Begin by getting comfortable.
You can do this practice standing up,
Walking around,
Sitting down,
Lying down,
Whatever feels right to you.
If you have a lot of energy or physical sensations or emotions present,
You can notice and name that right now.
It's okay for that to be here.
We're going to take a moment to settle,
And then we'll come back and pay attention to whatever is here.
I invite you to take a breath,
Breathing in and breathing out,
Letting the exhale be a little longer than the inhale.
Let yourself notice anything around you or in your physical experience that feels safe,
Calm,
Solid,
Or predictable,
And letting yourself take that in,
Whatever it is that you found.
There's something here that you can anchor to in the midst of what might be an intense experience.
Now turning your attention inwards as much as feels comfortable.
If there's some big sensations,
Just acknowledging what's here.
Yes,
This is big.
Notice where in your body you feel those sensations,
And taking a moment to name that internally.
Yes,
Here is where I feel it.
You find a word that captures what this is like,
The whole picture of what it's like inside right now.
Is it hot?
Is it red?
Is it black?
Is it heavy?
Finding just the right word that fits for you,
And when you find a word,
You can offer it to what's here on the inside,
And listening for a response.
Does it fit?
Is it right?
If it's not right,
Check again.
Is there another quality,
Maybe an image that might capture what it's like more fully?
As we stay with this,
Noticing if it's okay.
Is it okay to be with this intensity,
This feeling,
This quality?
If there's something else inside that says,
No,
I cannot be with this,
It's too much,
Acknowledging that too.
Yes,
This can be hard to be with.
It makes sense that there might be something here that doesn't like it,
And as we stay with what's here and any reactions to it,
Checking to see what it's like to spend time here,
Just keeping all this company,
You might notice your mind wanting to tell a story about what happened,
You can acknowledge that too,
Say,
Yes,
There are probably some very good reasons why this feeling is here,
Why there might be reactions to it,
And just seeing if the part that wants to tell the story is okay to wait on the side for a moment,
Knowing that you can come back to that later,
And if it feels okay,
There's some amount of openness,
Curiosity,
Asking whatever has come,
If there's anything that it wants you to know.
There might be something else here,
As you ask that question,
And can you be with that?
And seeing if you can take in whatever it is that has been offered,
Whatever way it might be different now,
And checking to see if there's anything that this place needs.
Does it need a safe place to go?
Does it need an opportunity to move around in your mind,
As if you can create a room where it wants to jump around or hit a pillow,
That it could do that safely?
Or maybe it needs some comfort,
Maybe a blanket,
Maybe a hug.
Taking a moment to offer whatever is needed.
Now thanking yourself for showing up,
For doing this practice,
Bringing some small movements to your fingers and toes,
Taking a breath,
Noticing the places where you contact the earth,
Taking your time to come back to the room,
Wherever you are.
