Hey there,
It's Davin.
Thanks so much for joining me for the first meditation in a series created to help you find more freedom and authenticity in your voice.
If you don't know me,
I'm a singer and a voice coach and I believe the voice is an incredible tool for personal healing,
Growth,
And transformation.
In this practice,
We will use mindfulness and systematic visualization to help you let go of emotional and somatic constriction,
The kind that inhibits your unique,
Beautiful,
And powerful sound.
I'll be accompanying our journey with my voice,
Both in spoken word and healing song.
So if you're ready,
Let's begin.
Go ahead and find an easy posture in your body.
This could be seated or lying down.
There's no right or wrong way to be for this practice,
But do your best to find something that feels both comfortable and alert.
In addition,
You can either close your eyes or softly gaze low on the horizon.
Now that you've settled in,
I'd like to invite you to bring your awareness to your body in this current physical space.
You can begin by noticing the surface on which you rest,
Maybe noticing the places on your cushion or chair or the floor where there is physical contact.
Once you've scanned those points of contact,
Now consider the areas that surround your body.
In your mind's eye,
Establish a view of the space that's in front of you.
And then behind you.
On your left side.
On your right.
Above.
And then finally below.
Now,
Let's bring our focus inward.
Go ahead and bring your attention to your breath.
You don't have to shape it in any special way,
But just notice that there is an inhalation and there is an exhalation.
Maybe there is somewhere on your body where the breath calls your attention specifically,
Like your nose or your chest or your belly.
Wherever that is,
Rest your focus there.
Follow the sensation of the air coming in and going out.
In and out.
In and out.
In and out.
See this breath that without effort flows in and out of your body.
It is the origin of your voice.
It is the essence of your unique sound and yourself expressed.
But the breath alone is not enough.
It is filtered through a source which is your body and your body is set up perfectly to do this.
Your only job is to let it.
To let go of the fear and the inhibition which often manifests in physical constriction which limits your sound.
So with that in mind,
Let's focus on the specific parts of your filter using each breath in and out as an opportunity to find more freedom in your voice.
Bring your awareness to your belly,
Focusing particularly on your abs.
Consider if on your inhalation you might be able to relax your lower abdomen,
Allowing for a freer and deeper expansion when air enters your body.
Now,
Notice your ribs.
See if your inhalation feels expansive and open and easy or is it limited and quite tight.
If so,
Let your exhale be a release,
An opportunity to let go.
Notice your chest and shoulders.
Is there an opportunity to soften as you exhale?
Notice your neck,
Particularly where it meets your shoulders.
Inhale and exhale,
Allowing for release.
Notice your jaw,
Paying special attention to where it hinges.
Inhale and exhale,
Allowing for release.
Simply creating space between your teeth.
Remember each breath brings with it the possibility of deepening your awareness and letting go of tension,
Inhibition and fear,
Creating more possibility to unleash your freest and most authentic voice.
Notice your lips.
Imagine that with your exhale comes the sound of your voice and it vibrates across their surface,
In turn fostering further relaxation and release.
Now,
Your tongue,
All the way down to its base,
Allowing it to rest easy in your mouth and mouth,
Just like a rug on the floor.
And following even further back into your throat,
The cavern through which your voice echoes.
Each breath creating further opening and relaxation,
Softening the walls in the front and the back,
And side to side.
The throat in particular is an area which may hold the habits of protection,
Carried in the swallowing muscles,
The stiffness of stories from your past,
Harboring old narratives about how your voice isn't good enough,
How you should be quiet,
How it's too much or maybe not enough.
Letting go may bring up emotion,
If so that's okay.
If you feel overwhelmed just come back to your breath and know that your voice is so much more than those old stories.
Your voice is open and beautiful and powerful and worthy of being heard simply because it is you.
This world needs to hear the unique and wonderful sound of you.
Now is the time to let it be free,
To let your voice be heard.
Whenever you're ready you can open your eyes and take in the world around you.
How do you feel?
What do you notice?
Are you ready to make some sound and find out?
Thank you so much for practicing with me and may the world hear your voice like never before.
