Feel free to close your eyes or soften your gaze and begin to take a few deep breaths in and out.
As you breathe,
Is it possible to let go of any tension you notice you're holding on to?
Any tightness in your face or shoulders?
Tension in the big muscles of your back?
Any areas of holding in your chest and belly?
Letting your hands rest comfortably and letting the muscles of your legs let go.
There is often a response in our body to what's happening in the outside world.
Tension or angst?
A defensive posture?
Ready to battle whatever stress or worry or all-consuming emotion is being felt at the moment?
Is it possible to give yourself this moment to let go?
To notice the internal felt experience?
To let go of tight muscles and be aware of the more subtle sensations in the gut or heart or mind?
Forgiving and validating the human instinct to want to please,
To want to be received well,
To be approved of and appreciated.
And turning that focus inward,
Can you give yourself the experience of providing that self-validation?
Appreciation of all your hard work,
Acceptance of your limitations and love that you continue to persevere,
Doing the best we can.
We must walk slowly in this life,
Unable to predict what is ahead of us or how others will react.
But taking each moment as it comes,
Letting our awareness be our guide.
Dana Folds has a poem where she depicts this idea of walking slowly.
It only takes a reminder to breathe,
A moment to be still,
And just like that,
Something in me settles,
Softens,
Makes space for imperfection.
The harsh voice of judgment drops to a whisper,
And I remember again that life isn't a relay race,
That we will all cross the finish line,
That waking up to life is what we were born for.
As many times as I forget,
Catch myself charging forward without even knowing where I'm going,
That many times I can make the choice to stop,
To breathe and be,
And walk slowly into the mystery.
Bringing a wave of gratitude to yourself for giving you this time,
This space to reflect,
This moment of self-validation,
Self-compassion,
And self-love.
Taking a few more deep breaths,
In and out.
And when you're ready,
You can open up your eyes.
Namaste.
