Hello,
And I'm so glad you're here.
My name is Elizabeth Kush,
And I'm a therapist and life coach for women in midlife.
And today we're going to practice being still,
Being quiet,
Just being with ourselves and our bodies in this moment.
So for those of you who maybe struggle with settling in,
With just being,
With becoming quiet within yourself,
I have a practice that's really helped me,
And I'm going to share it with you.
So there will be some quiet pauses because this is about becoming more comfortable with just being,
And just being sometimes means being quiet.
And it's okay if you feel uncomfortable at first.
It is a practice.
As Julie Blenf and my yoga teacher says,
That's why we call it a practice,
Because it takes practice,
And it doesn't always feel comfortable at first.
It can take time to be okay with not doing,
Especially if doing is your go-to mode.
So I invite you to find a quiet place to sit or lie down or stand if that's more comfortable,
A place where you won't be interrupted and where you feel safe and relaxed.
It can be inside or outside,
Whatever works best for you.
You can close your eyes or just gaze softly ahead.
And I want you to take three slow,
Deep breaths,
Inhaling,
Filling your lungs and your belly,
Inhaling your chest,
Expand,
And exhaling slowly,
Allowing all of those spaces to contract.
And then inhaling again,
Slowly pausing for a moment,
And exhaling out.
And one last slow,
Deep breath in,
Holding and pausing if that feels comfortable,
And slowly releasing your breath.
And now allowing your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
I want you to notice where your body makes contact with the surface you're sitting or lying on or the ground below you.
Just becoming aware of where you and your body meet the earth or the ground below.
And now bring your attention to your body breathing.
Without changing or forcing your breath,
Just noticing what your body feels like as you inhale and exhale.
And now bring your awareness back to any sensations you might be feeling in your body.
There might be tingling,
There might be numbness,
You might not feel anything,
Or there could be pain.
Whatever you notice,
Just bring your awareness to all of your body and all of the sensations that are happening there.
And try not to judge your experience as either good or bad because your mind is going to wander away from these prompts,
Away from your awareness.
And each time it does,
Just gently and kindly bring your attention back to your body or your breath.
And now bring your awareness to your body breathing once again as the air flows in and flows out.
And if your breath feels forced,
Just notice that.
And know that there's no right or wrong way to do this.
It's just what feels comfortable to you.
And if at any time you need to adjust your body or your breathing,
Your posture,
Maybe you need to open your eyes or close your eyes,
It's all good.
It's all part of the process.
Now shift your awareness back to your body sensations,
Just noticing whatever is happening there,
Noticing if things have shifted or changed,
Moving your body if you need to,
To be more comfortable.
And just notice whatever you're feeling in your body.
And now we're going to take three more slow,
Deep breaths.
Feeling in.
Letting all of the air out.
Another slow in breath.
And out breath.
And one last long,
Deep breath in.
And exhaling out.
And bringing some gentle movement into your body,
Wiggling your toes and your fingers,
Touching if you need to,
Doing whatever feels good to your body.
And when you're ready,
If your eyes were closed,
You can open them.
And if you were softly gazing,
You can refocus your gaze,
Look around the room.
And thank your body for bringing you this moment of peace and quiet and solitude in your day.
Well,
How was that for you?
How was that to be quiet and peaceful and not doing?
How was that to just be in your body for those moments?
I know that it can be hard.
I know that it can be difficult,
Especially as a trauma survivor,
To intentionally bring awareness to our body.
But it can also be incredibly healing and can open up so many pathways of understanding and knowing.
It can be a portal to some of your most deeply held stuff.
And when we're just willing to be with that without judgment,
Without creating story,
Without there needing to be a meaning or identifying with those feelings,
And maybe just get curious about what's showing up,
Sometimes they can feel less intense or less powerful.
So I'd love to know your thoughts on how you found this meditation.
And you can find more of my meditations on Insight Timer and on my website.
Thanks for sharing this with me.
