Hello and welcome.
This is a practice designed to help you cultivate internal resources or supports and ways of coping you can return to anytime you're feeling overwhelmed,
Emotionally activated,
Or preparing for something challenging.
To begin,
Take a moment to settle into a position that feels supportive and comfortable,
Whether seated,
Lying down,
Or standing.
Let your body know it's time to settle in by taking a slow deep breath in through your nose,
And a gentle breath out through your mouth,
Fully exhaling.
Taking another slow steady breath in,
And a longer softer breath out,
Like you're blowing through a drinking straw.
Continuing to breathe naturally,
Watching each breath,
Allowing yourself to arrive a little more fully in the present moment.
Allow your body to begin to settle.
Notice where your body makes contact with the chair beneath you,
Your feet on the floor,
Or the surface supporting your back.
Continuing to notice the natural rhythm of your breath,
Inhaling and exhaling,
Belly rising,
Belly falling.
You might place a hand somewhere that feels comforting,
Maybe putting a hand over your chest and heart,
Or your abdomen or both.
You can also lay your hands flat down on your thighs for a sense of grounding,
Trying to offer your body a cue of safety and presence,
Allowing yourself to feel at ease and relaxed.
Now we're going to focus on building some inner resources,
Something you can draw on to feel more steady,
Supported,
Or capable.
These might be strengths you already have,
Memories,
Images,
Or physical sensations that help you feel a little more grounded.
There's no need to force anything or get it right,
They can be real or imagined.
What matters is how it settles in your body and the small signals that let you know in this moment you're okay.
As we move into the practice,
Remember that support can arrive through many different forms,
So stay curious,
Simply notice what feels available to you and what you connect with or not.
Let's start with visualization.
Bring to mind a place that feels solid,
Steady,
Or calming.
It could be any room,
A landscape,
A horizon,
A memory,
Or an image that you'd associate with feeling safe and comforted.
Something that when you visualize this,
Brings a little sense of soothing,
A letting go of tension,
And more of an expansive state in the body.
As you imagine this with whatever sensory experience comes with it,
Sights,
Sounds,
Colors,
People,
Notice what feels grounding about this,
What helps your body or mind feel a bit steadier.
Taking a soothing breath in,
Just try to notice and acknowledge what showed up for you.
Now connect with the support of your body.
Feel the weight of your body being held,
The contact of your feet or legs with the surface beneath you.
Take a slow gentle breath,
Noticing any sense of settling or ease emerging.
You may want to consider bringing to mind a loved one or someone you care about as an internal resource.
This could be a person or an animal or just any sort of calm,
Caring presence that you can connect and relate to.
Just connect with this source of support simply being there,
Steady,
Dependable,
Caring.
Notice any softening,
Sense of release or ease in your body as you are present with this experience.
Support can also come from bringing to mind a quality that you already possess and carry,
Such as times you're patient,
Persistent,
Where you've been courageous or showed up with more resolve.
Could be a quality of compassion and kindness and care that you tend to bring to the world.
See if you can generate this quality in terms of a felt sense in the body or some sort of visualization that relates to this as well.
Maybe recalling a time this quality really helped you and served you.
And see if you can connect with the trace of that strength or quality here and now.
Continuing to breathe naturally and effortlessly,
Resting with the contact of your body on the surface beneath you.
Continuing to bring curiosity to the resource and sense of support that showed up for you most naturally.
What was most nourishing or soothing about going through that practice?
You might link it to something simple like a slow conscious breath,
The posture you're holding,
The body language you're exuding,
A word,
A phrase or some sort of imagery.
See how you can make this most practical in your life to be a resource you can access and use throughout the day or in any moment you need to pause and reset.
As this meditation comes to a close,
Bring your awareness back to the room you're in,
The environment around you.
Noticing sound,
Light,
And the physical space you're in.
Let your body move in whatever ways feel natural and comfortable.
Stretching,
Shifting your weight,
Rolling your shoulders.
And when you're ready to do so,
Open your eyes or lift your gaze and carry forward what felt useful from this practice.
Thank you for listening and take care.
