This is Justin Michael Williams and welcome to your practice.
Every time you say yes when what you really wanted to say was no,
You risk contaminating your relationships with the seed of resentment.
And I know it can feel counterintuitive at first,
But saying no actually protects your relationships and protects your friendships because you'll avoid growing and watering that underlying seed of resentment for all the times you said yes when you didn't really mean it.
So I want you to give yourself permission to say no.
Give yourself permission to say,
Let me get back to you,
I'll think about it,
Before you instantly jump in with a yes.
This practice will help.
Go ahead and get comfortable.
And remember if you ever get uncomfortable at any point during this practice,
You always have permission to move.
It won't ruin your meditation practice at all.
Once you're ready,
I invite you to close your eyes.
We'll start with five slow deep breaths together and I want you to inhale through your nose if you can and then you'll exhale through your mouth each time.
And I'm going to walk you through this whole process.
We'll go through it together.
So to start on my count of three,
I want you to exhale everything out of your system through your nose.
One,
Two,
Three.
Exhale everything out through the nose.
And now slowly through the nose if you can,
I want you to inhale into your belly first and let the breath come up into your chest and then into your heart and then into your collarbone and then into your throat and then hold it for a moment.
Hold it.
And now slowly exhale through the mouth.
Let it go.
Let's do that again.
Through the nose,
Inhale into the belly first,
Then into the chest,
Then into the heart,
Then into the collarbone.
Then let the breath come up into the throat and maybe all the way up into the jaw if you can.
Hold it.
And now slowly through the mouth,
Exhale.
Again.
Breathe in belly,
Chest,
Heart,
Collarbone,
Throat,
Jaw.
Hold it.
And open the mouth.
Let it out.
Again.
Breathe in belly,
Chest,
Heart,
Collarbone,
Throat,
Jaw.
Hold it.
And open the mouth.
Let it out.
Last one.
Inhale belly,
Chest,
Heart,
Collarbone,
Throat,
Jaw.
Hold it and expand and take in a little bit more air if you can.
And then slowly open the mouth.
Let it out.
And now breathe normally.
I am allowed to say no.
I don't have to be afraid.
I am allowed to say no.
Repeat that with me either silently in your mind or with a whisper out loud.
I am allowed to say no.
Say it.
I don't have to be afraid.
I am allowed to say no.
Say it like you mean it.
I am allowed to say no.
I don't have to be afraid because I'm allowed to say no.
Breathe,
Breathe,
Breathe.
Now with whatever is coming up for you,
I want you to feel yourself actually saying no.
Imagine it happening.
You saying no with a hard line in the sand.
No.
And you can say it with compassion.
No.
I love you but no.
No.
Try to visualize yourself actually doing it over and over.
And notice what arises for you.
This is rehearsal for your life.
Now the last time I want you to say these words with me.
We're going to say it five times together.
I don't have to be afraid.
I'm allowed to say no.
Say it with me.
I don't have to be afraid.
I'm allowed to say no.
I don't have to be afraid.
I'm allowed to say no.
I don't have to be afraid.
I'm allowed to say no.
I don't have to be afraid.
I'm allowed to say no.
Breathe,
Breathe.
You got this.
Breathe.
Let it land.
You are safe.
Breathe.
You are safe.
You are safe.
Breathe.
This is how you grow.
This is how you get stronger.
Take a deep breath in and a deep breath out.
And whenever you're ready,
Open your eyes.
It is a great honor to practice with you today.
I send you love,
No,
And the biggest blessings.
Namaste.
