When we've been through something,
And you've chosen this space because you're coming down from crisis or a feeling of crisis,
Even though your nervous system may feel rattled,
It does know,
It does understand.
So the feelings that you're experiencing in your body now and the thoughts that come with them come from a wise,
Intelligent nervous system that is guiding you to know that something's felt it's given you a knock or a shake up.
And it's not in this moment about fixing that or figuring it out.
It's about coming through it and down from it,
Coming in,
Being held and feeling calm again,
Or even a little better,
Doesn't have to be complete calm.
The main thing to know as you settle in here is you can meet yourself with these big feelings.
They're not going to harm you and they're not trying to.
And though they may feel like they come with a message perhaps of shame or blame or danger,
That's not what's happening here.
The invitation isn't one to feel bad,
But to feel better.
So what you're getting is a signal.
Sometimes that signal comes with feelings from long ago when we first experienced dysregulation in our system.
And so if you do feel like you need to fix,
If there's a sense of urgency,
It might be because when you were younger,
No one held you in your feelings and said,
There's nothing we need to do here,
Just need to feel better.
Just know that there's something here that wants attention.
That's a guidance system,
Not an enemy.
Okay?
So you can hear my voice and you can anchor toward that if that helps you feel a little more settled.
But I also invite you,
Encourage you to trust yourself,
Even when you're feeling a tension in your muscles,
A fast quickening heartbeat.
That stirred up feeling inside you,
Maybe in your belly,
Even when your thoughts are racing,
The wisdom inside of you and the love that's always present has not abandoned you.
And there's a window opening to some healing here,
Some comfort.
And it comes from you too,
Not just from this meditation,
This space.
So first,
See if you can meet yourself where you are,
Whether you're sitting or lying down,
Can you find a small comfort,
Just choose that for yourself.
It might be that you want to cuddle a blanket or have something nice and heavy over your sacrum,
Your lower belly that can feel grounding.
You might want a pillow under your knees.
You might want to feel yourself a bit more present and a bit more here with your breath.
So a hand to your heart or your belly can help that.
You just even might want some small movements,
Some rocking,
Some swaying.
See if you can move in a rhythm that slows things down a little for your system though.
And you might want to start before slowing down your system by tapping yourself rapidly or shaking things out.
When there's a lot of excess energy in our system,
But we feel like we just need to sit still,
Sometimes that energy is saying,
Release me a bit.
And we can do that by tapping around our body,
Kidney points,
Lower back,
Around your chest.
We can do that by squeezing and then releasing our fists or our thighs,
Clenching,
Releasing or shaking it all out.
Worth a go.
Choose what feels right to let your body know.
It's safe to move energy.
It's safe to come down from this feeling of crisis.
And then you might take some slower breaths.
Don't worry if that's hard for you.
There's nothing to perform here.
Even if it's a 2% slowing of breath,
That's marvelous.
And let just coming into this space be a way of letting your being know,
I am here now.
And I am allowed to soften.
So if you have your hand gently to your chest or somewhere where it can remind you of your own presence,
Let's breathe without trying to manage anything.
Let's breathe as if we're just feeling breath moving inside us.
Just feeling it coming in,
Moving in our body and then leaving our body.
We're just being with what's already happening.
The simple exhale.
The simple inhale.
Feeling yourself being breathed.
You might feel there's a breath you've been holding on to.
That needs to let go now.
And a clue might be that your shoulders are a little up toward your ear.
Your jaw's a little clenched.
Your forehead's a little scrunchy.
There's some gripping inside of you.
Some bracing against releasing that breath.
Now's an opportunity to take big breaths in and then sigh or even moan them out.
And let that be a soft,
Slow release if you can.
But you don't have to do this part perfectly.
There is no right pace.
There's no right way.
Just feeling what happens when you let that exhalation be a little deeper,
Slower,
Longer.
What drops of holding,
What drops of breath might want to come out?
Where your breath has been standing guard for you.
You might want to say quietly to yourself,
I am coming down now.
I am safe enough to land now,
Right here.
I'm safe to let it be okay to feel what I'm feeling.
And hey,
Be neutral about that.
Everybody feels.
Our capacity to feel shows us that we are intelligently wired.
And any stories around it being bad or good,
Good feelings,
Bad feelings,
See if you can let them go.
Go into neutral gear.
Everybody feels.
A feeling is a feeling.
How does that feel?
And then the best part,
You can build a bridge of compassion here.
So if there are parts of you on guard protesting about you,
You can bring in the compassion that says,
I care.
I understand.
I see myself.
I want to help myself feel better.
Warming it up from neutral to compassion.
And then you can notice where your body feels most stirred,
Most tight,
Perhaps.
Where in your body there's that feeling physically.
And instead of trying to make it go away,
Let's offer it a little kindness.
A little kindness goes a long way,
Right?
So you might imagine wrapping a warm towel around that spot in your body.
Or sending it a warm glow of light or some space.
If it feels inflamed,
You might imagine sending it some cool water or balm,
Some healing ointment,
Soothing.
And you could place a hand nearby that place or it gently and say,
You don't have to hold it all now.
You don't have to be on guard.
Everything's okay.
You can relax now.
Give this place that permission,
Letting it know you're with it.
You're with these feelings.
And still allowing your exhalation to carry away any static,
Any story,
Any noise.
This moment is for restoration,
Not analysis.
This moment is for your body to feel better,
To heal,
To come back into balance.
You've done enough and you are enough.
And the ground underneath you can take every ounce of your weight.
Let yourself drop.
And if a wave of feeling comes,
Any wave of feeling,
Greet it like you would a child climbing into your lap after a nightmare or an unsettled pet.
No words are needed.
Just presence and soothing.
Soothing breath.
A kind body.
And as we near the close,
Say to yourself now,
This is the turning point.
I remember now.
Crisis may come,
I don't have to live there or stay there all the time.
There is a different space to come back to.
It's always waiting for me.
But the only thing that matters is love and peace and feeling safe and able to be with all the waves.
The only thing that matters in this space is for me to let go and be there.
And as we near the close,
Again,
Not being hurried,
Purposefully taking one more breath that feels a little more yours.
A little more relaxed.
Some more breaths that are a little more grounded and light.
Bring your hands toward your heart or on it.
Give yourself some kindness in that way.
You are good.
You are not alone.
You're doing your best.
Even now,
You're choosing the highest,
Which is to come back to yourself just as you are.
And there's no rush in this healing.
And there's no time limit on it,
My friend.
You're coming back to the truth beneath the storm.
That you are here.
That you are still whole.
That you are still you.
That you are still worthy of all the goodness,
All the gentleness,
All the care and all the joy that is your simple birthright.
So worthy.
Whatever is happening.
You stay as long as you like.
And when you are ready to re-enter the world,
See if you can go a little more tenderly,
A little slower maybe,
Or steadier,
So you're carrying the memory of this return.
Thank you.
