Hello,
My name is Jen and welcome to this meditation on courage.
Courage isn't something that we wait to feel,
It's something we build.
Each small act strengthens our ability to meet life fully.
And when we practice courage,
We expand our capacity to speak the truth,
Make aligned decisions,
Take creative risks,
And stay present even when we're unsure.
Courage doesn't remove fear,
It's not about that.
It teaches us that we can move with fear and remain whole.
So this meditation is an invitation to strengthen that inner muscle gently,
One breath at a time.
Pema Chodron says,
Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.
So let's begin.
Find your posture.
Let your body settle into a position that feels supportive.
Allow your shoulders to drop slightly.
Release any grip you have in your hands,
Softening through the palms.
Take a slow breath in and release and continue that.
Nice,
Slow,
Deep breaths in and release.
As you just let your breath soften the space throughout your body.
Begin to feel the space around the body now.
Feel the ground beneath you.
Feel the weight of your body being held.
Noticing every point of contact to the surface or the earth below.
And as you breathe,
Just begin to scan your body gently from the very crown of the head on down the forehead,
Head softening,
Softening through the jaw,
The neck,
The chest,
The belly,
The arms,
The pelvic area,
The legs and the feet.
Offering your entire body a gentle,
Powerful,
Soft exhale.
Now I invite you to bring the word courage to mind and notice the way that your body reacts.
We sometimes associate different things with courage.
Maybe think it's external to ourselves,
But courage is not loud.
It's not dramatic or perfect.
It's not for them,
Whoever them is.
Courage is simply the willingness to be present,
To choose what aligns with your truth,
To take one step even if you don't see the entire path.
So take a breath in and imagine that breath awakening a warm glow in your chest.
And as you exhale,
Release any expectation to be fearless.
Release any definition of courage that is outdated or external to you.
And invite in a new definition,
Courage being the partnership between feeling the fear and still moving forward.
Now with each inhale,
Just allow your body to create a little bit more space.
Breathe into the space.
And as you exhale,
Just gently soften all the more.
Imagine your body getting light and feeling that light concentrate right in the center of your body.
Right at the solar plexus,
Right at the core.
Imagining this core light lighting the way forward to your next step in life.
Whatever it is where you feel you need to cultivate a little courage,
A conversation,
Creating boundaries,
Maybe a general shift in the way that you show up day to day.
You don't need to change overnight.
So just imagine this light guiding you to the next step.
This is courage.
The trust that you can illuminate what is right in front of you.
You don't have to rush ahead.
You can move with clarity and gentleness.
So as you breathe,
Feel this light getting brighter and begin to internally repeat after me.
Courage grows in me with each breath.
I honor my fear and I honor my strength.
My next step is what matters.
My inner light is steady and trustworthy.
I am exactly where I need to be.
And just bring your attention back to the breath.
And just letting those affirmations fill your body with each inhale.
And as you exhale,
Just release any expectation and trust instead that you have what it takes.
You are already moving with courage.
Acknowledge your own strength.
Very slowly begin to bring your attention back to the sensations in your hands.
Allow your fingers to wiggle a little bit.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath.
Maybe take a few really deep breaths and exhale through the mouth with an H-A.
When you're ready,
Blink your eyes open and just allow yourself a little promise that you can remember your own light.
And if you feel overwhelmed or buried in fear,
Just remember the fear is part of the journey and all you need to do is take one step.
Trust that you already know what to do.
Trust that your intuition and inner strength are lighting the way.
Thank you so much for practicing with me today.
I wish you all good things.
