Hello my friend and welcome to this practice where we're going to use Havening Touch.
This is a self-touch technique that soothes our body and allows us to open up to new perspectives.
If you don't know the technique,
Don't worry,
I'll guide you through it.
First of all,
Let's begin to point our inner compass towards the real true beauty of the life we're in.
We all have struggles and challenges and real difficulties.
But life isn't just about navigating difficulty.
And it's helpful to be resourced with feelings that are nourishing and comforting.
And keep us close to our hope and our faith and our belief that things will get better.
There's so much beauty.
We're always in the presence of beauty and goodness.
It's right beside us.
It's right in front of us.
And it's all around us.
And sometimes we forget to step into the beauty because we're busy attending to what we feel isn't right.
Or we're hypervigilant for what might not go right.
It's helpful to know that the more you nourish your nervous system with the good things that you love,
With the things that fill your heart and nourish your system,
The more your anxiety will reduce.
And you'll feel that resourceness.
We want to strengthen our love muscles.
We want to give ourselves good things and to feel good.
Every human values feeling good.
Sometimes we do feel it's hard to let those things in.
So this havening practice is for receiving the beauty and deliciousness of life and to really receive it.
Havening means a safe,
Calm space.
We're going to take that space as we let it sink in that we're not outside of any of the beauty of life,
Even if we feel like that sometimes.
We're invited into it.
To live it,
To inhabit it.
We're part of it,
This beautiful creation.
Remember all the senses you have that connect you to what you love.
The sights you love to see.
The tastes.
The smells that bring you joy.
The places you love to be.
That you have an appetite for all of these means you are already connected to the beauty.
You have the wiring.
So with this havening touch.
We're going to begin.
To feel and really take in the goodness and beauty that we can become aware of in our lives.
Have a sense now as you settle that you're about to settle into a really good place.
While validating any difficult feelings you may be having.
Be kind.
And we'll begin by stroking the palms of our hands together from side to side.
We're just breathing in and out of our heart.
This is a gentle caress.
As we stroke the palms of our hands together from side to side slowly.
And as you're doing that,
Let these questions float into your awareness.
What if I'm allowed to enjoy beautiful moments?
What if I can have reverence for life?
What if all life's beauty is meant for me?
And now crossing your arms over your chest and stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows.
What if life is offering me sweetness right now?
What if I'm allowed to open fully to pleasure and presence?
And dive in.
And now stroking gently anywhere on your face.
Could be your cheeks,
Your temples.
What if I could feel delight in every cell of my being?
What if I don't have to deserve this delight?
Or earn it?
I can simply have it.
Back to your hands,
Stroking them from side to side.
What if the beauty of life is already moving through me?
What if I let myself be filled with softness and light?
Arms.
What of this joy?
All the joy is safe to feel.
Face.
And now I remember.
This beauty has chosen me.
Life's beauty is inviting me in.
Life's beauty is inviting me home.
Stroking your palms together again from side to side keeping the soothing touch going.
As you do feeling that with this touch these truths are landing deep into you.
Into your bones and the marrow of your bones.
Into your cells.
Reorganizing you back to beauty and love and goodness.
And you can continue the touch any way you like.
Stroking your palms or shoulders to elbow or your face.
In any sequence.
As you think right now about something you're grateful for among all of life's gifts.
What comes to mind.
Right now you are so grateful for.
Nothing is too small.
And with that thought,
Is there a spark of something inside a region of your body?
Are lighting up.
A warmth or a charge as you think about that thing.
Maybe it's in your belly or your chest.
Or somewhere else.
Wherever you feel it,
As you remember something beautiful and special that you're really grateful for in your own life,
No matter how small,
Stay with that feeling,
That spark.
That means something.
Let it grow,
Let it exist,
Let it be here and live in you.
What is a place that is just so beautiful to you that even thinking about it fills you?
Is there a beautiful piece of music or a poem that's close to your heart?
That literally can open.
Your heart like opening the pages of a book.
What things in life make you smile or laugh?
What's sent in the air?
Taste.
What makes you take a long,
Big inhale and go,
Ah.
How beautiful does it feel when you slide into clean sheets or cool water?
Or a warm bath or a hug.
Or you flop down on your favourite old sofa or bed.
Or your house is filled with people that you love and care about and who love and care about you.
There's so much beauty in your life.
Receive it now.
Open your heart to it.
Open every cell of your being because that's the point.
That we are receptors for beauty.
We have our inherent innate wiring receivers waiting to bring it in and to nourish us and fill us and be medicine for us and give us an extraordinary wonderful experience of life that heals and soothes the times when we feel depleted or sad or lost or lonely.
Breathe it in,
Massage it in.
It's like medicine.
It's very precious and very potent and very real and true.
And now slowly bringing the havening touch to an end.
Let your hands land anywhere they want.
Letting yourself be and feel.
How does your body feel now?
Is there a little more fullness somewhere or light?
Serenity.
Or joy.
And there's no wrong or right way but just noticing and feeling.
And if it feels good to you,
Bathing,
Like you're bathing in beauty.
The beauty that has arisen inside you.
Letting all the parts of you share in it,
Especially those parts which need it most.
Maybe you can send an inner smile down into your body,
Lifting the corners of your lips.
Maybe bringing your hands to your heart.
As we close this practice.
In a gesture of connection and cherishing.
Cherishing you as a living being.
And cherishing life.
Perhaps the next thought or the next thing you do.
Will come from engaging with what's beautiful to you and how your body's feeling because you've spent this time pointing your compass to what is good and special.
Remembering even the simple things.
Especially the simple things.
And as we close here,
Thank yourself for practicing.
And thank you for practicing with me.
Take good care of yourself and until next time,
Bye for now.
