There is a beautiful word in Spanish,
Carencia.
It can loosely be translated as a place where one feels safe,
At home,
Where one draws one's strengths from.
The term comes from Spanish bullfighting rings.
Each bull has a specific place within the ring where he feels safe,
And when he's in that space,
He's harder to defeat,
More dangerous,
Braver.
Obviously the bullfighter's job is to dislodge the bull from this safe haven where he feels stronger,
Confident,
More secure.
I'd like to share this meditation with you to help you find your own carencia and to be there in that place when you need strength,
Security,
Confidence,
And safety.
The place where you don't have to be on guard.
Let's take a couple of centering breaths in and out.
Just getting settled,
Comfortable wherever you are,
Sitting,
Standing,
Lying down.
Just comfortable and relaxed.
Become aware of your body.
Were you tight?
Maybe in your head,
Your forehead,
Your ears,
Jawline,
In your neck,
Maybe your shoulders,
But just drop a little bit,
Maybe a little bit of tightness in your chest or in your back.
See if you can soften just a bit without straining.
Bring your attention to your belly.
It's softly rising and falling with your breath.
Just allowing it to be.
Without changing it,
Just observe.
It is what it is.
Your body does not need you to breathe.
Your body just breathes.
Bring to mind a place where you feel safe,
Comfortable,
Truly at ease.
It might be a comfortable and warm,
Familiar bed inviting the covers piled up maybe over your head.
It might be floating in a lake on a warm summer day.
Floating,
Suspended,
Relaxed,
Drifting with no agenda at the warmth soaking into your skin.
Choose your place now.
Where do you feel a sense of comfort and safety?
What does it look like?
How does it smell?
What do you hear in that place?
What do you feel?
Soak that feeling deeply into your body as if you're truly there in that place.
That place where you feel a sense of comfort and ease.
Tune into that feeling of comfort,
Of safety.
Realize that right now,
Here in this very moment,
Everything is fine.
Right now.
Breathing a little more deeply,
A long exhale to release all that stress.
Feel it soften.
Notice where in your body you feel a sense of comfort.
It might be in your chest,
A feeling of warmth,
A softness,
Your heart rate slowing,
Your breathing slowing,
Your jaw relaxed,
Shoulders falling naturally away,
Maybe even a little sleepiness.
Rest in this place.
Feel the centering,
That groundedness,
A sense of calm.
This is your safe place,
Your carencia.
One more breath.
Know that at any time you can come back here,
Whatever is happening,
You can bring yourself to this safe place.
This place of power,
Of confidence,
Of groundedness,
Inner stillness and calm.
It lives right here with you,
The core of your being.
With practice,
You can bring this to mind and really feel it in your heart and your spirit.
Your carencia is here with you.
And taking a breath,
Coming back to what is now.
How do you feel?
