Welcome.
I'm really glad you're here.
Sometimes the hardest part is simply showing up.
So before we do anything else,
I want you to know that just being here is enough.
And before we settle into our practice,
I'd like to invite you to set an intention for our time together.
A gentle invitation to consider what you might need today.
Whatever comes to mind,
Allow yourself a moment to acknowledge it.
During this practice,
I want to share a few loving words with you.
Some gentle reminders for the seasons when life feels uncertain,
When the answers haven't come,
And when you need a moment to find your way back to yourself.
There's nothing you need to do with these words,
Just listen,
Notice what resonates,
And allow yourself a little space to breathe.
And when we're finished,
I'll invite you to spend a few moments reflecting in stillness.
As artists,
We spend so much of our lives navigating uncertainty.
We know what it's like to hope for something,
To work towards something,
To give our hearts to something,
And then have to just wait.
We know what it feels like to watch this industry change around us,
To experience seasons of momentum followed by seasons of quiet.
And we know what it's like to have questions creep into our minds when the work isn't coming,
Or the future doesn't look the way we imagined.
And sometimes without realizing it,
We begin placing our faith in things that were never meant to carry the full weight of our dreams.
The industry,
The next booking,
The promise of more predictable income,
The approval of someone whose opinions we value,
You,
We start to look at these things to tell us that we're safe,
That we're on the right path,
That our work matters,
That we matter.
And when we build our sense of security on things that are constantly changing,
We can find ourselves feeling unsteady every time they shift.
But what if part of the gift of being an artist is learning to find our footing somewhere deeper?
Because our lives as artists aren't only shaped by the rules we book,
The projects we create,
Or the milestones we reach.
Those experiences are also shaped by who we become.
Come in the quiet seasons,
By what we learn when the answers don't come,
By how we care for ourselves when we are disappointed,
How we hold our dreams when the path forward is unclear,
And how we learn to trust ourselves even when we can't see what's coming next.
So let's begin by coming back to the one place we can always return to,
Our bodies.
Gently close your eyes.
Let your back be strong and your front soft.
Drop your shoulders and let yourself be present here.
Beginning to notice where you feel relaxed and where you might still be holding some tension.
And as you breathe in,
Imagine a little more space around those tighter spaces.
And as you breathe out,
Allow yourself to soften.
And if there's a place that doesn't want to soften,
Encourage it to relax with more breath that goes deeper into the tension.
Imagine being in the center of that tension and taking a little breath that creates a little bit more space Notice how the breath is moving in and out of your body,
Feel the subtle movement of your chest.
And then gently bring your attention to your heart.
Listen for its beating,
Feel its rhythm,
Its aliveness.
This is the same heart that has been beating through every season of your life.
Through the moments when everything seemed to work out perfectly,
And the moments when you had no idea how things would unfold.
And here it is.
Still beating.
Still carrying you.
Still participating in the extraordinary experience of being alive.
You didn't have to make your heart beat this morning.
You didn't have to earn another breath.
You didn't have to prove that you are worthy of being here.
And perhaps just for a moment,
You can allow yourself to consider what that means to you.
For me,
It's a reminder of God,
Of a love and a presence greater than myself,
Something that holds me even when I cannot see what's coming next.
Maybe you experience that through the universe,
Source through divine love,
Or simply through knowing that you are a part of something far greater than the circumstances of your life.
Whatever language feels true to you,
Let your yourself rest with the possibility that there is more holding you than you can see.
I like to think of an image of a leaf floating downstream.
That feeling of uncertainty doesn't mean you've been abandoned.
That not knowing what comes next does not mean you are without support.
And that your life is still unfolding,
Even here,
In your practice.
Your story is not finished.
So for the next few moments,
Enjoy not needing to figure anything out,
Not needing to have the answer,
But rather to just breathe.
Feel the beating of your heart.
The rhythm of your breath.
Allow yourself to be here.
In this body.
Held by whatever you trust to be greater than yourself.
And on your next breath.
Gently return to the space you're in,
Gently allowing your eyes to float open,
Taking one more deep breath,
Taking a posture of having a strong back and a soft front.
You did really great today.
Come back to this meditation whenever you need a moment to find your footing again.
When the uncertainty feels a little too loud,
When the waiting feels heavy,
Or when you notice you've started to look outside yourself for reassurance,
Let this be the place where you can pause,
Reconnect with your body,
Remember what you trust in,
And return to the things that remain true regardless of what the industry is doing.
Sitting with me.
Until next time,
Take care of yourself.
