Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down,
Let your eyes gently close and let your breath deepen,
Soften and slow.
This meditation is about releasing the word should,
Not only the weight of what we think we should be,
But also the invisible chains we place on others with our expectations of what they should be.
Today,
We will step into freedom,
Ours and theirs.
Can we start by taking a slow,
Deep inhale,
And then releasing it fully.
And again,
Breathe in,
And sigh it out.
Feel the ground beneath you,
Supporting you completely.
Don't need to hold yourself up,
You're already held.
So let your shoulders drop,
Unclench your jaw,
Soften your belly,
And settle.
Settle into presence.
Now if you would,
Bring your awareness to the word should,
Silently whisper,
I should.
Notice what arises,
Perhaps it's,
I should be more successful,
Or I should eat differently,
Or I should be happier,
Calmer,
More patient.
Notice how this feels in your body.
Does it cause your chest to tighten?
Do you feel the weight on your shoulders?
Maybe a cloud in your mind,
Or an ache in your belly.
See these shoulds as heavy stones you've been carrying in a backpack,
And one by one,
Take them out.
With each exhale,
Drop a stone to the ground.
I should be different,
Drop.
I should be better,
Drop.
I should be further along,
Drop.
Can you feel the weight leaving your body?
Do you feel the freedom of letting go?
Now turn your attention outward,
And notice the shoulds you've placed on other people.
They should understand me better.
They should treat me differently,
They should know what I need,
They should behave the way I want them to behave.
These shoulds are stones too,
But this time you've been carrying them on your heart.
Each expectation keeps you bound to disappointment.
That's important,
So I think I'll repeat it when I say that each expectation keeps you bound to disappointment.
So with each breath,
Let's release these stones.
Exhale and whisper,
I release them from my shoulds.
They should change,
Release.
They should act differently,
Release.
They should be who I want them to be,
Release.
Can you feel the softening in your heart,
The opening in your chest,
The peace that comes when you stop demanding life conform to your plan?
You stop demanding others conform to you.
So without should,
What remains?
Try whispering,
I am.
Breathe in,
I am,
And breathe out,
Here.
Now whisper,
They are,
Breathe in,
They are,
And breathe out,
Here.
You are here,
They are here.
No shoulds,
No conditions,
Just presence,
Just acceptance of what is.
Do you notice the lightness,
The freedom,
When you stop insisting and you begin allowing?
Now imagine yourself standing in a vast open meadow.
The backpack of shoulds is gone.
The heavy stones of expectation are gone.
You are light.
You are free.
You are unburdened.
Silently whisper,
I release the word should,
I release myself from its weight,
And I release others from its chains.
And I allow life to be as it is.
Feel this truth settle into your body like sunlight warming your skin.
Slowly return to your breath.
Notice the rise and fall of your chest,
The steady rhythm of life moving through you.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes,
Rotate your shoulders a little,
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes.
I want you to carry this freedom with you.
And whenever you catch yourself saying should to yourself or to another,
Pause,
Breathe,
And replace it with I am.
I am.
They are.
This is.
And rest in the peace of presence.
Namaste.
