Hello,
Animal-loving friends.
Thank you for being here.
This practice validates all fellow humans and creatures who think and feel and experience the world in a heightened way.
Yes,
Even your pet may experience the world in a heightened way.
Maybe that's why many of us are so drawn to our beloved pets,
Because we know they understand.
I invite you to find a comfortable place to get comfortable in whatever way is best for you.
Begin to close your eyes and take in a big breath through your nose and slowly exhale through your mouth.
Take this time that you've made for yourself to settle into your body and continue to take some more deep breaths.
As you breathe,
Fold your hands together as if each hand is hugging the other.
Squeeze them gently as if they're in a hug.
And I now invite you and perhaps your pet companion to now listen to my voice.
If you're able,
Begin to wrap one hand around a thumb in a gentle,
Loving embrace and listen to these words of wisdom.
It is okay to be sensitive.
It is okay to have heightened awareness.
It is okay to feel things intensely.
When we are feeling deep emotions and sensations,
We need to embrace them,
Be curious about them,
And reflect on them.
Be kind to yourself and give yourself time to process what you're feeling and observe what's happening in your body.
Know that so many people experience heightened awareness and emotional sensitivities.
You are not alone and you are certainly not broken.
Deep experiences allow us to grow our compassion and empathy for others and it gives us a deeper capacity for love.
Now let's wrap a hand around your pointer finger and embrace it in a hug.
Take a deep breath through the nose and exhale slowly through the mouth and listen to these next words.
Accept your sensitivity as a strength,
Not a weakness.
Remember,
Your brain and nervous system is working like a sponge,
Taking in all the details and all the feels in a heightened way.
You possess a potent and pure sensor for experiencing life.
Though sometimes it can hurt and be challenging,
It is a privilege to experience all the colors,
Textures,
And wonderful shades of sensing life as opposed to just an ordinary life experience.
Now let's give our middle finger an embrace and take in another big breath through your nose and then slowly let it out through the mouth.
Listen to these words.
As a highly sensitive person,
You might feel challenged by your society's expectations,
Perhaps your school's expectations or your work expectations,
Or even your family or friends' expectations.
You might feel the need to hide your ability to feel deeply,
Or you might even suppress your gift so you don't feel like you stand out.
Please,
Don't ever let anyone dull your amazing shine.
Your intense experiences are uniquely yours,
And you have the right to feel exactly as you do.
Now let's give our ring finger an embrace.
Take a deep breath in and slowly out through the mouth and listen to these next words.
You do not have to be strong all the time.
Be kind to yourself,
To your inner child,
And carve out time for yourself to handle when you're feeling deeply.
Explore how you're feeling and process it with care and compassion.
Give yourself permission to cry,
To be angry,
Permission to move your body in ways that relieve stress,
Permission to stem on something that gives you energy,
Or just do the things that give you peace and resilience.
Please,
Don't worry about what others think about you or say what they think you need.
You know what you need.
Be sure to communicate your unique needs when you can,
So that others can understand you better.
And now finally,
Let's give our pinky a warm embrace and take a deep breath in through the nose again and slowly exhale out through the mouth.
Listen to these final words on being sensitive.
It's said that some of the most beautiful people in the world are those who can feel things so intensely and deeply,
Who know suffering,
Who know struggle and loss.
But these are people who are able to turn those experiences into positive outcomes for themselves and for others around them.
Be a light and be a guide for other sensitive people by letting others know that it's okay to be your beautiful,
Sensitive self.
It's okay to struggle at times when navigating these feelings,
And it's okay to share them.
And it's also okay to ask for help.
You may be able to experience the joys in life much more deeply as well,
So begin to focus on what brings you joy.
You are important and what you feel and experience is heard and validated here.
Now let's give our whole hand a hug with the other hand.
Place your fists on your heart and gently begin to open your eyes.
If your animal friend is near you,
Give them a pet with those fingers that you've embraced in this meditation.
Pass that same embrace of love and understanding onto your pet.
Namaste,
My animal-loving friends.
