Hi,
Welcome.
I'm so happy that you are here,
And whether you are new to this space or returning to this space,
My name is Chelsea Moak,
And I am an educational leader,
I am a parent,
And I'm also an intern therapist,
And I'm here representing the CELA Collective,
A space really dedicated to servicing those who are in service of others,
Caring for the caregiver.
Thank you for being here.
All right,
So we're moving into our December mindful moment,
And this time of year,
Especially in the roles that many of us hold,
Can feel like both a closing,
An opening,
A stretching,
Expanding,
And even like a wanting to kind of pull back into ourselves,
That hibernation feeling.
So there's kind of a mix of these feelings and experiences that might be happening,
And December often brings,
Like,
With this mix of experiences,
There's transitions,
There's even pressure,
And there might be some,
Like,
Heaviness,
And according to,
You know,
Research from CASEL,
An SEL-related non-for-profit,
And also trauma-informed practitioners,
This season can also bring increased dysregulation amongst students,
There might be academic pressures,
And there might be heightened fatigue with those who are in service in the education system and in other roles.
And so this is it,
This is just,
That's data,
Right?
But it's also lived experience,
And I felt this,
I feel it now,
And I'm sure many of you have too,
And are in the thick of it.
And yet,
In the middle of all this,
What we continue to do is we continue to show up.
We show up with presence,
We show up with care,
And we show up with grace.
And that deserves celebration,
One,
And also it deserves a pause.
Like,
That deserves a way for us to engage in our own rest.
Okay,
And it's not that we're,
Quote-unquote,
Deserving of rest,
Rest is inherently,
You know,
Something that is ours,
But consider this an opportunity to kind of take that for yourself.
All right,
So we're going to move into a meditation for this December's Mindful Moment,
And it's called the Safe Place Visualization.
And this is rooted in EMDR therapy,
And it's a resourcing technique or practice that supports the nervous system by settling an inner sense of safety within ourselves.
It's really,
Really,
It's been really supportive for me personally on my own,
Like,
Journey.
And it's especially important in moments when there's parts of us that feel really heightened,
Like emotions feel too big to hold,
Especially within the context of leading,
Parenting,
And caregiving.
And so today's practice is really about creating capacity.
We're not here to fix or change anything,
But really creating capacity to be with what is with compassion.
All right,
Let's begin.
Find a comfortable seat or a position that allows you to feel supported.
You can be lying down.
And if you feel safe enough in this moment,
You can gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
And just take a moment right now to notice your breath as it is.
No need to change it,
Fix it,
Deepen it.
Just witnessing it as the inhale breathes in and exhale breathes out.
Using this presence of the breath as a gentle reminder to your body that it has permission to pause here.
And as you continue to notice your breath,
Just notice your whole body here.
Notice the weight of your body.
Maybe even softening the eyes and the shoulders,
Just by simply bringing attention to those parts.
Feel the hands,
The feet,
Even the jaw.
Sometimes we hold tension in the jaw.
And now bring to mind a place,
Whether it be real or imagined,
Where you feel deeply safe.
It might be somewhere you've been before or a place you've imagined just for yourself.
Somewhere where you feel calm,
Supported,
And even protected.
And just like a curious child would,
Begin to explore this place in your mind.
What does it look like?
Notice the colors,
The shapes,
The textures,
What do you hear?
Are there sounds,
Birds,
Water,
Or music?
What do you smell?
What do you feel in this place beneath your feet or your fingertips?
Even notice if there's anyone there with you.
Or is it only you?
And without trying to analyze what comes up,
Just see if you can stay really still.
Really curious.
And really let your body begin to feel what it's like to be in this place.
Allowing yourself to take it all in.
And let this be a space you can return to inside of yourself whenever you need it.
And even notice if your mind has drifted from this visualization.
Just like you would with a really curious puppy.
See if you can bring your attention back in a kind and gentle way.
Back to your safe place.
Allowing your breath to anchor you.
Inhaling,
A sense of safety.
Exhaling,
Release.
Take three more breaths here.
And as we close out silently or even as a gentle whisper saying to yourself,
May I be safe.
May I be supported.
And may I feel a sense of rest in my body.
And just take a moment to really thank yourselves and gratitude for all the parts of you that showed up today for pausing.
Even if it was just for this 10 moments in this season.
Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank you.
And again,
Remember that everything you are experiencing is a really common experience amongst many,
Many people.
And it's okay to take time to slow down to soften and to listen.
Thank you so much for being here.
And I will see you in the new year for our January mindful moment.
Have a beautiful,
Beautiful rest of the month of December.
Take care.
