Hey there,
Welcome to Skymind.
This is your guide,
Adele Derricato.
In this space,
We practice the art of being open to our inner experience.
By being here,
You're already setting the intention of connecting to this very moment,
To this breath,
And to this life,
Where all healing and transformation is possible.
Throughout our day,
We may be holding tension in the body.
This tension may often come from the emotions that our body holds.
Emotions are information that often does not make it into our conscious mind.
When we attune to these changes inside,
We can figure out how to respond to them and soothe them.
To begin,
Find a comfortable position,
Sitting comfortably or laying down.
Choose a space where there are no electronics or other distractions,
If possible.
If it's okay with you,
You can choose to close your eyes or soften your gaze slightly downwards on something that isn't moving.
Before closing your eyes,
Take a moment to orient yourself to the room by looking around,
Keeping your gaze soft as you notice everything in your space,
The small details.
Notice everywhere there is a boundary.
This includes the ceilings,
The floors,
The walls that keep you in a safe and contained space.
As you continue to trace these boundaries,
Recognize as they provide structure for you.
Paying attention to any exits that might include a door or a window and notice how it feels to know that you can move around at any moment at your free will.
As we close out this orientation to this safe space,
I invite you to close your eyes if you feel comfortable,
Feeling your body,
Making contact with the surface that you're laying or sitting on.
Take a nice,
Full breath in and hold it for 4 seconds.
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Exhale,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
And repeat at your own pace.
Allow yourself to find your rhythm.
When your mind wanders,
Know that you can always gently bring it back to your breath as the anchor.
When you feel comfortable,
Start to bring your attention to anything in your body that might be calling out to you.
It might be a feeling of tension,
Slight pain,
Tightness,
Or any vague discomfort that you can't quite label.
Perhaps it is in the shoulders or the lower back,
The places where we hold our emotions.
Bringing your awareness here now.
Can you imagine bringing the breath to this area of your body?
Imagine your breath smoothing out the tension.
Imagine that as you breathe it in and then out,
The breath travels to this area.
Giving your body energy and soothing at the same time.
You may choose to stay in this area for as long as you wish,
Or you can move to different areas in your body that call out to you.
Again,
Holding the attitude of curiosity and compassion.
As you hold this space for your emotions to arise,
Feel as your body softens in these areas,
Or perhaps it stays slightly the same.
Stay with it and notice your relationship to the discomfort change as you continue to breathe.
A mantra might come naturally to your mind,
Something such as,
You're safe here,
Or it's okay I got you.
Continue to breathe with your body,
To breathe with the emotions that arise.
Allowing yourself this time to be soft,
To be open,
To go at your own pace.
And when you're ready,
You can choose to open your eyes,
Orienting yourself to the space.
Moving around at the boundaries of the space.
Take your time.
And know that you are safe.
To take it in.
To be with what is here now.
Thank you for joining me at SkyMind and supporting Insight Timer.
This is your host Adele D'Arricito,
Mental health counselor and trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher.
If you enjoyed this meditation,
Please follow.
Thank you.
