wish you the very best of the rest of your day or evening.
