As we begin,
Remember to approach this practice with openness and self-compassion.
And I encourage you to pause this recording as often as you need to if your system needs more time than I allow.
Begin by taking a moment to find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
Close your eyes if you'd like to.
If that's awkward and you prefer,
You can leave your eyes open and just let your gaze rest softly in front of you.
Begin to focus on your breath.
Taking a deep inhale,
Filling your lungs with fresh air.
And as you exhale,
Slowly release any tension or stress from your body.
Visualize a peaceful and safe place in your mind.
It could be a serene beach,
A quiet forest,
Or any location where you feel calm and secure.
And take a moment to immerse yourself in the details of this space,
The sights,
Sounds,
Sensations.
Now,
Imagine a part of yourself that often tries to protect you from emotional pain.
This part might manifest as self-criticism or perfectionism.
Gently invite this part that's doing its best to manage everything to join you in your safe space.
Thank it for its efforts to protect you and assure it that you're now in a safe and nurturing environment.
There's no agenda here.
It makes sense if it's a little distrustful.
But if it can,
Engage in this process and just be curious and trust you for a bit.
It may be surprised at what comes up.
Ask that manager part if it'd be willing to soften back and give you a little space.
Thank it for its courage.
And if it's able to soften back,
Next bring to mind a part of yourself that tends to act impulsively or tries to distract you from painful emotions.
These parts can sometimes engage in habits like overeating or excessive work or other behaviors that numb emotional pain.
As you encounter this part,
Thank it for all that it's doing to help you.
But let it know that it's not alone and that if it would like to,
It can join you in exploring a different way to approach your feelings.
And just see if this reactionary part that can sometimes remind you of a firefighter reacting.
See if it could soften back for just a bit and join you on this journey of curiosity and exploration.
Thank it for its courage.
And now with compassion and curiosity,
Visualize a wounded and vulnerable part of yourself.
This is likely your exile or one of your exiles.
The part that holds the pain,
Trauma,
Or unresolved emotions from your past experiences.
Often,
It's helpful to see these parts as a younger version of yourself and approach this part gently,
Letting them know and assuring them that there's no agenda,
That you're here to listen.
You just want to support.
Allow your exile to express their feelings and thoughts without judgment.
Listen with an open heart as they share their story.
Remind them that they're no longer alone.
You're here to offer the comfort and understanding they need.
See if you can bring your attention to the part or parts that seem to be carrying burdens within you.
These are the parts of you that carry emotional wounds,
Traumas,
Or burdens from the past.
Visualize these parts as weary travelers burdened with heavy bags,
Filled with emotions,
Memories,
And pain.
Approach them with gentleness and compassion,
Acknowledging their struggles.
Offer them your unconditional support and reassurance,
Letting them know that you're here to provide a safe space for healing and growth.
As we begin to close,
Take a moment to breathe deeply and let the insights from this meditation settle within you.
Thank those exiled parts,
Those younger parts,
For their courage and sharing as much or as little as they shared.
Let those parts know,
And all your parts,
That this doesn't have to be the last time that they spend time with you.
You would like to do this more if they'd like that.
Embracing your exiles can be a transformative journey towards self-discovery and healing.
Remember that you can return to this safe space whenever you need to to reconnect with these parts of yourself.
As usual,
When it feels complete for now,
You can transition back to where you are.
You can begin to move around and open your eyes if they were closed.
Do whatever you need to do to ease out of this work and take care of yourself.
Try to carry the insights and experiences from this meditation with you as you navigate your inner world and the interactions with your parts in your daily life.
Thank you for joining me in this practice.
