Start by taking a moment to check in and get settled in your current environment,
Finding a position that feels supportive and comfortable for your body.
You can choose to do this practice sitting,
Lying down,
Or in whatever position serves you today.
If you feel comfortable,
Allow your eyes to close,
Or else keep your eyes open and direct your gaze to a spot in front of you.
See if you can locate the breath in the body,
Noticing where you feel it most strongly,
And allow your attention to anchor on the waves of the in-breath and the out-breath.
If your mind starts to get louder and chattier as you turn inwards,
Simply acknowledge that thoughts are here,
And then gently guide your attention back to the practice.
No judgment.
Noticing the in-breath and noticing the out-breath.
In this practice,
We will use visualization in order to help us be gentle with what is showing up during a period of waiting when we are on a family-building journey.
These periods often bring up a lot of anxiety,
Fear,
Anger,
Or uncertainty.
On any journey that is both difficult and important,
We often don't honor that there must be periods of waiting and stillness.
Pausing simply means that we're in a period of stillness and rest before the next period of movement.
There is peace in the pause.
There is power in the pause.
Now start to imagine in your mind that you are at the bottom of a mountain looking upwards.
At the top of the mountain is something beautiful and magical that you hope to experience.
Really immerse yourself in this scene.
What do you see?
What can you hear?
Anything you can touch?
As you're looking at the mountain,
You can see a path upwards,
But you can also see rocks,
Trees,
Bushes,
And obstacles along the way.
Try to notice your hope and excitement about this journey and about reaching that experience at the top.
Now imagine you start to take steps on the path upwards,
Climbing slowly up the mountain on your family building journey.
You can feel the effort of the climb,
And with each step you notice getting closer and closer to the top.
Now imagine stopping,
Pausing,
And sitting down.
Try to allow yourself to fully be in this pause as you notice any difficult thoughts or emotions.
Use this moment to rest,
Noticing how your body is held by the ground,
And just let yourself be.
You might acknowledge,
If I allow this pause,
I'm still on an important journey.
There is peace in the pause.
There is power in the pause.
Then imagine standing back up and continuing to walk up the path on your family building journey,
Climbing up closer to what matters to you,
Step by step.
Then you pause again.
Maybe this one is just for a few moments to feel your breath and to still your body,
Noticing what you can see around you,
And allowing yourself to rest.
Now continue imagining climbing this mountain and letting yourself take a few more brief pauses and restarts,
Moving forward,
And then pausing,
Moving,
And then pausing.
Imagine doing this at your own pace.
And you might remind yourself with each pause,
I can allow this.
I am still on an important journey.
There is peace in the pause.
There is power in the pause.
Continuing to imagine this practice of movement and pauses,
And noticing any emotions or reactions that are showing up.
Reminding yourself,
I can allow this pause.
I am still on an important journey.
There is peace in the pause.
There is power in the pause.
Now,
Wherever you are in this practice,
Start to leave this image of the mountain behind,
Returning back to your body in this moment,
And returning back to the breath.
Connecting with your body as it is right now,
Maybe noticing your feet planted into the ground or your body resting on a chair or on the floor.
Then gently thank yourself for engaging in this practice,
No matter what showed up.
And then,
For just a moment more,
Before ending,
Be still and listen to the sound of the bell.
Bell
