Welcome,
I honor your presence here today.
This time together is a gift,
One that you've chosen to give yourself.
Take a moment to acknowledge the courage it takes to show up on this path of recovery.
Finding a comfortable position,
Allow your body to settle,
Your back upright,
Yet relaxed,
Your hands gently resting on your legs.
When you're ready,
Softly close your eyes or lower your gaze.
Begin by noticing your breath,
The natural rhythm of inhaling and exhaling.
Feel the air moving through your nostrils.
Notice it's temperature,
It's texture.
Allow yourself to be present with this breath,
Not trying to change anything,
Simply witnessing.
In codependency,
We often become so attuned to others that we lose track of our own experience.
In this moment,
Can you fully attend to your own breath,
Your own body,
Your own presence?
As you continue breathing,
Bring awareness to any sensations in your body.
Perhaps there's tightness or tension,
Perhaps there's heaviness or lightness.
Whatever you notice,
Allow it to be there.
This is the practice of non-judgment,
Of radical acceptance.
Now,
Bring to mind a recent situation where you may have crossed your own boundaries.
Perhaps you took on someone else's responsibilities or put aside your needs to attend theirs.
Notice what arises in your body as you recall this situation.
Is there tension,
Heaviness,
Constriction?
Simply observe these sensations with kindness.
There's no need to judge or analyze,
Just noticing.
With your next inhale,
Imagine drawing in compassion for yourself.
With your exhale,
Release any self-criticism or shame.
Inhale compassion,
Exhale judgment.
Now,
Imagine yourself surrounded by a gentle,
Luminous boundary.
This boundary isn't rigid or harsh,
It's permeable yet clear.
It allows love to flow in and out while protecting your essential self.
Take a moment to feel the quality of this boundary.
Notice how it might bring a sense of safety,
Of being held,
Of being defined yet connected.
In recovery,
We learn that we cannot control others.
We can only tend to our own garden,
Our own heart,
Our own path.
As you breathe,
Feel the spaciousness that comes with releasing the need to fix,
Manage,
Or control.
This release isn't abandonment,
It's freedom for yourself and others.
It's trust in the unfolding of each person's journey.
As you continue breathing,
Bring awareness to the present moment,
To what is actually happening right now.
Not what you fear might happen,
Not what you hope will happen,
But this breath,
This moment,
This experience.
In codependency,
We often live in anticipation of others' needs,
In fear of their reactions,
In hope of their approval.
What happens when you return to this moment,
To your own experience,
To your own knowing?
There's a wisdom in you that knows what's yours to carry,
And what isn't.
With each breath,
You're strengthening your connection to this wisdom,
This inner compass,
This clarity.
Now,
Bring to mind someone you care about,
Someone whose well-being matters to you.
As you hold them in your awareness,
Notice any urge to fix or manage their experience,
Any tension or anxiety that arises.
With kindness,
Acknowledge these feelings.
They come from a place of care.
And then,
Imagine taking a sacred pause.
In this pause,
You recognize their capacity,
Their path,
Their journey.
You offer them dignity of their own experience,
Just as you claim the dignity of yours.
This is compassion without enmeshment,
Care without control,
Love without fear,
And healthy boundaries.
As we begin to draw this practice to a close,
Set an intention for how you might carry this sacred pause into your day.
Perhaps it's pausing before automatically saying yes.
Perhaps it's checking in with your body when you feel pulled toward rescuing.
Perhaps it's simply remembering to breathe when you feel overwhelmed by other's emotions.
Whatever intention resonates,
Hold it gently,
Offering kindness to yourself.
Remember that recovery isn't linear.
There will be moments of clarity and moments of confusion.
Times of strength and times of struggle.
What matters is your willingness to pause.
To return.
To begin again.
This path of recovery is walked one breath at a time.
One moment at a time.
One choice at a time.
And you're not walking it alone.
As we close,
Take three deep breaths together.
Inhaling fully.
Pause.
Exhaling completely.
Inhaling again,
Filling your lungs.
And pause.
And exhale.
Breathing in compassion for yourself and all beings.
And breathing out any tension or worry.
Take a moment to honor yourself for this practice.
For your willingness to pause.
To look inward.
To grow in awareness and compassion.
Gently begin to return to your breath to a normal state.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
And when you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for your presence.
May this practice support your path of recovery.
May you walk with wisdom and self-compassion.
May all beings heal and find peace within.
