Hi,
I'm Susan.
If you pressed play today,
Perhaps some part of you is longing for a little support.
Perhaps today felt a little heavier than you had hoped.
Perhaps your energy felt low,
Your mind busy,
Or your heart a little distant.
Perhaps simple things took a bit more effort than usual.
Or perhaps you've been carrying that feeling of being behind even while doing your best.
I'm really glad you're here,
Especially if any of that feels familiar.
In this practice,
We will spend a bit of time turning our attention inwards.
We'll begin by noticing what's here within your body,
Your mind,
And your heart.
And as we notice,
We'll practice meeting whatever we find with curiosity,
With understanding,
And with warmth.
Before we begin,
I'd like to share that the way we speak to ourself matters.
Our nervous system listens closely to the words we put inside.
Words that are harsh or critical or filled with pressure can create more attention,
More protection,
More disconnection.
While words that are warm,
Understanding,
And caring can help the brain and body begin to soften,
To connect,
And to heal.
So together,
We'll practice giving your nervous system a different experience,
One of curiosity,
Care,
And connection.
So I invite you to get comfortable and simply listen with an open heart and a curious mind.
Perhaps begin by noticing where your body is being supported right now.
Maybe your feet are resting on the floor,
Or perhaps your back is supported by a chair,
Or if laying down,
That sensation of your body settling gently into your bed.
As you notice that support,
Perhaps allowing your breath to soften just a little,
Take a nice big breath in,
And breathing out.
And perhaps on each exhale,
Allowing your body to settle just a little bit more into the space you're in.
As you begin to settle in,
If okay,
Begin to notice what is here.
So for example,
Perhaps you feel some tiredness,
Heaviness,
Sadness,
Or numbness,
Or perhaps a kind of just emotional quietness,
Where it's hard to know exactly what's there.
Whatever is here,
See if you can simply notice it the way you might notice clouds drifting across the sky,
With interest,
With kindness,
With open curiosity.
Say,
Ask yourself,
What has my heart been carrying today?
Just notice whatever comes up for you.
Perhaps a thought,
A memory,
A feeling in your body,
Perhaps an emotion,
Or perhaps just a sense that something inside has been working very,
Very hard.
If you notice a place in your body that feels heavy,
Or tired,
Or tender,
Could that place use a little bit of warmth tonight?
Maybe placing a hand gently over your heart,
On your chest,
Or even on your abdomen,
And simply offering a little warmth,
A little presence,
A little companionship.
Perhaps you'd like to quietly say to yourself,
Something in me has been carrying a lot today.
Something in me is feeling tired,
And tonight I'm listening.
Could you just notice what happens when warmth enters the conversation,
When understanding enters the conversation,
When your inner world is met with caring attention?
Sometimes healing begins the moment warmth enters a place that has known criticism or harshness for a long time.
And as you sit here tonight,
Could you notice that you are not alone in this?
Not alone in having heavy days,
And not alone in learning how to meet yourself with care.
Sometimes when we experience depression,
The nervous system can begin to conserve energy,
To pull inwards,
And to move more slowly.
And while that can feel frustrating or confusing,
It may just be your system's way of asking for care,
For connection,
For gentleness,
For something nourishing.
And so perhaps now,
If okay,
You might ask yourself,
What might support me tonight?
If you're not sure the answer to that,
It could be maybe warmth,
Movement,
Music,
Quiet,
A drink of water,
Maybe stepping outside for some fresh air,
Reaching out to connect with someone safe,
Or perhaps simply to rest.
Just checking in,
What might support you tonight?
And as we start to come to the end of our practice today,
I invite you to take another slow breath in.
When it feels right,
A long breath out.
I hope you could remember that your brain is always growing,
It is always adapting,
It is always changing in response to the experiences that you have.
And tonight,
Through the way you listened,
Through the way you noticed,
Through the warmth you offered to yourself,
You gave your brain and your body and your heart something deeply needed,
An experience of care,
Of connection,
An experience of being with yourself with a little bit more warmth,
And that matters.
Thank you for being here.
Please return to this as often as you need.
Be well.
