Welcome to the Sense of Belonging practice.
This practice came to me this morning because I spent the weekend in a new group,
In a new group situation for my work and I love meeting people,
I love being in groups and interacting with other people but for some reason this this one felt difficult and I found all of these old feelings from when I was younger coming back,
Feelings like I'm different,
Feelings like I might be rejected,
They're all looking at me,
They're all judging me,
There's something wrong with me,
I'm a freak and there was an overwhelming feeling of wanting to run away and to escape and I could really,
Really feel it in my body,
Feeling of anxiety,
Of tension and it just made me think about how this feeling of difference can impact us and so often it comes from old wounds from when we were younger,
Maybe when we were rejected or didn't feel like we fitted in and luckily with my practice I was able to stay with it and find a sense of peace and ease within the group later in the day and for the rest of the weekend and so I wanted to share just a small practice that I found helpful in the situation which I hope will help you too if ever you find yourself in a place where you feel like perhaps you're different,
Perhaps you don't belong but to bring you a little more sense of ease and peace so just invite you now to close your eyes down or lower the gaze if that's more comfortable and really just settling into your body,
Finding a position that feels comfortable for you whatever that might be,
Maybe just creating some movement,
Allowing your body to fall into a position that feels right,
Whether you're sitting or lying down and just really allowing the surface beneath you,
The ground,
The surface you're sitting on to really hold you as you sink into this moment this feeling of presence as we start this practice together and just really taking a moment to scan through your body and just really taking a moment to scan through your body just gently starting at the head or at the feet whichever feels right for you and just seeing what's here for you as you start this practice today what's calling to you is there any part of your body that's got something to share a sensation pain a discomfort even a story to tell even a story to tell you're just scanning through the body seeing what's arising in this moment and if the mind's wondering that's okay that's normal it's what we humans do we're just gently guiding the awareness back to the body and just checking in with how it's doing today right now and using the connection between your body and the surface beneath it just to hold you and ground you here allowing yourself your feeling of all energy whatever that might mean to you perhaps allowing your body to feel a little bit more tall and strong ready for practice but keeping that sense of ease a sense of allowing allowing what needs to be here to show up to be welcomed and now just inviting you to see if you can allow that feeling of not belonging not belonging to have a little space to have a little attention what does it feel like in your body when you feel that you don't belong that you're different that maybe you don't fit in and if it helps access these feelings perhaps bringing to mind a situation that's maybe called you to this practice if that's made you feel bad about yourself maybe a little uncomfortable a little unsafe oh bring that into your mind's eye that seeming and allow all the sensations be felt in the body not pushing anything away trying to stop anything just allowing the body to feel that feeling of difference of being separate what does it feel like in your body when you're in this place what does it feel like in your body when you're in this place this situation where you feel a little unsafe unseen you might notice butterflies in the stomach a tightness at the chest a striction in the throat maybe a tension in the forehead or maybe a numbness maybe it's hard to access those physical sensations and that's okay just allowing yourself to feel that feeling of difference and now asking yourself if you were back in that situation that place what do you need you need to feel okay what would make you feel safe and seen is there a way that you could reassure yourself from within that there's nothing wrong with you you're okay you're enough just as you are and just seeing if you can find the right words and just seeing if you can find the right words of reassurance to share with yourself that sense of inner acceptance,
Compassion that sense of seeing the goodness in you the gift that you have to share with this group this new place this sense of enoughness and if it helps you to access these feelings which aren't always easy just placing one hand on the space around your gut one last space around your gut and another hand on your belly just holding yourself here and seeing if you can bring a real sense of accepting yourself just as you are holding yourself with care,
Compassion,
And love and reassuring yourself that you're safe even in this place that's new with these people perhaps you don't know in this space that feels so empty in this space that feels unsafe you're so much stronger than you realize you had all untapped energy and resilience you belong seeing now if you can let your light shine in this place where you felt separate different like you don't belong seeing if you can imagine light shining from within you and beaming out to all of those around you not hoping for a response but just sharing your presence and sharing your energy this sense of ease that you've now cultivated this sense of belonging this sense of knowing that you're enough just as you are really allowing this light of ease and possibility to spread throughout you allowing this light of ease and possibility to spread throughout you fill all the space within your body from your feet all the way to your head and allowing this this light to bring you a sense of ease allowing your body to feel lighter your breath to feel easier your energy to shift and as we move towards the end of this practice taking a moment to recognize the courage you've had to face this difficult situation these difficult feelings and seeing in all the benefits of this practice and seeing in all the benefits of this practice this new sense of ease and self-acceptance moving your hands back down to your lap or down to your sides and just taking a moment to close this practice by knowing that you do belong you're enough just as you are you belong thank you so much for practicing with me today when you feel ready just bringing a little bit of movement into your body by wiggling the toes and moving the fingers if it feels comfortable just bringing some movement throughout your whole body maybe swaying a little or moving the shoulders up and down just starting to come back into the room you're practicing in aware of your surroundings and only when you feel ready gently opening the eyes and just taking a moment to check in one more time with how you're feeling and taking that tall energy into your day your evening your week you're tall you are strong and you are enough just as you are thank you for being here with me today i hope to see you again soon
