Feel free to close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Find an upright and comfortable position.
As you breathe,
Allowing your exhale to help soften your muscles.
Let go of overt tension in your body.
You'd also notice feeling alert,
Awake,
Noticing an awareness of what's happening in your mind,
Even as your body is settling.
Is it possible to bring to mind a recent situation or experience that caused some pain?
A challenge or a hardship,
A conflict,
Even a recent change that includes a sense of loss.
Taking a moment to enter that experience,
Rolling over what happened in your mind.
I imagine there's some discomfort in this process of revisiting what happened.
Taking a moment to ask yourself what it is that you're feeling right now.
Is it possible to label any emotions,
Anger or sadness,
Fear or disappointment?
And allowing yourself to hold that identification with some tenderness.
What are you believing in this moment?
Is there a core belief that's perhaps familiar or even new?
But something you believe that feels true.
Could be something is wrong with me or I'm going to fail.
I can't trust someone.
Could be a belief about feeling rejected or abandoned.
A belief that things need to be different.
There might be multiple beliefs.
Can we hold these with the same gentleness,
Tenderness?
That we try to cradle all of the painful feelings with.
With this belief or these beliefs in mind,
Can you ask yourself,
Is this really true?
The answer could be yes or no or sometimes or not sure,
Whatever the answer,
That's okay.
Just asking the question,
Is this really true?
Can loosen the full certainty of it.
When you are believing this thought or this story,
How is this belief felt in your body?
What's the experience of it?
I imagine there are certain emotions that are connected.
There might be body sensations of tightness or rigidity.
Maybe feeling empty or avoid or tingly.
Noticing the felt experience of it can help you notice the impact this belief has on you.
How has living with this belief affected your relationship with others?
How does this belief,
How has it impacted the unfolding of your own life?
Has it created separation or mistrust?
Or prevented you from acting,
Being present?
The effort of self-protection,
These beliefs often have their costs.
This may create some suffering when you identify the impact on your life.
And again,
Can we hold this suffering with tenderness?
Even asking,
What is this suffering most need from me?
Is it possible to offer yourself care in this moment?
Whether through a loving image,
Caring or tender words,
Or even just a loving touch of your hand on your body.
What would life be like without this belief?
What would it be like if you didn't believe this story?
How would it impact your life if you didn't believe this story?
How would it affect or impact who you would be if you didn't believe this story?
Without being imprisoned by this limiting belief,
The possibilities are endless.
Is it possible to allow space for anything and everything that may arise in these moments?
Or over the next few hours after this practice?
Setting an intention to welcome what is here.
To perceive it as a guide.
As something that can teach us about who we are and what reality is.
And is it possible to send a wave of gratitude towards your mind and your heart?
For giving yourself an opportunity to practice.
Taking a few more deep breaths in and out.
Gently moving your body in caring ways as you come back into this moment.
And when you're ready,
You can open up your eyes.
Namaste.
