Welcome.
I'm glad you're here.
As we begin,
Let me remind you,
This meditation is not about becoming someone new.
It's about recognizing what is already possible when you stay connected to yourself.
There is no expectation to engage more,
To try harder,
Or to do anything differently after this practice.
Let's begin with the breath.
Take a slow breath in and gently let it out.
Now,
Breathe deeply and release completely.
Allow your body to settle into the surface beneath you.
Notice the steadiness that's already here.
You don't need to reach for anything.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
Throughout this series,
You've practiced staying with your breath,
With sensation,
With choice,
With yourself.
Not perfectly.
Not all at once.
Just enough.
Take a moment to notice what it feels like to be here now.
There may be a sense of grounding or neutrality or simply familiarity.
Whatever is present is welcome.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
Take a moment to notice what it feels like to be here now.
Engagement does not have to mean overextending.
It does not require explaining yourself and it does not require abandoning your needs.
Engagement can be quiet.
It can be slow.
It can include pause and space.
It can include you.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
Bring your attention to your body again.
Notice the internal signals,
Your breath,
Your posture.
The subtle sense of yes,
No,
Or not right now.
These signals are a part of how you stay connected to yourself while engaging with the world.
You don't have to override them to belong.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
If it feels supportive,
You might gently say to yourself,
I can stay connected to myself.
I am allowed to engage at my own pace.
I don't have to disappear to stay safe.
There's no need to force these words to feel true.
Let them be possibilities.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
Over time and with repetition,
Your body may begin to experience that engagement can coexist with safety.
That connection doesn't require self-erasure.
And that you can remain present while honoring your limits.
Nothing needs to be proven.
Breathe deeply.
Release completely.
As we begin to close,
Take one slow breath in and let it out.
Notice the room around you,
The support beneath you.
The steadiness of this moment.
If it feels right,
Gently bring movement back into your body.
Stretching,
Rolling your shoulders,
Wiggling your fingers.
And remember,
You are allowed to engage in ways that include all of you.
There is no finish line here,
Only continued choice.
Breathe deeply.
Release.
Completely.
Before you go,
I want to leave you with a few gentle reminders.
Nervous systems don't change all at once.
They learn through repetition,
Familiarity,
And safety over time.
You may notice that some meditations feel supportive one day and not the next.
You may return to the same meditation again and again,
Or pause this series entirely for a while.
There's nothing wrong with that.
You don't need to complete the series in order for it to be useful.
You don't need to understand what's happening for something to be shifting.
Sometimes the most meaningful changes happen quietly.
In moments where you notice a little more space,
A little more steadiness,
A little less urgency.
You're always welcome to return to any practice that feels supportive,
And you're equally allowed to step away when you need to.
This work isn't about getting somewhere.
It's about learning how to be with yourself again and again at your own pace.
When you're ready,
You may open your eyes or move into the next moment of your day.
Thank you for choosing to practice staying with yourself.
