Welcome to your meditation,
Advocating for Yourself.
Too often during pregnancy or postpartum,
Black women are placed in positions of having to advocate for themselves due to negligence,
Implicit bias,
And a lack of comprehensive data around black maternal mortality from their healthcare providers.
In today's practice,
You will be guided through deep breathing exercises and affirmations that will support you and hold you as you give yourself permission to advocate for yourself.
Let's begin.
Finding a position that feels most comfortable for you,
Allowing this to feel effortless,
Allowing it to settle you deeper into the state of rest that you'll be cultivating for yourself today.
Whatever position encourages rest and ease.
And closing your eyes now or,
If you choose,
Leaving them open and softening your gaze.
Sitting here with your body,
Your breath,
And yourself.
Just being with the natural rhythm and flow of your breath as it moves through your body,
Feeling the way it encourages and supports you as you melt deeper into this state of relaxation.
Feeling the way it encourages and supports you as you surrender to this moment of rest.
Allowing yourself to simply take a deep inhale here,
Feeling your body fill up with air and allowing a deep exhale to move past your lips,
Creating a soft shushing sound throughout your body,
And returning to the natural rhythm of your breath,
Feeling as it touches any points of tension that may be existing within your body,
Feeling as it encourages these parts of your body to soften,
Feeling your jaw unclenching,
Feeling your shoulders dropping,
Feeling your heart unlocking.
Just sitting and being here with yourself as you give yourself permission to advocate for yourself,
Seeing here with a clear mind and an open heart that you begin to take your power back when you stand up for yourself,
When you question the care you are receiving,
And when you allow that voice that resides deep within you to be a beacon of support.
Today,
As you surrender to this present moment,
Know that your voice is worthy.
Moving into a few affirmations,
Knowing that you can choose to repeat them out loud,
Silently to yourself,
Or just meditating on them,
Allowing these words to pulsate through your being,
Allowing the life and love that lives and breathes through these words to flow through you.
I am an expert of my body.
I am allowed to be an active participant in my care.
My voice deserves to be heard and listened to.
I am an expert of my body.
I am allowed to be an active participant in my care.
My voice deserves to be heard and listened to.
Allowing the vibrations of these words to radiate throughout your body,
Noticing how your body feels in response to them.
Releasing the repetition of the affirmations here,
Choosing to carry and keep them with you while trying to conceive,
Navigating through your pregnancy,
Or throughout your postpartum journey.
Checking in with yourself here,
Noticing if you are feeling a little more confident or prepared to advocate for yourself.
And if not,
That is okay.
This is all a practice that encourages patience.
Taking one last deep breath here and releasing the breath.
Returning to the space that you're in.
Returning to your body.
Returning to yourself.
