Hello and welcome to this week's meditation.
This week we'll be meditating on the felt sense of safety.
In trauma recovery,
This is an essential part of the healing journey.
Without feeling safe,
Without feeling present and grounded and connected to ourselves and to the world around us,
Healing becomes incredibly difficult and in some most extreme cases maybe not even possible.
So today's practice is an opportunity for you to start to create that felt sense of safety in the mind,
In the body,
In the heart.
Once you feel ready,
I invite you to find whatever comfortable position you would like to meditate in.
And for today I might suggest maybe sitting up against a wall or laying down on the floor on your back,
Creating some sort of physical support behind you or underneath you so that you can truly relax and allow yourself to be held and supported.
Once you've made your way to that comfortable position,
I invite you to take a moment here to allow yourself to settle,
Allowing yourself to land,
Noticing the parts of the body that are making contact with the support underneath you or behind you.
And if you can,
In these first few moments,
Seeing if you can allow yourself to relax into that support,
Even if it's just one or two percent here to start.
Seeing if you can allow yourself to sink,
Sinking into the surface underneath you,
Noticing what it is like to be held,
What it's like to be supported here.
As you continue to notice,
Maybe seeing if there's anywhere else you can soften,
Anywhere else where you can relax.
It might be helpful for you to maybe push your back into the wall behind you,
Or if you're lying down maybe you might like to bend your knees and push your feet into the floor.
Noticing what it's like to make that contact with the support underneath you or behind you.
Releasing any pressing against if you were exploring that,
And then seeing if there's anywhere else where you can soften,
Anywhere else when you can relax.
And when and if you feel ready,
I'll invite you to invite in a person or an animal or a being who truly allows you to feel at ease.
Someone who comforts you.
Someone who sees you.
Someone who loves you and supports you unconditionally.
Maybe bringing this person or being or animal into your mind's eye.
Maybe you sense them sitting right beside you.
Maybe they reach out and take your hand.
Maybe they place a hand or two on the shoulder.
Noticing any physical sensations that arise as you connect with this layer of safety and support.
And then seeing if there's anywhere else where you can relax,
Anywhere else where you can soften.
Now that you've created this safe space perhaps behind you or underneath you,
And you've created this safe space beside you,
It's now time to create a safe space inside of you.
And to do this I might invite you to place your hand on your belly or on your heart or maybe one hand on the belly and one hand on the heart.
Noticing what it's like to make contact with your vessel.
To make contact with your precious body.
And in a moment if it feels okay I'll invite you to let yourself know that you are welcome here.
That all parts of you are welcome here.
Even the parts that you don't like or don't understand.
The parts that try to keep you safe.
All of them are welcome here.
And if you'd like you can repeat these words inside.
All of you is welcome here.
All of you is welcome here.
All of you is welcome here.
Noticing what arises as you hear these words,
As you receive these words.
Maybe bringing your awareness to any physical sensations that might be standing out to you.
Noticing what it's like to welcome all of you.
And then maybe seeing if there's anywhere else where you can soften,
Anywhere else where you can relax.
And then as you feel ready I'll invite you to start to bring your awareness to the breath.
Watching it flow in and flow out.
Watching the belly rise and expand as you inhale.
Watching the belly fall and collapse as you exhale.
Breathing in and breathing out.
And if it feels okay for you perhaps we can take a couple of sighs here as we reach the end of our practice today.
Maybe taking a big breath in through the nose.
And a gentle sigh out through the mouth.
Another breath in through the nose.
A gentle sigh out through the mouth.
And one more breath in through the nose.
And a gentle sigh out through the mouth.
We'll close our practice today with a short visualization.
In your mind's eye if it feels right for you I'll invite you to create a safe space for yourself.
Maybe it's somewhere out in nature.
Maybe it's your home.
Maybe it's someone else's home.
Maybe it's a place far,
Far,
Far away from the world that you know.
Maybe taking a moment to see yourself in this place now.
Taking a few breaths in here.
Soaking in the safety and comfort of this space.
And then slowly as you feel ready bringing your awareness back to the physical support underneath you.
Seeing if there's anywhere else where you can relax.
Anywhere else where you can soften.
And as we close our practice today I invite you to explore the parts of you or maybe it's just one part of you that feels even just a little bit more safe.
Where do you notice this sense of safety?
The sense of calm,
Presence,
Openness.
Is it something that you notice all over or maybe it's something that you experience just in one place.
Does safety and comfort have a certain texture that you might sense?
A certain color?
Taking some slow and mindful breaths here.
Allowing this sense of safety to integrate into the body and into the nervous system.
Seeing if you can stay with the sensations for another moment.
And then slowly wiggling the toes.
Wiggling the fingertips.
Maybe taking a full body stretch if that feels good.
Maybe offering a moment of gratitude for yourself.
For showing up today.
For doing this essential healing work today.
As always such a joy and an honor to guide you on your journey.
Thank you so much for taking the time to meditate and breathe with me and to create this felt sense of safety.
I look forward to connecting with you next time.
Take care.
