Hello,
My name is Hilary Lafon and I'm so grateful that you've joined me today to explore a holiday meditation.
During this time of year,
So many of us can become overwhelmed or upset or excited in a way that's not comfortable.
And so let's explore our relationship with the holidays by focusing on our breath,
Relaxing the body,
Quieting the mind,
Listening to the heart,
And focusing on events that lift us up and bring us joy.
So when you're ready,
Make yourself comfortable,
Sitting upright in your chair,
Lying down on the bed,
Maybe even you're out for a walk.
However this meditation finds you,
Allow yourself to be fully present.
If you're able,
Close your eyes,
Feet flat on the floor,
And just take a moment to notice where your body meets the cushion,
The seat,
The bed.
And if you're walking,
Every step that your feet take on the ground.
Allow yourself to be anchored,
Feeling strong and safe,
Rooted and grounded,
Knowing that right here,
Right now,
You are safe,
You are okay.
And there's nothing to do but focus on self-care.
Bring your awareness to your breath,
Noticing if you've been holding it,
And energetically allow yourself to soften.
Visualize your lungs expanding as you take a deep breath in through the nose,
And exhaling through the nose or the mouth.
Breathing in deeply again,
Taking the deepest breath you've taken all day long,
And exhaling slow,
Like you're blowing out a candle or blowing up a balloon,
And letting your exhale be slightly longer than the inhale.
One more time together,
Inhale,
And exhale.
Notice for a moment what just three deep breaths can do for your body and your mind.
Let's take a moment to relax different parts of the body,
Noticing if there's any tension around the eyes,
Allowing this area to soften and expand.
Noticing if you're grinding your teeth or clenching your jaw,
And just create some space here,
Letting your tongue be heavy,
Relaxed all the way down to the root,
Allowing the tension in the back of the head or the neck to just flow away.
Breathing in and out,
Feeling your chest soften,
Your belly to hang loose and heavy,
The muscles of the neck,
The upper back,
The low back,
All seem to expand and melt,
Like a candle in the winter evening or a warm stick of butter on a hot summer day.
Wherever you are in the world,
Allow yourself to feel safe and warm and cared for,
And gooey and melty and relaxed.
Allow your hands to soften.
Allow your feet to be free.
If your legs are tense,
Allow them to be loose and heavy.
Breathing here,
Relaxing your body,
Bring your awareness to your heart,
And think about one memory of the holiday season that brings you joy.
It can be with an animal,
With a human,
Family,
Friends.
It can be with a tree or a bush.
It can be outside.
Allow yourself this gift of peace and joy to fill your heart.
Allow this memory with each inhale and exhale to bring your heart alive,
Allowing all the fear,
Tension,
Anxiety of past holiday troubles to wash away.
We all go through hard times.
We all suffer.
But we have bits of joy in this lifetime.
Let the joy fill your heart.
Feel it right here and now.
Feeling your heart filling up like a tub of warm water.
Let your heart expand out into the world,
Allowing future experiences to be filled with joy and not tainted by the past and our memories.
Remembering you deserve to be kind to yourself.
You deserve to have love and peace and joy,
And our life is what we make of it.
Our thoughts dictate how we see and perceive our reality.
So notice if your thoughts are kind or disruptive.
And without judgment,
Just notice and make a choice to focus on things that bring you up.
What is it you love about the holidays?
Is it decorating?
Is it time well spent with loved ones?
Is it gift giving?
Is it prayer?
What is it for you that brings you joy and peace this time of year?
Breathing,
Relaxing,
Allow a small smile to creep up on your cheeks.
With this smile here,
Think again of a positive holiday experience and visualize what this holiday can look like.
Maybe there's something you need to let go.
Maybe there's someone that you can have a different experience with.
Maybe there's something you've always wanted to do.
Volunteering,
Giving back,
Donating.
Or maybe you do that too much and letting go and saying no is an act of kindness for yourself.
I encourage you to see this holiday season through the eyes of a child as if it's the first one you've ever had and bring to it youthful joy.
When you're ready,
Come back to your body.
Notice if anything is tensed up.
Take a few deep breaths,
Inhaling love,
Peace,
And joy.
And exhaling tension,
Resentment,
Hurt,
Fear.
Then inhaling deeply,
Feeling yourself be filled with hope,
Inspiration.
And exhaling,
Letting go,
Letting go,
Letting go.
If I could leave you with one thought this holiday season,
If nothing else,
Be kind to yourself.
Forgive yourself.
Judge not yourself.
This is where we start and the ripples begin from here.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you so much for allowing me the precious gift of your time.
Until next time,
Be well.
