Hello,
My name is Courtney,
Also known as Self Care Creature,
And this is a meditation for bringing in all the pieces and parts of yourself and finding an integrated path into wholeness for your whole self.
And as we do meditations,
I always like to say,
Just take note of what feels not so resonant for you.
If anything feels a little prickly,
Bring pen to paper,
Journaling can help to unravel some of these things,
And as always,
Take what resonates and leave the rest.
I'll invite you to begin finding a comfortable position,
Either lying down or seated.
Begin noticing the breath,
Relaxing the jaw,
Settling the shoulders.
Let your hands and arms rest gently,
And perhaps closing or softening your eyes and just arriving here in this space.
Invitation to take a long,
Steady breath in through your nose,
And slowly exhale out your mouth.
I'm just taking a couple more breaths like that.
I wonder if it's possible as you inhale to expand in the belly,
Ribs,
Chest.
And with that exhale,
Feeling all the air exit,
You might feel the belly drop towards the spine.
One more breath just like this,
Perhaps accompanied with an exhale.
Ah,
Nice regulation for the nervous system here.
Now letting your breath cadence return to its normal rhythm.
Let yourself just settle here.
Let your body begin to soften,
Feeling held by the ground beneath you.
Letting your breath come and go like a soft wave.
And in your mind's eye,
I want you to imagine yourself standing in a wide open field at twilight.
The air is soft and still.
The last light of day rests gently on the earth and the land is quiet.
You have a sensation of calm,
Rooted safety within yourself.
And slowly you turn around in this field and you realize that there is an entire forest standing on the other edge of this field.
And you begin to make your way towards it,
Comfortably with each step noticing the ground beneath you and how it becomes softer.
And then you cross into the forest,
Into the trees,
And you realize you're in a very soft,
Mossy forest,
Lush and familiar,
Full of life.
The light is low and golden.
It smells like earth,
Pine,
Familiarity,
Memory.
And as you move deeper and the atmosphere becomes darker,
You see a warm glowing fire ahead,
A low lit flame that is steady and strong.
And as you approach,
You realize there are many versions of you sitting around this fire.
You see younger selves,
Past selves,
Tender ones,
Brave ones,
Versions of you who protected you,
Versions who dreamed big,
And versions who tried so hard.
And as you approach,
You feel invited,
Gently,
Wordlessly,
To come closer and to take your place among them.
You are welcome here.
You belong here.
You sit at the fire with them,
Letting its glow warm your face and your chest.
You continue to breathe,
And you take a few moments to truly see the beings that surround you.
They have all walked with you.
They have all helped carry you here.
And perhaps you begin to feel a wash of gratitude come over you as you sit in their company.
And as you look around the fire,
You begin to thank them,
Each,
For their protection,
Their persistence,
Their presence.
And then you gently turn toward the ones you're ready to speak to.
Maybe it's a version that you have had some apprehension towards,
Or one that still feels small or tender,
Or a version of you that's carried a story you have outgrown.
You speak gently and confidently to them,
Like you might a child.
Thank you.
I see you.
I honor the ways you've helped me survive,
Have helped me to keep going.
And I want you to know,
I am continuing to grow in a new direction.
And you are welcome here with me.
Even though we're doing it differently now,
We're cultivating more ease,
More joy,
And more trust.
And I see and honor your part in my growth.
Taking another breath,
Soaking in any feelings and sensation,
And allowing your gaze to move across the fire,
And you see some versions of yourself that you have not yet become.
There is an essence of how they feel bold,
Yet they also feel soft.
And as you continue to breathe,
You recognize a sensation that they feel like home.
There's an essence about them that they are grounded,
They are joyful,
They deeply trust themselves and they live in alignment with what matters most.
They find magic in everyday things.
Like the warmth of a sunbeam,
The rhythm of breath,
The scent of fresh herbs,
The sound of their own laughter.
These future ones remind you of who you truly are and who you long to be,
As well as who you are becoming.
Taking another full breath here,
Within the forest,
Behind you,
Beyond the fire,
You begin to feel a sense of ancestors,
Of guides,
Of allyship with the unseen world,
Deeply felt in your bones.
Can you feel them holding you,
Rooting for you,
A reciprocal gratitude that you have come and you are here.
Continue to breathe into this essence of support,
Of security.
Receive what is being offered.
Take a few moments here and notice if there is a message that wants to arise.
You may feel a knowing or a sense of peace.
Take your time,
There's no need to rush,
This is your moment.
Breathe here and gently noticing your surroundings with these loved ones,
With the presence of ancestors,
Saying your thanks once more and making your way back from the fire to the forest's edge.
And you gently make your way through the field,
Standing on the edge,
Once again facing away from the forest,
Noticing the darkness that is just becoming dawn now at this time.
Taking a few more breaths right here,
Subtly becoming aware of your own body once again,
Perhaps deepening the breath,
Bringing your awareness back into your body,
Back into the room,
Finding a gentle wiggle of your fingers,
Your toes.
You might place a hand on the belly or on the heart if you are comfortable.
I wonder if you can feel the glow of the fire within you.
If you can feel the joy of returning home to yourself,
Of being steady within yourself amidst instabilities of the world,
Can it be simple?
Can it be true?
Take another slow,
Full inhale here and again,
Slowly exhaling out of your mouth.
Take a moment to linger here as needed,
As desired,
And when you're ready,
I invite you to bring yourself back and carry on,
Wishing you well as you carry on your way,
You sweet human creature.
