Welcome to this safe space meditation exercise.
This is a practice you can return to whenever you feel tense,
Anxious,
Overwhelmed or unsafe in any way.
It's especially useful if you have a history of trauma,
Because feeling safe,
Truly safe,
Can be hard to access.
Even when you know you're safe logically,
Your body and nervous system might feel otherwise.
So let's create a place where you can feel calm,
Protected and at peace.
Start by picturing a space where you feel completely at ease.
This could be somewhere real that you've visited,
Like a beach with soft,
Warm sand,
Blue skies and gentle waves rolling in.
Or maybe a sunlit meadow filled with green grass,
Wildflowers swaying and the hum of bees and birdsong in the distance.
Or perhaps a coastal lodge or cosy cabin in the woods with a big armchair,
Soft blankets and a roaring fire.
It could even be a room in your home or a space that once felt safe when you were younger,
A comforting place you can return to in your mind.
And if no real place feels safe right now,
That's okay.
You can imagine one.
A space designed entirely by you,
Just the way you want it.
Take a few moments to let this place come into focus.
See yourself there.
Notice what makes it really feel safe.
This is your private space.
A place where only you exist,
Free from pressure,
Demands and expectations.
Here nothing can harm you.
Everything is calm,
Steady and warm.
Warmth is important because it soothes our nervous system,
Helping you feel comfortable and secure.
When you're ready,
Close your eyes if that feels comfortable.
Imagine yourself arriving in this safe space.
Be there fully as you can.
If you're on a beach,
Feel the sand between your toes,
The warmth of the sun on your skin,
The smell of the salty breeze and hearing the waves rolling gently onto the shore.
If you're in a meadow,
Touch the soft grass,
Notice the colours of the flowers as they bob in the breeze and listen to the hum of the bees drifting through the air.
If you're in a lodge or a cabin,
Feel the texture of the armchair under your hands,
The smell and the crackle of the fire that's roaring away and the safety of the walls around you.
The more sensory the details you bring in,
Sight,
Sound,
Smell and touch,
The more real the place will feel.
Now remind yourself,
This is your space,
This is your safe space.
Only good things can happen here.
Nobody enters unless you choose.
It belongs entirely to you.
Take a slow breath and explore using your senses for a moment.
In your space,
What do you see?
What do you hear?
What can you feel under your hands and your feet?
What sense drift through the air?
Let your mind absorb these details.
Now gently repeat to yourself,
I am safe.
I am calm.
I am safe.
I am calm.
Noticing how that feels,
That you are safe and that you are at peace.
Even if it feels strange or new,
Just allow it to be there.
If you can sense calmness in your body,
Even a little,
Stay with it.
Let it spread.
Allow it in.
If you can't feel it yet,
That's okay too.
Just keep holding the image in your mind.
Finally,
Imagine this place welcoming you,
Happy that you have arrived,
Offering you warmth and comfort.
Let yourself feel that for a moment.
Soon we'll be leaving,
But this place is always here for you.
Whenever life feels heavy,
You can return.
You can take a short break,
A mini holiday for your mind.
Then step back into your day,
Refreshed.
Now take a deep breath.
Let the image fade slowly.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes and see if you can carry a little of that calm,
That sense of safety and peace into the rest of your day.
