Begin to breathe yourself back into your body.
Breathe comfort and ease into every little part of this body,
Your body.
This body has longed for a deeper breath.
A breath that stretches into every little corner of you.
Easing the tightness that has taken up residence in your chest.
This body has longed for a slow,
Steady exhale that soothes away any lingering unease.
Slowly breathe yourself back into your body.
Surrender to the open space within you.
Being fully present.
I know that change isn't always easy.
And it can be daunting to venture out into the unknown.
Like a turtle retreating into its shell.
There are moments we just want to curl up in ourself and seek comfort in the known.
Changes can be unsettling.
The unfamiliar looming ahead,
Shrouded in darkness.
I know the feeling of wanting everything to stay the same.
Frightened of what lies in the shadow and what has yet to see the light of a day.
In this ever-changing life,
Where we are offered countless blank pages to write our stories,
The only thing we know for sure is that change will always come.
There is no escaping change.
Yet,
It's the one thing we tend to forget or even fear the most.
When the winds of change is beginning to stir around the corner,
Hiding away can feel like a warm embrace.
A fortress against the outside world.
You're crouching down in the tall grass.
You observe cautiously like a small,
Fur-covered animal,
Silently keeping watch for its safety.
The body yearns for deeper breath,
Lungs filled with air,
Closed eyes,
Feet firmly planted on the ground.
But instead you hide.
You remain alert and wait anxiously for the uneasiness to pass away.
But with the passing of time,
You start to sense how the wind bears change and shifts along with it.
And before you know,
Another storm of life comes crashing in.
Everything you thought was your solid foundation is now crumbling.
The storm fiercely rattles the earth beneath your feet,
Gripping your delicate sails woven with silver threads,
Sending you tumbling to the ground as it moves on without a backward glance.
Without offering you a helping hand,
You are left broken.
A hollow frame amidst the ruins,
Questioning when the next wave will barrel in.
In search of safety,
You take your usual route,
Trusting it will shield you from the looming menace that hounds from behind.
As you journey along the path you know so well,
The one that you believe is holding you safe.
You miss to notice that everything around you no longer breathes any life.
The trees are barren and brown,
The leaves curling up at the ends,
Grass dried,
Dirt cracked.
And the only thing that seems to be pulsating with life is the fear in your own heart.
The fear that is clouding your mind as you press on,
Heart pounding in your chest,
Feet unsteady on the ground.
The thunder echoes in the air,
Wind pulling at your clothes and hair as you scramble to find safety.
You reach a fork in the road and pause for a second,
Tempted by the winding and luring road shrouded in mystery that beckons you to venture into the unknown.
But as so many times before,
You choose the one road that you know so well,
The road that you have walked countless times.
Every bend and curve,
Every rock and bump are deeply etched in your memory,
For it has been your companion for so long.
But this road,
Which rock and root you know so well,
My beloved friend,
Is one of perpetual gloom,
Creeping up on you like a predator,
Dragging you deeper and deeper into its inky depth.
You know that lingering here will not bring you the healing you seek.
This road can no longer hold you safe.
It breathes no life,
But no light has ever found its way down here.
The air is musty and stale,
Stagnant since beginning of times.
This has been your safe haven for so long,
But staying here will only lead you astray.
Holding on to places,
People,
Pains only lulls you into false security,
Leading you deeper and deeper into a stagnant,
Empty void.
You know you have to embrace the courage to take that step,
Explore that other path,
Hidden in mystery,
To fully experience the dawn of a new day,
Or taste the sweetness of a new beginning.
I know that in times of turmoil,
The mind may tempt us to take refuge,
To retreat back into our shells,
Hide in those places where we believe we'll find comfort.
I know it can be hard to weather the storm when you don't know what lies ahead.
You will face difficulties,
But don't be afraid of them.
Every hardship has a question inside of it that guides you back to healing.
It's only a moment in time and you will rise again.
It is time now to leave that safe place of yours and venture out into the unknown.
Life is a never-ending cycle of growth,
Change and rebirth,
So intentionally fall apart and give in to the disruption without letting it consume you.
Allow yourself to be torn down and rebuilt again and again.
For you are the beating heart of life,
This vibrating pulse is all around you and within you.
You are that rhythm of life,
The ebb and flow of the tides,
The rise and fall of the sun,
The light and dark.
You are growth and expansion,
Contraction and decay.
You are the dance of life,
Just like a tree shedding its leaves to make room for new growth.
Your body knows when it's time to surrender and let go,
Holding on to the remnants of what once was only prolongs the pain.
Your body knows how to bend to any wind and remain unbroken.
It knows how to be swept away by the current and carried along by the flow.
It knows that life is about experiencing it all.
Your body is most aware that everything is temporary.
Even the most unshakable foundation can be uprooted by a furious storm,
But eventually the storm will pass to reveal a calm sea.
So let yourself be guided by the seasons,
The cycle of the moon,
The ebb and flow of the tides.
You are the beating pulse of life,
And you are here in this body to remember that.
Sometimes it means being patient with yourself.
Sometimes it means being brave enough to let go of the past.
And sometimes it means just being,
Not doing,
Not moving,
But resting in the moment.
So allow the body to take off the limits that you've placed on it.
Embrace all that life is.
At times you may stumble and fall,
But the body knows its way back.
Your body is the most wise of all,
Attuned to the ebb and flow of life,
Understanding that hardship and change can't be avoided.
It's part of life,
This experience of being a human.
So wrap your arms around it,
For your body is willing to come back again and again.
Soften yourself with each deep breath you take.
Breathe yourself back into your body.
Embrace the ever-changing pulse of life.
Dwell in stillness,
Eyes closed and heart unguarded.
Let your body lead you back to being present in every moment.
Lead you back to healing.
