This meditation has been designed for anyone who has experienced or is going through trauma.
It is a gentle,
Loving session as I know what it is like to have experienced trauma.
If you find at any point you are getting agitated or your stress levels are rising,
I suggest you pause the recording,
Open your eyes,
Look around the room or step away for a few moments,
Have a glass of water to ground yourself again and when you feel ready,
Come back and continue listening to the meditation.
Be kind and gentle with yourself.
Healing from trauma takes time.
It takes courage to listen to and trust your body again and the signs it is giving you.
It even takes courage to stop the meditation altogether and come back to it when it feels right to do so.
I know for me when I was in the height of my trauma,
I couldn't meditate.
It made it all worse as I kept having flashbacks,
Triggering into fear and anxiety.
Know you're not alone.
Initially it takes effort to sit with the pain,
Discomfort,
Fear,
Thoughts and images that incessantly go round and round in your head.
When you do this,
Then it helps you release and ease the trauma from your body,
Mind,
Heart and soul.
As we begin this meditation,
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie.
Somewhere you feel safe,
Where you feel you can allow yourself to rest and be.
Do this by looking around the space you're in,
Gradually bringing your attention to your body and breath as you begin to settle.
Gently closing your eyes or if you prefer,
Leaving them open and softening your gaze.
Remember this is your practice,
So do what feels most comfortable for you.
Now begin to feel the weight and the points of contact of your body on the chair,
Bed or floor.
Noticing the pressure points and sensations as you do so,
Without the need to do anything other than being present in this moment.
Becoming aware of your breath as you inhale through the nose and out through the mouth.
There is nothing you need to do or change.
Simply observe the rhythm of your breath,
Allowing each one to slow down in its own time,
Creating its own rhythm.
As you feel yourself beginning to relax,
Allowing yourself to feel safe,
To surrender to what may arise for you.
Now in this place of presence,
Begin to scan and observe your body,
To see where you're holding onto tension,
Fear or anxiety.
Through this helps you become aware of where it is held,
Where you can begin to release and let go.
Take a moment now to see if you're clenching your jaw.
Is there tension behind your eyes?
Are you frowning?
Are you holding your eyes tight?
Are your shoulders hugging your ears?
Does your throat or chest feel tight or restricted?
Taking your tension down now and checking in with your gut,
Hips and pelvis.
And lastly,
Scan all the way down to your feet and toes.
By staying with any discomfort allows you to gain an understanding of where you're holding on,
Giving you the power and mobility to release,
Create change and heal.
To do this,
Inhale through where you're holding the tension and as you exhale,
Feel the muscles beginning to release,
Allowing yourself to soften and let go.
Take a few breaths now into any part of your body that most needs attention for now,
Noticing where it is for you and what you're feeling.
Scan your body again,
Observing where you may have tensed up and simply be with what is.
Each time you exhale,
Feel more and more relaxed as you start to feel comfortable in your body,
Feeling it softening,
Opening,
Leaving you feeling calm and at ease.
Thinking deeper and deeper into this space of relaxation,
Allowing all your muscles to let go and relax as you say to yourself,
I'm safe to do so.
I'm ready to let go.
I am here.
I am present.
I embrace myself and my body with love,
Kindness and gentleness as I allow myself to be enveloped with this beautiful energy of healing.
I can take as much as I need for now and come back for more at any time.
By allowing yourself to feel safe in your body with your fears,
Worries and anxieties,
You're allowing them to be released from your body and setting this amazing body of yours free,
Giving it a chance to heal and regenerate deep within.
Gently inhaling,
Gently exhaling,
Allowing your breath to be in its own flow as your body expands and contracts with each breath,
Soothing your body,
Mind,
Heart and soul,
Filling you with love,
Warmth and tranquility.
As you enjoy this time,
You're giving yourself to change how you feel and see yourself in the world.
Feel a sense of relief flood through you and around you.
You may even wish to sigh as you do so.
You may even feel a smile on your face.
The next few moments,
We will sit quietly together with love and compassion,
Noticing any changes in your body,
Knowing you're not alone as you keep allowing your body to be open to receiving the healing energy of this meditation.
Because when you feel physically relaxed,
You can mentally relax too.
You have an anchor to steady yourself with your body and your breath.
Now feeling at ease,
Open and relaxed,
Become aware of your thoughts.
Allow them to pop in and out.
Visualize placing them in a bubble and releasing them,
One thought at a time.
It is so easy to get caught up in our thoughts,
Stories and trauma that take you away from being present and in your body.
That is okay,
But it's important not to allow yourself to be carried away with the negativity.
Acknowledge and recognize it as a thought and return to the awareness of your body where you're holding the stress of the thought.
Breathe in,
Breathe out.
Because when you feel safe,
You can begin to see you're not your thoughts.
You can see yourself separate from your thoughts.
You're not your trauma.
They no longer have a hold over you.
To help you do this,
Say to yourself,
I'm not my thoughts.
I'm not my trauma.
I'm separate from my trauma.
I have the courage and inner strength to heal.
I can heal and I'm healing.
Being with your body,
Observing how you're feeling now.
Do you feel differently already,
No matter how subtle?
Trust something is happening,
A shift is taking place.
Be with what is with love,
Kindness,
Compassion.
Saying to yourself,
I am here.
I am present.
I am all of me.
Your thoughts and trauma are being released because you're allowing it to be released.
You're setting yourself free.
The last few moments of this meditation,
Allow yourself to see a future full of potentiality,
Possibilities,
Happiness,
Freedom,
Whatever it is you want to experience.
Noticing how your body is feeling now,
Relaxed,
Recharged,
Possibly with a hint of excitement.
I can do this.
Enjoy being here in the comfort of this space you've created as you allow yourself to drift away for the last few moments of the meditation in this bubble of peace,
Love,
Warmth and safety.
As we come to the end of the meditation,
Know that you can come back to this place of peace within and this calm state of mind at any time.
All you need to do is place your hand on your heart or belly and breathe with awareness,
Allowing your body to step back into this bubble of relaxation,
Ease and comfort,
Feeling safe and secure.
If you wish,
Continue to meditate for as long as you feel comfortable.
Otherwise gently opening your eyes,
Moving your body,
Getting ready to step back into your day.
Namaste.
Thank you for listening.
