Welcome!
My name is Julia and I'll be your guide today.
This is a meditation practice,
But not in the traditional sense.
You're free to move around as much as you need while listening,
To keep your eyes open or closed,
And to pause the practice when you want a break,
Or even to skip through some parts.
Maybe something feels good one day,
But not the next.
There's no right or wrong way to do this.
It's your time.
Take what helps,
And leave the rest.
This full session is around 6 minutes long.
Let's start with a little grounding.
When we ground,
It helps us connect with the moment that we're in,
Instead of thinking about the past or the future.
That doesn't mean getting rid of all our thoughts.
If anything comes up,
Just notice it,
And try to shift your thoughts back to what's going on right now.
Notice where your body is right now,
Sitting,
Lying down,
Leaning.
Feeling one point of contact.
Maybe it's your feet on the floor,
Your back against the chair.
That's all that we're doing.
Noticing that point of contact,
That anchor with the earth beneath you.
If this contact doesn't feel so good for you right now,
Taking a moment to find a position that's a little bit more comfortable,
A little easier.
Let's check in on our breathing.
Moving your focus from that point of grounding to your breath.
Not breathing in any specific way,
Just noticing the air as it cycles through your body.
If focusing on your breathing feels like too much,
You might instead notice the rhythm of it,
In and out,
Like waves.
If you lose track of the rhythm,
That's okay.
It will always be there to go back to.
When we notice our breathing,
It helps us get in touch with what's going on inside.
The more often that we check in with our breath,
The easier it becomes to notice when something feels a little bit off.
When we're stressed or anxious,
Sleepy,
Unwell.
And it can help to bring ourselves back to baseline a little bit more quickly,
Once we learn to notice these cues.
Let's check in with our physical selves.
Choosing one part of your body doesn't matter which one.
How is that part of you feeling right now?
Is it a positive feeling,
Like strength or comfort?
Or a less positive feeling,
Like tension or sickness?
Just noticing this,
And not judging it,
Or trying to change it.
If you'd like,
Trying to send your breath into that area,
Imagining that inhale flowing there in any way that feels good,
Without overthinking it.
Maybe even stretching,
Shaking,
Or wiggling that area,
If that could feel good.
Now,
We'll do a short visualization.
Using mental images can shift how we feel,
Or help us to connect with what we need or want to accomplish.
Bringing to mind a safe space that feels calming to you.
This could be a real space,
Like a part of your home,
Or an imagined one,
Like floating in a soft light,
Or even someplace that you haven't been before.
Don't worry about the little details,
Just bringing it to mind as best as possible.
As you hold this safe space in your mind,
Feeling that sense of comfort,
Of security.
Are there any other emotions coming up for you here?
How is your breathing responding to being here?
How does your physical self feel as you rest in this space?
If any other details come to mind,
Just noticing them.
Taking as long as you'd like just to be in this moment.
There is no place to go,
Nothing for you to do or act upon.
Whenever you are ready,
Gently shifting your awareness back to the physical space that you're currently in.
Moving your body,
Taking a full breath in and out,
And thanking yourself for taking this time to connect today.
You can return to this practice as often as you'd like.
Thank you so much for joining me today.
