Take some deep breaths,
And as you breathe,
Invite your breaths exhale to push the external world back a little.
And as you inhale,
Invite your focus and attention inward,
Deep inside.
As you do this,
You will probably notice parts of you that are present,
That have come with you into this space right now.
As you notice them,
Welcome them,
Acknowledge them,
And gently ask them to wait.
They will have an opportunity for more of your attention in a few minutes.
As you continue to breathe and focus inwardly,
See if you can notice any self qualities,
Even in small amounts,
Within yourself.
Open-heartedness,
Calmness,
Confidence,
Compassion,
Clarity,
Courage,
Connectedness,
Creativity,
Curiosity.
Also look inside for any of the fruits of the spirit,
God's gifts to you deep inside,
That can often get buried beneath the activity of our parts.
Love,
Joy,
Peace,
Patience,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness,
Gentleness,
Self-control.
To whatever degree you notice any of these things,
Focus on what you notice,
Inviting these qualities to grow in you,
To embody you more.
As you do this,
You will likely remain aware of the parts of you you asked to wait,
Who hold a different energy.
Maybe they are anxious,
Angry,
Sad,
Or stuck.
They may try to grab your attention.
Gently ask them to wait,
Reassuring them that they will have attention in a moment.
Continue focusing on the qualities of your core self and God's spirit within you,
Asking them to be more present and grow larger within you.
Maybe use your breath like a balloon to expand these qualities within you.
It may help to pick one word,
One quality that you especially are drawn to in this moment.
Open-heartedness,
Calmness,
Confidence,
Compassion,
Clarity,
Courage,
Connectedness,
Creativity,
Curiosity,
Love,
Joy,
Peace,
Patience,
Kindness,
Goodness,
Faithfulness,
Gentleness,
Self-control.
Like a balloon,
Continue to use your breath to expand this quality in you.
Ask God to grow this in you more,
Also increasing its presence inside of you.
As you continue to breathe deeply,
Embodying these qualities of your core self and the image of God in you,
Invite any parts of you that you asked to wait or any part that may have interest in being near you now to come closer.
Imagine yourself sitting in a peaceful place in nature or in a comfortable chair or in any other space that feels safe.
If you would like,
Ask God or Jesus if you prefer to come sit with you in this space.
Keep breathing deeply and now invite any parts of you that need your attention and the attention of God to come close,
Gently asking them not to overwhelm,
But instead inviting them to receive some of the qualities you are holding.
Later at another time,
They may want or need to tell you more about themselves,
But for now,
The invitation is for them to receive.
Maybe even find rest from the heaviness or struggle they bear.
Maybe they can breathe with you,
Taking in some of the quality you are embodying.
Maybe they long to feel closer to God,
Near to his loving presence.
You can ask God to be with you.
You may have parts that are more comfortable standing back at a distance,
Just observing.
You may also have parts that have no interest in this at all.
That is fine.
They are welcome to be here or not be here in whatever way they need right now.
Now,
Notice the parts that are around you.
Maybe you are drawn towards one or several that seem to be your attention.
Notice how you feel towards them as you focus on them.
If you feel anything other than the qualities of self or the fruits of the spirit within you,
Gently ask the part creating those other feelings to unblend so it can be present with you too,
Inviting it to also be in the presence of your core self and the presence of God.
Invite those parts to breathe in these qualities also.
I will give you a moment to notice,
Connect with,
And be with parts in any way they need right now in this space,
In the safety of your loving presence and the presence of God who loves them deeply.
I will return in a moment to close out our time.
And now,
As our time comes to a close,
Gently give your parts whatever they need to allow for a smooth transition out of this meditation.
Is there anything else that needs to happen between them and you or between them and God?
Do they need a commitment that you will return to them later?
Gently show them that this space is always available to them,
This safe space inside of you.
As you close your time with them,
Calmly let your parts know that you will be returning your focus to the outside.
Then,
Give yourself a moment to take two or three more deep breaths as you gently open your eyes and return your focus to the outside world.
