Peace and welcome to today's meditation practice.
Before we begin,
I want to remind you of something important.
It's okay to not be okay all the time.
We live in a world that often asks us to be fine,
To be productive,
To be positive,
But we are human and humans experience the full spectrum of emotions.
Some days will feel lighter than others.
Some moments will carry heaviness,
Doubt,
Or sadness.
And that's not a failure on your part.
That is simply part of being alive.
For today's meditation practice,
We will be focusing on acknowledging the hard times,
Breathing through any sort of discomfort,
Tapping into our inner strength,
And emerging on the other side with resolutions and lessons.
This meditation is not about fixing yourself or reaching some perfect state of calm.
It's simply an invitation to be present with whatever you're feeling right now,
Without judgment,
To sit with yourself as you are,
Not as you think you should be.
As we breathe together,
Know that there's no right way to feel.
Your experience is yours and it is valid.
Your struggles are real and you are worthy of compassion,
Especially from yourself.
Let's begin now.
Find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
Let your hands rest gently where they feel at ease.
Take a long,
Slow breath in through your nose for a count of four.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Hold at the top for two.
One,
Two.
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Five,
Six.
Let's do that two more times.
Inhale through your nose for four,
Filling your belly,
Your ribs,
Your chest.
Hold for two.
Exhale through your mouth for six,
Letting your shoulders and jaw soften as the air leaves.
One more deep breath like this.
Inhale for four.
Hold for two.
Exhale for six,
Releasing any tension you're ready to let go of right now.
Allow your breathing now to return to a natural,
Slow,
Easy rhythm.
Noticing the gentle rise and fall of your chest and belly.
Now I would ask that you bring your attention inward and quietly ask yourself,
What has been hardest for me lately?
You do not need to solve it or fix it here.
You are simply noticing.
As any thoughts,
Images,
Or feelings come up,
Imagine you are watching them from a small distance,
Like clouds passing across the sky.
They may be heavy or dark,
And that's okay.
You are simply acknowledging that they are here.
Take a slow breath in and then a slow breath out.
Being mindful of the body,
Gently ask yourself,
Where do I feel this in my body?
Maybe it's your chest,
Your stomach,
Your throat or shoulders.
Wherever it is,
Place your attention there without judgment.
Now,
Bring your breath to that place in your body.
Inhaling deeply through your nose as if you could breathe into that area and then hold for a moment.
Exhale through your mouth,
Letting some of the tightness melt.
Let's repeat this for a few cycles.
Inhale into the area of discomfort,
Bringing warmth and gentleness.
And on your exhale,
Imagine the tension draining out of your body,
Flowing down your legs and out the soles of your feet.
And I will leave you here just focusing on relieving the body.
Ask that we take a deep cleansing breath together.
Let's exhale in through the nose,
Filling our entire body cavity with air.
And when you can take no more,
I would ask that you exhale slowly and in control,
Noticing any tension leaving the body.
Now I would ask that you just breathe at your leisure.
And I would also ask that you bring to mind a time when things were difficult and yet somehow you made it through.
Maybe one small step at a time,
One day at a time.
But ask yourself softly,
What helped me get through that time?
What did I learn about myself?
Let any answers arise naturally without forcing them.
Notice that even if it was messy or imperfect,
You did make it.
That strength,
It still resides within you right now.
It has not disappeared.
It is part of who you are.
Take a deep breath in.
When you get to the top,
Hold.
Exhale slowly,
Breathing out doubt.
Silently repeat to yourself,
This is not the end.
I am in the middle.
Now ask yourself,
What is one step I can take to support myself through these hard times?
And I want you to visually see in your mind's eye whatever comes to mind.
Maybe it's walking more.
Possibly just resting.
Taking some deep breaths.
Whatever comes to your mind,
Honor it.
And then I would ask you to take three slow nourishing breaths.
And on each inhale,
Repeat silently,
I am moving forward.
And on each exhale,
I am not alone.
Now bring to mind one small thing you can be grateful for.
Even in the middle of all of this you are going through.
Something simple and very real.
Hold that in your awareness for a few breaths.
Letting gratitude soften the edges of this current struggle.
Even just a little bit.
Begin to deepen your breath.
Slightly fuller inhales.
Slightly longer exhales.
Feeling the support beneath you.
The weight of your body being held and supported.
Gently begin to wiggle your fingers and toes.
Roll your shoulders or soften your jaw.
If your eyes are closed still,
Slowly blink them open.
Letting light and color return.
Let's take one final intentional breath together.
Inhale deeply through the nose.
Hold.
Exhale completely through the mouth,
Letting go.
And as you move back into your day or night,
Remember the hard time you're in is part of your story.
But it is not the whole story.
You are already in this moment finding your way through to the other side.
May you find peace.
