Hello,
My name is Solène.
Welcome to this meditation on the topic of identity.
Who am I?
Firstly,
Please take a moment to find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or laying down.
You might wish to adjust your body by rotating your shoulders,
Aligning your spine or any other movement your body is calling for.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Wherever you are,
Begin to bring your attention to your body.
Relax your toes,
Your calves,
Your knees,
Your thighs.
Relax your hips and feel them sinking into the ground beneath you.
Relax your belly,
Your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your neck.
Relax your jaw and allow your tongue to hang gently in your mouth.
Relax your cheeks,
Your eyebrows,
Your forehead and the top of your head.
Feel your body rounded and held by the floor beneath you.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Notice it coming in and out of your nose naturally.
Slowly begin to lengthen and deepen your breath.
Inhale from your belly to your chest and exhale fully.
Together let's inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Inhale deeply and exhale fully.
Feel the flow of your breath and the air as it enters and fills all layers of your being.
Become this life source and notice how it flows within you.
If your mind begins to wander at any point,
Gently bring it back to your breath without any judgment.
Visualize the shape of an onion.
You find yourself at its core.
Its layers envelope you like a safe and comfortable cocoon.
Observe with curiosity the outer layers.
What are they?
What do they say?
Take a moment to name them.
Perhaps there is some fear or anxiety,
Some control or perfectionism.
Without any judgment or self-criticism,
Simply notice what comes up for you.
Give these outer layers a color and picture their onion shape around you.
Begin to walk forward a few steps.
Feel the weight and size of the layers around you.
Notice the heaviness of your protection.
Who are you underneath?
Turn your gaze inwards towards the center of your onion.
Notice what images or words you find deep within.
Who are you at your core?
Perhaps it's an animal,
A younger you or a list of core values that come through.
Welcome them all.
Knowing who we are is difficult.
So much of our identity,
Like an iceberg,
Sits under the surface,
Somewhere in our subconscious.
Plus we change and evolve constantly.
We often turn to the outside world for answers.
We ask the universe or our loved ones,
Who am I?
What should I do?
Missing the fact that the answers lie within.
Knowing who we are helps us make choices and create a meaningful life,
Whatever that might mean for each and every one of us.
So what would happen if you let go of some of the outer layers?
What if you showed up in the world as who you are at your core,
Authentically and vulnerably?
Into picture,
Your colorful outer layers open up and reveal who you are to yourself and to the world around you.
You are unique.
You are whole.
You are you.
You are unique.
You are whole.
You are you.
You are unique.
You are whole.
You are you.
Gently,
Listening to your body,
Begin to bring your attention back to the here and now.
Slowly move your fingers and toes,
Perhaps roll your wrists and ankles.
If you are lying down,
Turn to your preferred side.
Take a moment,
Wherever you are,
To notice what came up for you during this practice.
When you're ready,
Keeping your eyes closed,
Join me in a sitting position with your palms together at heart center.
Rub your hands,
Feeling the warmth of the energy that comes from the core of who you are and gently put your hands on your eyes,
Blinking them open underneath.
Thank you so much for joining this practice.
With love and hope,
Always.
