Hello friend.
This is just a bit of a map or guide to feeling.
The feelings that I had this morning were this raw vulnerable hope and so I thought I would share with you a little bit of that knowing that there are others out in the world that are feeling similar emotions.
So just letting yourself get comfortable,
Letting your body sit or lie down or just be.
If you can draw within by closing your eyes you can do that.
Just taking a few moments of time for yourself to check into these deep emotions.
Our emotions are such gifts to us.
They help us so that we can navigate where we are with what we're doing.
And so honoring them by paying attention to them is just so beautiful.
And for some people it can feel awkward and maybe uncomfortable and that's okay too.
There is nothing that you have to do here.
Letting go any feeling that you have to get this right.
Let's just spend a few moments with with these few emotions and adding in any that you are feeling today as well.
So slowing the breath just a bit just so you can deepen it.
Maybe taking a little sigh in through the nose out through the mouth.
Signaling to your brain that you're safe.
If you're feeling raw what does that feel like to you?
Oh raw to me feels exposed,
Laid bare,
Laid open.
It feels uncomfortable.
It does feel scary to me.
So if you're feeling any of those kind of emotions just notice where you feel them.
Take a little breath.
Maybe put your hand on your heart or just hold your hands together or pat your body and just say it's okay to feel this because it is.
It's okay to feel raw or scared.
The image that can comes to my mind is you know when a butterfly comes out of the cocoon right it's its wings are kind of wet and raw and then they form into this just beautiful tapestry.
So know that you're not going to be stuck in this raw place forever.
And maybe vulnerable is similar to raw.
Vulnerable.
What are the qualities for you?
I think for me the invulnerability there's a bit more leaning towards what I might have done wrong.
Where I might be at fault.
Where I need to be honest and clear and maybe there are some places I need to make changes and these can be really simple changes.
Sometimes simple changes for me could be listening more and talking less.
Or just really paying attention when a loved one speaks.
Putting the phone down.
Tuning out the distractions.
Turning off the TV.
Hearing what they're hearing and feeling what they are feeling from their perspective.
So taking a breath.
What does vulnerable feel to you?
Are there any places that you need to be a bit more honest?
A bit more authentic?
A bit more open?
In yoga we have the yamas and niyamas.
These are the ethical principles.
Our gems.
And we have truthfulness and we have nonviolence.
Satcha and ahimsa.
And the two are together.
Intertwined.
So as we do this practice of checking in with ourself and our emotions,
I ask you to be honest with yourself but kind.
So kind.
We can only do the best that we can do for today.
And in our past days,
We did the best that we could do in those days.
So let's take a clearing breath again in through the nose and out through the mouth with a sigh.
Letting go of any feelings of being stuck or held or even bad or responsible.
So in through the nose and out through the mouth.
Bringing ourself into the space of clear knowing.
Just letting yourself really be here.
Not judging yourself harshly but being honest.
Being compassionate.
Taking credit where credit is due.
And also that responsibility but not too much responsibility.
You are not responsible for everyone else.
Just your part.
And so that leads me to the hopeful part.
You would think that raw and vulnerable would lead to pain.
But to me this morning,
They led to hope,
Lightness,
Almost a little excitement.
And for me,
There's a bit of fear in there.
And that's okay too.
It's okay to be hopeful.
Some of us are afraid of hope.
We're afraid of getting our hopes dashed.
We're afraid of losing hope.
We're afraid of others not living up to what they say they will do.
And all of that is okay.
When we are hopeful,
We get to move forward into the light,
Into the love,
Into the peace,
Into being more of ourselves.
So I invite you to feel a bit of that hope within your heart.
And just take a breath in through your nose and out through the mouth with a sigh.
Moving it through.
Making room for all of the feelings that you have right now.
Giving yourself permission if you need to cry or laugh or move to do so.
It might be good to do a little journaling after this.
You might see more clearly things that you need to take care of.
Tiny ways that you might change.
In yoga,
We talk about taking the next right action.
I hope that you feel steady.
And even if you don't feel steady just yet,
Once the emotions move through and settle,
I hope you feel that steadiness and that ease.
I hope that you can feel yourself more fully present to the moment as it is and you as you are.
You are such a good being.
All of us can take the next right action for ourself so that we can be the very best version of ourself today.
And if you stumble,
If you fall,
It's okay.
Just dust yourself off.
Apologize as you need to,
To yourself,
To others.
Speak so kindly to yourself today.
Please try to treat yourself with exceptional kindness,
Honesty,
And compassion.
As you choose,
You can sit with this a bit longer.
Or if you feel time is now to move,
Start to bring yourself back with a breath,
With a stretch,
With some wiggles of your fingers and your toes.
Welcoming your whole self,
This authentic being that you are.
Welcome you back to this moment and welcome this moment back to you.
Be well,
My friends.
I am sending you such deep love.
Goodbye for now.
