Welcome to this meditation on how to feel safer in the moment.
You have given yourself this time and this space to access feeling safer in the moment.
Many of us struggle to feel fully safe and some of us don't yet have the actual experience of feeling safe.
It can therefore be a challenge to connect with this feeling,
So for this meditation we're focusing on feeling safer,
Just that bit safer,
And we're not trying to get to feeling fully safe.
Begin by finding the most comfortable position you can find for yourself or the least uncomfortable position.
If there's anything to care for in the environment,
Take a moment to do so.
And then when you're ready,
Gently soften the focus of your eyes or close your eyes,
Whatever feels safer for you or feels less unsafe.
Honouring how your lungs and ribs are feeling at this time,
Take a slow or gentle breath if you can,
Breathing in,
And as you exhale,
Allow your body to settle and your mind to soften.
As much as possible for you at this point in time.
Bringing your attention to the body itself,
Going gently,
As it may be that you don't actually feel safe in your body.
So whatever feels possible for you to access,
Connect with that.
It can be any aspect of your body,
Whether that is a part of your body,
An organ or a sensation that feels okay enough to connect with.
Observe what you're able to notice in terms of your environment,
Your thoughts,
Your emotions.
As well as your sensations.
Holding this focus gently and giving yourself full permission to get distracted by something if that feels helpful.
And then when that feels okay enough,
Bring your focus and your awareness back to my voice and this meditation.
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Yeah.
My invitation to you is to experiment with saying to yourself,
Gently and with as much kindness as you're able to muster,
I am safe enough in this moment.
Notice how these words resonate for you.
This is about gentle,
Soft reassurance in this moment.
Not before now and not after now.
We are simply focusing on right here,
Right now.
Shifting your awareness to your breath,
Feeling the rhythm of your breathing.
Not changing it in any way,
Allowing it to be simply as it is.
With each inhalation,
Imagine drawing in,
Feeling calmer and safer.
That sense of ease,
Just a little bit.
With the exhalation,
With breathing out,
Imagine easing tension.
Being present with this moment.
And that worries and fears may be there later,
And that's okay.
For here and now,
They're not needed.
In this moment,
You are safe enough for now.
If your mind begins to wander,
Or your anxiety rises and increases,
Or you start to feel restless in your body,
Name that feeling.
Saying to yourself,
I am feeling this sensation or this thought,
Whatever it is.
And then,
I am practicing being as present as I'm able to with this feeling.
Noticing those two key aspects.
Naming the feeling and practicing being as present as you're able to with the feeling.
In this moment,
I am present enough for now.
I am safe enough for now.
I don't need to feel fully safe.
I don't need to feel fully present.
Feeling safe enough and present enough helps.
It helps me feel safer in this moment.
Being open to the possibility that you may,
At some point in the future,
Be able to feel fully safe.
And fully present.
And that's okay.
That's in the future.
For now,
For here.
Feeling safe enough.
And check in with your thoughts,
Your emotions,
Your sensations,
Here now.
As we bring this guided meditation to a close.
What's changed?
What are you able to access in this moment?
What are you able to be aware of,
Now that you're here?
Now that you have given this time to practice feeling safer.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
Slowly moving your body in whatever way feels helpful.
Knowing that as much as you're able to,
You can carry this feeling of feeling safer with you into the rest of your day.
Remember that you can come back to this meditation as often as feels helpful to you.
And that feelings,
All feelings,
Are information.
And that it's more helpful to be curious than critical.
