Defining Your Energetic Boundaries For Wellbeing

If you tend to take on too much of the noise of your external environment, this practice can help you to define your own somatic and energetic boundaries. In so doing, you are able to find clarity in what is yours to carry by releasing any negativity that obstructs your own wellbeing.

Transcript

Welcome to this practice.

Have you ever noticed how the external environment can quickly and easily infiltrate your inner world,

Especially if boundaries have been overly porous?

Do you regularly find yourself negatively affected by someone's mood around you,

By the news of the day,

By general chaos in life,

Traffic,

Noise,

Or conflict?

Beginning to identify some boundaries is helpful to keep out what isn't yours to bear.

If you find that you are absorbing too much of the stressors around you,

You might set an intention in this practice to feel instead into your own unique space or refuge that is only for you.

In this practice,

Sensing what it is to be safely at home within yourself,

To understand your own needs separate from those and from that that is around you.

What is the kindest thing you can do for yourself as you see yourself as a separate entity from the negativity around you?

And if this does not resonate with you,

As it may or may not,

Then as usual,

The invitation is to set whatever intention is most calling your attention and stating it in the present tense now.

Starting with as deep of a breath in through the nose that feels satisfying and feeling it move fully out through the throat and mouth on the exhale.

Repeating this breath cycle two more times at your own breathing rhythm.

In through the nose and out through the mouth.

In through the nose and out through the mouth.

This starts the process of inquiring what it is that your body needs as it serves as the container and the receptacle for the breath.

The torso rising and releasing at a depth and pace that feels most satisfying to you.

Attending to the support underneath you.

Laying down or seated.

Feeling yourself sinking into your ground with each exhale.

How can you make yourself as comfortable as possible?

Stretching,

Readjusting,

Adding supports,

Pillows,

Blankets,

Comfortable clothing,

An eye pillow,

Nothing to protect or do in this moment.

Granting yourself permission to give yourself your full attention.

Giving yourself the focus to discover what feels most comfortable in this moment.

Inhaling more of what you need and exhaling whatever you feel the need to let go of.

Sensing the sounds around you and perhaps now imagining a sound that brings you a sense of calm,

Serenity,

And security.

The sound of ocean waves lapping the shore.

Crickets on a warm starry night.

The hum of an alpine waterfall.

A favorite instrument.

Whatever it is for you,

Bring that sound fully alive in your imagination.

And now aware of sights around you or underneath your eyelids.

If your eyes are gently closed.

Shapes,

Lighting,

Colors,

Not analyzing or making meaning,

But simply observing what comes to you in this moment.

And allowing yourself to float into your own amazing visual daydream.

An exquisite sunset.

A cozy spot to be in while a dramatic storm passes.

A well organized space.

Whatever your daydream is,

Allow your visual experience to fully unfold.

Perhaps starting to feel your own inner sense of balance,

Ease and contentment as you rest here.

Now inviting in any smells or tastes that might deepen this experience for you.

Smells or tastes that are present in your own inner resource place.

Your mind is your playground.

Just for you.

Only you.

And as if you were in this place of calm and safety right now.

Feeling the perfect temperature or textures that meet your skin and marinate in it.

In this place,

You are accountable to no one except yourself.

Perhaps even telling yourself quietly,

This is my space.

This is my space.

And as you do,

Notice how and if contentment shows up as sensation.

This inner resource place that shows up as sensation in the body.

Warm,

Expansive,

Floating,

Grounded.

Familiarize yourself with this cocoon or secluded place that is only for you.

And that is always available to you.

If you are feeling even just a scent of it now,

Then you are already finding your way.

And if not,

Which can happen to you,

Stay the course.

Practicing little and often as you have likely planted the seed to a growing awareness of this subtle voice arising as sensation in the body.

Now tuning into global feelings in the body in this moment.

See if you notice an area of the body that feels warm.

And now areas that feel cool.

Is there a preference to be with warmth or with coolness?

And if so,

Allowing yourself to do so now.

Welcoming in whatever temperature feels just right.

Even imagining a scene that brings warmth or coolness to life for you.

And now noticing an area of the body that may feel heavy or grounded in this moment.

Finding an area of the body that may feel heavy.

And now finding an area in the body that feels lighter,

Airy,

Perhaps with an impulse to move.

Allowing yourself to marinate for a moment longer in the heaviness or the lightness,

Whichever is your preference.

Instead of overriding it,

Feeling slightly more grounded in the heaviness,

Or less stuck in the lightness.

You have all the time you need here.

Feeling your whole body as your container.

Perhaps even the felt sense of your own space out beyond the body.

And now following my voice as you rotate attention to sensations unique to you throughout the body,

Arising,

Growing,

And then dissipating in your awareness.

Starting with sensations at the mouth,

Inner walls of the mouth,

The tongue,

Left cheek,

Left inner ear,

Left ear,

Right cheek,

Right inner ear,

Right ear,

Both ears together as sensation,

The air as it enters and leaves the nostrils.

Sensation at the left eye,

Right eye,

Noticing both eyes together,

Animated with sensation,

Forehead,

Top of the head,

Back of the head,

Neck,

Inner walls of the throat,

The whole head and neck,

Vibrant with sensation,

Left shoulder,

Left upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Palm of the left hand and fingers,

The whole left arm,

Right shoulder,

Right upper arm,

Elbow,

Forearm,

Wrist,

Palm of the right hand and fingers,

The whole right arm and where they meet at the upper chest,

The upper back,

The belly and the lower back,

The whole torso animated with the rise and release of each breath and where it meets the left hip,

Left thigh,

Knee,

Foreleg,

Ankle,

Foot,

And toes,

The whole left leg from hip to toes.

Now the right hip,

Right thigh,

Right knee,

Foreleg,

Ankle,

Foot,

And toes,

The whole right leg,

Noticing both legs together,

Animated with sensation,

Noticing the left side of your body,

The right side of your body,

The front,

The back,

And as you sense the whole body now,

See if you can feel the expanse of an area even an inch or more out beyond the envelope of your skin,

The felt sense of yourself out beyond the physical body that is still just for you.

This place of awareness that feels spacious yet contained and is only for you.

With each breath in,

Feeling yourself expand.

And each breath out is letting go of any extra baggage that isn't yours to carry.

Expanding on the inhale,

Letting go on the exhale,

Inhale the inner resource place just for you,

And releasing all the rest with each exhale,

And from the comfy,

Safe confines of your own space,

Examine if there is some residue of a challenging thought or emotion that is present now,

Or one that visits you frequently in your daily life.

And rather than pushing it away,

See if you can invite it in,

Putting it a safe distance from you somewhere outside this personal space that may be becoming more defined for you.

If needed,

Revisit that space within you and around you that is only yours.

Like a cocoon,

A shield,

Or a shell,

You are protected.

This space that always knows the perfect response.

It is from here that you greet this sticky,

Perhaps uncomfortable thought or emotion.

Let it fully unfold.

Welcome it in,

Rather than stuffing it down.

Aware of how thoughts and emotions show up as sensations in the body,

Name these visitors.

Tension,

Trembly,

Stuck,

Whatever it is for you.

Maybe this thought or emotion shows up as a vision,

An image,

An animal,

Or a character.

And as you become familiar with the sensations or images,

Allow yourself to explore if there is an underlying quality,

Emotion,

Or belief that you weren't aware of earlier.

Is there a part of it that you recognize is not yours to carry?

Perhaps this is an old part.

What does it feel like in your body to let it go,

To put it in its place,

Wherever you sense that should be?

Imagine doing so now,

Taking note of any new knowing that may be arising here.

Simply noticing,

Without judgment,

Whatever is bubbling up for you.

And now noticing,

Is there a sense of gratitude that is arising for taking this time for yourself,

Or some feeling of empowerment for staying with what is uncomfortable?

Or welcoming in now,

Something that does bring you a sense of contentment or gratitude.

Bringing in a scene or memory that brings a sense of contentment,

Joy,

Or gratitude.

And imagine you can bottle that feeling of contentment that shows up as sensation in the body.

Breathing it in deeply,

And watching it permeate every cell of your body on the exhale.

Again,

Breathing in a sense of joy or well-being,

And feeling it wash in and over your body on the exhale.

The glow of contentment now,

Providing the silhouette of that that is you and only you.

Feeling yourself as the watcher and listener of all that is arising from this place of awareness that is only for you.

Safe at home within yourself,

Free to connect in ways that serve you well.

Always knowing the perfect response to whatever comes your way.

If you have noticed a message to take with you from this practice,

Or a new intention developing for your next practice,

Or in your daily life,

Take a moment to reflect on it now.

And as you bring your attention slowly back to the room around you,

Sensing the space around you,

Gently opening and closing your eyes as you feel ready.

Stretching and moving in whatever way feels just right,

Coming back with a sense of well-being,

Taking all the time you need to come to the conclusion of your practice.

Thank you so much for joining me today.