Hello my friend and welcome to Move Toward with Jenna where we learn to move toward all parts of ourselves with curiosity and compassion.
In today's meditation we will move toward the part or parts of us that are carrying our stress with the three simple steps of notice,
Know and need.
It's important to recognize that generalized stress is often carried by more than one part of ourselves and if that's the case for you today we want to welcome all the parts of you that may be feeling different stressors around different issues.
So let's begin with step one which is notice.
I'll invite you to take a couple of just deep cleansing breaths into the full circumference of your rib cage and turn your attention inward with a deep sense of compassion and begin to notice where you are experiencing the sensation of stress.
You may be aware of physical sensations such as a crinkled forehead or a tightened jaw or perhaps tension in your neck or shoulders,
Maybe a sensation in the pit of your stomach or even an area of physical pain.
You may notice emotions or thoughts,
Whatever you're aware of is exactly right.
And as you are noticing where the stress is showing up it's very normal to have parts of you that don't like it and want it to go away or might judge it harshly.
And that's okay,
Just stay with the noticing until you can begin to come into a space of open heartedness and perhaps even some curiosity toward the part or parts of you that are carrying the stress.
Feel free to invite these parts to really come forward and show themselves to you,
Make themselves known,
Perhaps you might get an image in your mind's eye.
And just extending an internal invitation that if more than one part is carrying stress about a particular situation they are all welcome.
In a sense we will pass the mic to every part of you that is carrying stress or worry and let them all have a voice.
So whatever part of you you're aware of first,
In your mind's eye handing the microphone to this part of you and allowing it to tell you everything that it's worried about,
Everything that it's concerned about with no criticism,
No feedback,
Just letting it be able to fully share its perspective with you.
And when you feel that you've gotten a sense of that part's perspective,
Now invite a second part,
If there is one,
That is also carrying stress and hand the microphone to this part of you and now allow this part to do the same,
To share all of its perspective with you unfiltered,
Uncriticized,
Just letting you know how it feels,
What it's worried about.
And once you have a sense of that part's perspective,
Again thanking it for sharing and if there's a third part that is carrying stress or worry or anxiety,
Handing that part the microphone and letting that third part share its perspective with you,
Again with no judgment,
Just freedom to share.
And if you're noticing that there are many more parts of you that have concerns,
Feel free to pause this meditation or rewind it and allow each part to have a turn with the microphone to fully be given permission to share its perspective and its worries with you.
So once you have taken the second step with each of these parts of getting to know their concerns and their worries and their perspectives,
You might want to invite them to gather around a space that feels comfortable.
It could be in your mind's eye a campfire or a conference room table,
Wherever feels comfortable for all of your parts to gather with you that have shared their perspectives on stress.
And now feel free to open up a round table discussion with these parts to share with you step three,
Which is need.
Just extending the question,
What do each of you need right now to feel a little less activated,
A little more comforted,
And just allow each part to share what it needs.
It's really normal for the needs of different parts to feel like they conflict.
And if that's the case for you today,
That's okay.
See if you can facilitate a little bit of brainstorming with these parts that are carrying so much stress for one step that you might be able to take that they would all agree could be helpful.
It may not be the ideal solution for any one particular part,
But one step that could help And once you have a sense of the consensus for something that you can offer these parts to provide what they need in some small or large way,
Let them know that you will follow through with this and set an intention to do so in whatever way feels right.
If it seems genuine for you,
Thank each of these parts of you for showing up today and communicating their worries and their needs with you.
Let them know that you are here to take care of them and they don't have to feel so alone with all of this stress,
All of this anxiety and all of this worry.
And when you feel ready,
Gently bringing your awareness and your attention back outside to the room around you,
Perhaps noticing the floor or the chair underneath you,
The sounds in the room.
You may want to take a moment to journal or jot down anything that these parts have shared with you and particularly if there was something that they needed from you.
Be sure to write that down so that you can follow through and build trust with them.
This allows them to stay calm and not take you over quite as much.
Thank you for joining me today,
My friend.
As we've gotten to know the parts of our inner world that carry stress,
The divine image in me sees and honors the divine image in you.
Namaste.
