Hello everyone,
And I hope you are doing well.
I wanted to share a meditation for the holidays,
As I know this can be a challenging time for many people.
The holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and peace,
But for a lot of people it can be a time of stress and overwhelm.
Let's take a moment to pause and catch our breath.
Today's practice is meant to ground you,
To reconnect you with your center and offer a calmer,
More compassionate perspective.
Wherever you find yourself today,
And whatever you're carrying,
This time is for you.
Find a comfortable position,
Let your hands rest wherever they naturally fall,
Place your feet firmly on the ground,
Or if you are lying down,
Feel the weight of your body sink into the floor.
Start by taking a slow breath in,
Breathing naturally,
You don't need to change anything.
Just take a few more breaths here.
Now begin to deepen your breath.
Take a deep inhale in through your nose,
And a full exhale out through your mouth.
Let your shoulders drop,
Unclench your jaw,
Releasing any tension in the body.
With each breath,
Feel your body releasing any stress.
Any thoughts you're carrying,
Worries,
Responsibilities,
Expectations,
All begins to quiet.
Imagine placing each thought on a shelf beside you.
You're not letting them go,
You're simply giving yourself permission to set them down for now.
Notice the weight of your body,
Your legs,
Your hips,
Your back,
Your arms,
Your head.
Feel how supported you are.
Imagine gentle roots extending from the base of your spine,
Reaching down through the floor,
Connecting you to the earth.
These roots are steady,
Strong,
Unshakable,
Releasing any tension.
Relax your forehead.
Soften your eyes.
Let your shoulders melt down and back.
Feel your chest expand with each breath.
Feel your abdomen rise and fall.
Allow your body to feel heavy and grounded.
Let your body remember how to let go.
The holidays often come wrapped in expectations.
How things should look,
How people should act,
How you're supposed to feel.
Take a deep breath in and let go of that pressure.
Another inhale and release comparison,
Obligation,
And perfection.
Clear a little space inside.
You're allowed to choose a simpler holiday.
You're allowed to set boundaries.
You're allowed to rest.
You're allowed to say no.
You're allowed to let things be imperfect.
You're allowed to be human.
Let that settle gently within you.
Steadying your breath.
Inhale for 4.
Hold for 1.
Exhale for 6.
Again,
Inhale 2,
3,
4.
Hold,
Exhale 2,
3,
4,
5,
6.
Let your breath tell your body you are safe.
You are supported.
You don't have to rush.
Each inhale brings clarity.
Each exhale creates peace.
Imagine stepping outside on a quiet winter evening.
You notice that everything seems very still.
A soft glow of warm light surrounds you.
Peaceful,
Gentle.
Feel your feet grounded beneath you.
Feel the cool air lightly brushing on your skin.
Notice the sense of quiet settling in.
Let it fill your chest,
Your shoulders,
Your arms.
Your abdomen.
All the way to your toes.
It wraps around you like a soft,
Steady blanket of calm.
Whenever the season feels heavy,
You can return to this feeling.
This grounded place within you.
Bring to mind something that is weighing on you.
A thought,
A responsibility,
A worry,
A memory.
Hold it gently.
Imagine placing it in your hands.
Feel its weight.
Take a slow inhale.
And as you exhale,
Imagine the warm light around you softening it.
Lifting what isn't yours to carry.
You don't need to fix it right now.
You're simply releasing that part that no longer serves you.
Releasing it with compassion.
And now,
Bring awareness to your heart.
Place a hand there if you'd like.
Ask quietly inside,
What truly matters to me this season?
What do I want more of?
What do I want less of?
Let the answers emerge softly.
You don't need to force anything.
Whatever comes up for you,
Trust it.
Take a final deep breath in.
And exhale slowly.
Feel your body grounded,
Steady,
Supported.
Feel your breath smooth and soft.
Feel your mind clearer,
Lighter.
You can come back to this grounded place anytime.
Your peace is always available to you.
It lives within you.
The holidays may bring many emotions,
Many responsibilities.
But you are steady.
You are grounded.
You are calm.
You are enough.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Carry this sense of stillness and calm throughout your holidays and into the new year.
