Hello my friend.
As we arrive here,
Just let yourself settle into this moment right here.
Maybe take a deep breath in and then let it all out.
And just feel yourself dropping into the support beneath you that's steady and solid See if you can maybe soften your face a little.
Notice the temperature of the air against your skin that says here you are.
Feel your shoulders dropping well away from your ears,
Nothing to hold up anymore.
And just let your breathing happen rather than needing to make it happen or anything happen.
Welcoming yourself here.
Back to you.
The you that you are.
Is precious and important.
Is allowed to take up space and sometimes we don't feel that.
Sometimes there can be a gap.
That we feel is happening between the life we long to live.
And the life we find ourselves living.
We may want to speak,
To create,
To connect,
To rest when we want to,
To explore what we want to explore,
To express what we feel wants to be expressed.
Just feeling that fullness and freedom to be and to be ourselves exactly as we are.
Just discovering ourselves and discovering life together.
And yet it can really feel like something's holding us back and saying that's not allowed for us.
And that can make us procrastinate and shrink ourselves and doubt ourselves and hide important parts of who we are.
And this isn't because there's something wrong with us.
There's nothing wrong with you.
If this is happening for you,
It's because your nervous system may have learned that once upon a time in the past,
These things felt safer.
In this practice we're about to begin we're going to use a simple form of soothing self-touch called Havening with some healing questions that help our brain and our nervous system to experience something new.
And just as our bodies learnt what has felt unsafe they can also begin to learn what is safe and feel safe now.
Just going to guide you through this three part touch if you don't know it before we begin.
The first part is stroking your palms together gently,
Like you're washing your hands under warm water.
And while you do that,
Slowly moving them from side to side.
Moving your hands from side to side soothing touch The second part is stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows.
So it's like a self hug and you're stroking down gently and steadily from your shoulders to your elbows Breathing gently and steadily.
And the final part is touching anywhere on your face.
Maybe your cheeks or your forehead.
And I'll guide these,
But you can do any part of the touch that feels good at any time if you prefer.
But we can begin by stroking our palms together from side to side.
And as you feel that soothing touch,
I want to remind you the truth.
That there is no version of you that needs to be anyone else.
Just breathing and allowing yourself to take that in.
That no one else sees with your eyes?
And no one else feels with your heart.
And what you bring to the world can only come through you.
Crossing your arms over your chest and gently stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows Imagine your body becoming just a little more willing to receive.
A new perspective.
Beginning to ask yourself the following questions.
What if it's safe to be myself?
Continuing the touch.
Touching anywhere on your face gently.
What if I don't have to hide?
What if I don't have to earn my right to be here?
What if I belong exactly as I am?
Back to hands.
What if it's safe to enjoy being me?
What if I can relax into my own presence?
I wonder what it would feel like.
To accept myself and all I am.
Softening your belly and your chest and those shoulders,
Softening into your presence What if I can relax into my own presence?
Crossing your arms over your body,
Stroking from your shoulders to your elbows What if I don't need to make myself smaller?
What if my confidence helps others feel permission to be themselves?
Notice the warmth beneath your palms Notice the rhythm,
The steady repetitive touch.
Touch your face now.
Feel your body being met with care.
What if I don't need to make myself smaller?
What if my confidence helps others feel permission to be themselves?
Breathing in and out of your heart.
Hands.
What if it's safe to take up space?
What if I don't need to make myself smaller?
Arms?
What if I can stand tall without guilt?
What if my confidence helps others feel permission to be themselves?
Face.
What if it's safe to be seen,
Including by myself?
What if it's safe to shine?
Hands.
I wonder what it would be like if I could relax into being fully me.
Relax and soften your body.
I wonder what it would be like if I could relax fully into being me.
Letting yourself land fully,
Feeling the earth supporting you.
Hands.
What if I'm worthy inside and out?
What if I'm an integral part of this world?
Arms.
What if I'm enough?
What if I'm actually enough?
What if I'm more than enough and always have been?
Face.
Right now I choose to fully accept and honour myself.
I welcome the invitation to be completely authentic.
I am beginning to see that showing up as myself is one of the greatest gifts I can offer.
Now continue the touch any way you want.
Feeling that with this touch every truth is landing.
Deep,
Deep in your being.
And being received by the parts that most need to be reminded.
Feeling your breath bringing the words deeper.
So that with each breath this truth sinks deeply into your cells that you are enough,
You are valuable,
Your uniqueness is here for a reason.
Sinking that into the marrow of your bones.
Returning you to yourself.
Slowly,
Slowly bringing this touch to an end.
Letting your hands rest.
Letting your body feel and heal.
And perhaps envisage for a moment yourself walking through a life feeling a hundred percent comfortable in your own skin.
And warmly invited to feel free to be yourself.
What does that look like?
How does that feel?
What are you seeing and hearing?
As you see and feel yourself walking through life this way.
What is coming towards you.
What is being made possible for you?
As we come to the end of this practice just notice what's opening up in you,
No matter how subtly.
What feels more relaxed,
Lighter,
More grounded?
Helpful.
Enthusiastic.
Or just different.
The you that is you is exactly who we need in the world,
My friend.
You were never meant to fit into a different shape.
You are unique and precious.
And I'm glad of you.
And others are glad of you.
Be glad of you too.
And carry any good new feelings with you as you move forward with your day or night.
And keep the knowledge of this soothing touch,
It's there to support you whenever you need.
Thank you for being here and for being you,
And until next time,
Take care of yourself.
Goodbye for now.
