Hi,
It's Ash.
Today's meditation is inspired by the poem,
The Invitation by O'Raya Mountainweaver.
And at the very end of the poem there's this line that says,
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself,
And if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
And I themed the meditation around this because I for years struggled to be alone with myself,
Very uncomfortable in the empty pockets of time.
And so I would fill my days and my time with meetings and activities,
Binging on TV and drinking just to avoid being caught in an empty moment with myself.
And so this meditation and check in allows you to greet yourself,
To acknowledge all the things that make you so wonderful and that make you such good company,
So that you can start to enjoy time by yourself when you are alone.
And so wherever you are today,
Just take a moment to settle into your space,
Whether you want to be seated or if you'd like to lie down.
If you want the softness of a blanket or a pillow under your body,
Your sit bones,
Your head,
Your back.
And as you start to allow your body to take the shape that it needs,
Either close your eyes or soften your gaze.
To prepare to be in this meditation,
Notice how your breath is showing up for you today.
Just invite your breath to move as it needs,
Not putting any pressure on your breath.
No need to count the length of time you inhale or exhale.
Just allowing your breath to evolve as it needs over time to support you.
You breathe in through the nose and you breathe back out.
And again,
You breathe in and you breathe back out.
And you continue to use your breath here to fill you,
To support you.
Now,
If you choose on each exhale,
I want you to think about one word or one sentence that comes to mind that is focused and centered on yourself.
Something about yourself that you enjoy.
You take an inhale and you exhale,
Thinking maybe you enjoy your smile.
You inhale,
You exhale,
Noticing how maybe you enjoy your laugh or the hugs you give,
Your ability to see the good in people.
Maybe it's the subtle things like how you always make your bed each morning or you pack a lunch for your loved ones.
Or maybe it's the occasion in which you smile when you board your bus.
You let someone budge in front of you to get your coffee.
But each exhale,
Think of something,
Whether it's big or small,
That you enjoy about yourself.
That makes you good company to keep.
And if you get stuck,
That's OK.
You can repeat that you are loved.
Continue to breathe here in.
You.
Just continue here,
Allowing your breath to move through you and hopefully allowing those thoughts about the things that you enjoy about yourself to continue to move through you.
And you can continue to do this practice for as long as you need.
You can also move this over to a journaling practice if you like.
And as we come to a close again,
We are reminded by the beautiful line of the poem,
The invitation.
I want to know if you can be alone with yourself and if you truly like the company you keep in the empty moments.
I hope you enjoy your company today and all day.
A beautiful rest of your day,
Your week,
Wherever you are.
Thank you.
