Take a moment to get comfortable.
You don't need to sit perfectly,
You don't need to do this right.
Let your body choose a position that feels natural and supportive,
Whether that's lying down,
Sitting back,
Or just resting your head or your body against something solid.
If it feels safe,
Gently close your eyes,
Or soften your gaze.
Take a slow breath in through your nose,
And a longer breath out through your mouth.
Again,
Inhaling gently,
And exhale like you're setting something down.
This meditation is for the woman who has been strong for a very long time.
Strong in ways that were never actually fully acknowledged.
Strong because you had to be.
Strong even when you felt truly exhausted.
And if that's you,
There's absolutely nothing wrong with you.
Your body has simply been holding more than its fair share.
You don't need to relive anything here.
You don't even need to understand everything.
You just need to allow yourself to rest.
So bring your attention to your shoulders.
Notice if they're tight,
They're lifted,
Braced,
Or holding tension.
You don't have to force them to relax.
Just imagine them being gently supported,
As if something underneath you is carrying the weight just for a moment.
Let your jaw soften.
Unclench your teeth.
Let your tongue rest in the bottom of your mouth.
And allow your breath to slow down naturally.
There's absolutely no pace that you need to keep.
You may notice thoughts popping through your mind right now,
Like,
I should be doing something else.
I can't fully relax.
I absolutely have to stay alert.
And if those thoughts arise,
Then that's okay.
Simply remind yourself that you are allowed to rest right now.
Run that through your mind.
I am allowed to rest right now.
Nothing will fall apart because you take a pause.
Nothing bad happens when you stop holding everything together.
For this moment,
You don't have to carry anyone else.
You don't have to anticipate someone else's needs.
You don't have to be strong.
Even if it's just this moment.
Imagine your body receiving permission,
Not from your mind,
But from somewhere deeper.
Permission to soften.
Permission to be supported.
Permission to be held.
Even if right now that's just the ground holding you,
And you allow that.
If it feels right,
Place one hand on your chest,
Or on your belly.
Feel the warmth of your own touch.
Let that contact remind you that you are here,
That you are breathing,
That you are safe enough to pause and to rest.
Rest is not avoidance.
Rest is not weakness.
Rest is how your nervous system repairs.
Rest is how you keep going.
With every slow exhale,
Imagine your body releasing the effort,
Not all at once,
But just a little bit at a time.
Darling,
You have done enough for today.
You are enough,
And you always have been.
Let yourself be held in this moment.
As this meditation comes to a close,
Know that you don't have to rush back into doing.
You can carry this softness with you into the next hour,
Into the rest of your day.
Strength does not disappear when you rest.
This is when it renews itself.
Take one final slow breath in,
And a gentle breath out.
Or simply bring your awareness back to the room.
You are allowed to move gently from here.
Thank you for resting.
