A Practice of Protection

In this session, we focus on showing up for ourselves and protecting the quality of our character. Using the visualization of protective armor, we show up as warriors ready to face the monster, rather than one who would run away and hide. Now is the time to face the adversary, and triumph.

Transcript

Welcome to your meditation class today. Today is going to be a little bit different than a traditional meditation class where we would be seeking to relax, Get grounded. Today is about empowering the individual and protecting the self. My name is Shannon Moyer-Semonier and I will be leading you through your practice today. I invite you to take a seat where you can feel simultaneously grounded and empowered. That might be in a chair with your feet firmly planted on the ground or with your legs outstretched and your back supported by the wall. Today we are focusing on protection. Protection of self, Protection of character. This is a simple practice that you can use anytime you feel threatened, Heightened, Or triggered. It's also a practice that you can use when you know that you are going into a situation where you will have to armor up. When it feels comfortable for you, Closing the windows of your eyes, Placing your hands on top of your thighs, Breathing down into your body, Tilting your chin up ever so slightly, And let us begin. I invite you to bring to mind a situation that maybe you've been faced with recently or one that you are anticipating, Where your character may be called into question, Where you may have to defend or explain yourself. A situation where perhaps you will encounter someone who is adversarial. These situations have a tendency to make us feel anticipatory stress and anxiety. And instead of running away, Of growing small and quiet, Today we armor up and we face these things head-on. I want you to look down to your right in that meditative mindful space and you will see a package for you. I invite you to open it and explore the contents. This is your emotional armor. What is it made of? Can you feel the energetic difference when you pick it up? And one by one, As if you are a warrior going into battle, I invite you to start to put these pieces on your body, Starting with your feet, Your legs, Your torso, And your arms. And then looking into that box and exploring if there are accessories there. Perhaps there is a helmet, A sword, A crossbow. What is there in that box to aid you on this journey of protecting the self? This is the moment when we realize that no one is coming to save us. We have to save us. We have to go into that battle fully armored up, Ready to fight, To defend the contents of our character, And to say, I will not accept how you treat me. I deserve better. I deserve more. Stirring all of that fire up in the belly of the beast and taking a moment to bask in your own glory. It is your time to empower and protect yourself. What is your armor made of? It was selected for you. It was here not by happenstance or consequence. Intuitively, You knew what you needed today. So what was there in that box? What items did you place on your body to protect yourself from what's coming? Now when you have faced the monster, When you have defeated the demon, You are welcome to mindfully take off this armor and place it back into the box, Knowing that you can return here anytime you need to. Protecting the self is a beautiful act of rebellious self-love. It screams to the world, I am worthy, I am deserving, I want more. I do not accept how you have been treating me. I am worthy of more. I am worthy of more. I am worthy of more. Taking a moment there, Standing in that conviction with all of the strength and all of the glory of every ounce of who you are. And when you feel bold and strong and courageous and brave, Even with that armor placed back into the box, I invite you to recognize that those feelings were inside of you all along. The armor just enhanced what was already there. You had this in you all along. It will be there in that box when you need the reminder of who you are, Of how brave and strong you are. Taking a couple more breaths here, Holding tight to this feeling. And when you feel right, Grounded, Strong, Brave, Courageous, I invite you to open the windows of your eyes and check in with yourself. Do you feel different? Has something in you been stirred up, Tosseled around, Brought to the surface? How will you proceed while also keeping yourself safe, While also protecting yourself? And demanding of the world all of the things that you are worthy and deserving of. Hold that in your awareness as you go forth into this world, Knowing, Feeling, Arriving and understanding that you are brave. You are the warrior. You are strong and you are worthy.