Welcome to this guided meditation.
This practice will help those who have experienced trauma to heal and find inner peace.
Allow yourself to settle into a comfortable posture,
Keeping your back straight but relaxed.
Rest your hands softly in your lap.
And once you have settled in,
Gently close your eyes.
With your eyes closed,
Begin to connect to your breath that is flowing freely through your body.
Notice its easy and effortless nature.
And as you shift your attention to your breath,
You allow all your concerns slowly be replaced by feelings of relaxation.
Give yourself permission to welcome in feelings of comfort and peace as you set all your responsibilities aside.
Now gently take a long deep breath and release the breath out slowly and gently.
Take another deep breath in and a long slow breath out.
Breathe in deeply and breathe out slowly.
Notice the calming nature of your breath.
Allow the gentle movements of your breath to guide you into complete inner stillness.
One last time,
Breathe in deeply and breathe out slowly and gently.
Very steadily,
Allow your breath to return to its natural soothing rhythm.
Be aware of the air as it passes through your nose and travels down into your lungs.
Enjoy the sensation of your lungs expanding,
Creating a sense of openness.
And as you exhale,
Feel the softening of your chest as the air passes back out through your nose.
Experience the journey of your breath without holding on to any desire to change it.
Allow your shoulders to drop down even deeper.
Notice how it feels to be still.
Feel your breath carry away all your tension and worry.
Feel a sense of gratefulness for spending some quality time with yourself.
Continue to focus on the natural flow of your breath and if at any point you become distracted,
It's okay.
Simply acknowledge that your thoughts have strayed and gently return your attention to the sensations of your breath.
Notice just how pleasantly your body is becoming relaxed.
Notice the softening of the muscles in your face.
Notice the softening in your shoulders and arms.
Notice the softening in your chest,
Stomach,
Legs,
And feet.
Your entire body is becoming soft and light.
Take a moment to rest in this awareness of your breath flowing in and out of your body.
With each new breath,
There is more space to invite more peace and relaxation.
Visualize your breath going through your entire body system and collecting anything that is stuck,
Painful,
Or unpleasant.
It pushes it out as you gently release the air from your lungs and belly.
Now I invite you to create a safe place in your mind.
So go back to a time and place when you felt safe and happy.
See this place as soothing,
Calming,
And beautiful.
Think about the wonderful colors in your safe place,
The smells,
Textures,
And sounds.
Feel your body there and focus on how comfortable you feel as you create an atmosphere of peace and safety for yourself.
As you enjoy the tranquil environment of your safe place,
Bring to mind the memory of a situation that has caused you trauma.
In your mind's eye,
See it unfold in as much detail as you feel comfortable recalling.
Do not worry,
You are safe and supported here.
In your memory,
See who is with you.
What are you doing?
What has happened?
What colors can you see?
What can you hear?
What can you taste?
What can you feel?
Take a long deep breath in and exhale slowly and gently.
Now as you hold this memory in your mind,
You may experience feelings of pain,
Hurt,
Fear,
And worry.
But do not worry,
You are perfectly safe.
Take another couple of deep breaths.
Breathe in deeply and breathe out slowly.
Allow feelings of peace and tranquility to comfort you in this moment of difficulty.
Acknowledge yourself and accept that healing is possible.
I want you to recall your memory again and think of the feelings you want to experience as you do.
It may be peace,
Strength,
Or determination.
Whatever that feeling may be,
Recall your traumatic experience and take a moment to multiply that feeling within you.
Feel that good,
Positive,
And pleasant feeling grow as you maintain this memory in your mind.
As you replace feelings of fear and worry with strength and love,
You allow yourself to release all the pain you have been carrying.
Acknowledge that you can let your trauma go and heal yourself to live your life to its fullest potential.
Acknowledge that you can transform negative experiences in your life into positive ones.
Remember to be gentle with yourself.
Despite the pain,
We must find gratitude for our bodies and minds.
It is important to open up our hearts and extend our gratitude for how our bodies support us,
Heal us,
And keep us alive to experience the joys of life.
Give yourself permission to see growth and potential in every moment.
As this practice draws to an end,
Take one last deep breath and exhale any last pieces of discomfort left over from before.
Let it all go with your breath and the healing light within.
Before this practice draws to an end,
Take another deep breath in and repeat the following phrase as many times as you may need it,
I release pain and welcome peace.
Healing is a process and it's important to be patient and kind to oneself.
Always remember that you are strong and capable of healing.
When you are ready,
Begin to gently return to your surroundings.
Become in tune with your surroundings.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
