Hello and welcome to this meditation which will help support you in creating an inner sanctuary or refuge,
Whatever you want to call it.
Finding a safe place for you to return to within yourself to connect with God and whatever you need to to feel safe in your body,
In your mind,
And in your heart.
We're going to take a little journey today through the mind.
I'll be guiding you the whole way,
But for this I invite you to set up a very intentional space.
Do this at a time when you won't be distracted or interrupted.
Create the space around you where you can feel completely settled.
And also make sure you're set up in a somewhat upright fashion,
So you could be leaning against pillows on your bed.
I don't recommend lying all the way down just to avoid falling asleep,
But if you do,
That's okay.
You can always come back.
So you're in an upright but not uptight posture.
You might also grab water or tea and make sure you have that nearby.
You might grab your favorite blanket,
Favorite pillow,
Make sure your dog is all settled in.
And I also just want to invite you to release any expectation or perfectionism or things that will keep you from experiencing this fully.
I invite you to allow whatever comes up in your mind,
In your body,
To be there.
Any memories,
Any pictures,
Any thoughts.
It all is a perfect part of the journey we're going to take together today.
And also I invite you to release control so that while you're journeying today through this meditation,
You trust whatever comes up in your mind.
Not pushing anything away or changing a thought to be a better thought or more of an outcome that you would like.
So that you can have an authentic experience here for your true healing.
It all gets to be here,
Just as it arises,
And each moment is perfect,
Whatever it is.
Okay,
We're going to begin now.
So making any last micro adjustments in your body and in your space.
And settling in.
Thank you for being here.
You might close your eyes.
Take a deep breath.
Feel your body expand and contract as you breathe.
Feel your legs,
Your feet,
And the floor.
Feel the solidity of that support beneath you.
Feel the weight of your body and how the force of gravity naturally pulls you down easily and soothingly,
Holding you right here.
Bring your attention to your feet.
And wherever they're meeting the support ever so slightly press your feet into that support.
And feel your legs engage with the support beneath you.
This pressure doesn't need to be tension,
But just feeling a subtle current of energy running from the root chakra,
The tailbone,
Down into the earth,
Down into that support beneath you.
And just as best as you can,
Let this be your anchor throughout this whole practice.
So when you get distracted,
Drawn away by the stories,
The visions,
The movies,
Whatever the thoughts might be in your mind,
You can always come back to your legs and your feet.
And imagine running that energy down from the tailbone to the earth.
And try to keep this current going as we move on to ground the upper body.
Tune into the weight of your body and gradually become aware of what the center of the base of the spine feels like.
This center of gravity.
Feel how your body rests at this point and focus on it as if it were an anchor holding you here.
And from this anchor,
Tune into your torso,
Focusing on the spine line up from the tailbone,
From the base of the spine,
Up this central channel of your body.
And follow this line of energy up to the top of your head.
And take a moment to align the top of your head,
Your throat,
Heart,
Stomach.
Making any tiny adjustments that bring all of these centers into alignment with that base chakra,
The tailbone,
The base of the spine.
Take a deep breath and feel your body allowing this alignment,
Gently settling you in and balancing you out here on the support beneath you.
And now feel your energy running from the top of your head,
Down that central channel,
Down through the base of the spine,
And through the legs,
All the way to the feet.
And then imagine that energy going further down into the earth,
Maybe all the way down into the center of the earth.
Just feeling grounded here,
Safe.
We'll begin the journey now to find your inner sanctuary.
So in your mind's eye,
See if you can feel yourself at the top of a staircase.
If that feels unsafe,
Imagine railings on either side and you might feel yourself place your hands on the railing of this spiral staircase.
Feel your feet on the first step and I will count you down from 10.
I invite you to imagine,
See or feel yourself taking one step as I count you down from 10.
And at the bottom you will arrive.
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
You've arrived at the bottom of a spiral staircase.
Feel your feet on the ground.
Feel yourself looking up and around.
And what is this place?
It might be a real place you've been before,
Where you feel the most safe,
The most at ease,
The most serene.
Maybe it's your favorite kind of landscape,
Like a forest or the ocean or a big,
Beautiful,
Expansive field.
Or maybe a room in a house or any kind of room at all.
Maybe you see a little cabin and you walk into this cabin.
Begin to create or recall and recreate this safe space.
Now begin to notice details of this place.
Are you barefoot?
Are you wearing shoes?
What kind of outfit do you have on?
Is your hair up or is it down?
Is there some comfortable place you can sit?
A couch?
A warm patch of sand?
A patch of grass?
A warm rock with the sun shining on it in the middle of the forest?
A riverbank?
What do you see?
Are there walls?
Expansive horizon?
Tall trees?
Blue sky?
What does it smell like?
Crisp,
Salty ocean air?
Clean,
Freshly oxygenated forest air?
Maybe your favorite candle scent?
Smell of laundry?
Are there paintings on the wall or birds in the sky?
Leaves blowing around in the wind?
I want you to imagine now you feel settled in this place.
And if no place has arisen in your mind's eye,
Just feel settled in your body.
Take a deep breath.
And now begin to imagine a person you would like to forgive,
Who you have unresolved anger with.
Feel them arrive in this safe space with you.
And they can leave at any moment if this begins to feel unsafe or uneasy.
But just invite them in on your terms.
Let them be here.
Let them sit on the couch or on another rock or next to you on the warm sand.
And hear them give you permission to say what you need to say.
Express all of your true feelings.
Let any thoughts come out as words in your mind to this person.
Visualize yourself and feel yourself saying these things.
Whatever needs to be said,
Let it all be said now.
The full truth.
Nothing to be ashamed of.
Nothing to hold back.
Begin to complete your expression,
Your thoughts,
Whatever you were letting out.
And now,
See if you feel ready to look at this person and forgive them.
Feel if you're genuinely ready to forgive them.
And if you are,
Offer them that forgiveness.
And if not,
Say,
Not now,
Not yet,
But maybe someday.
And allow that person to gently and easefully walk away and disappear into the background.
Now imagine a space where a mirror can appear.
And walk up to the mirror.
See the details of the mirror.
Feel the details of the mirror.
And look into the mirror.
Look into your own eyes.
Feel yourself.
Looking at your reflection.
Or maybe,
If it feels more accessible,
You can imagine yourself walking up and coming into your space and sitting down next to you.
Somehow,
Looking at yourself and saying all the things you need to say to yourself that have caused anger or worry or any feelings of unsafeness.
Let your authentic expression come out now.
Whatever is coming up is okay.
This is in complete confidence.
In this safe sanctuary you created.
Nothing to be ashamed of or hold back.
Completing this expression now.
And now look at yourself.
And if you're ready,
Offer yourself your genuine,
Wholehearted forgiveness.
And if not,
If you're not ready,
Say,
Not yet,
Not today,
But maybe someday.
And either walk away from the mirror or allow yourself to walk away and fade into the background.
Go back to your safe spot.
Find the spiral staircase.
Grab onto the railings if necessary.
Taking one more glance around and feeling grateful that you held this space for yourself.
And knowing you can come back here any time you need.
Beginning to walk up the spiral staircase,
Each number is a step up.
1.
.
.
2.
.
.
3.
.
.
4.
.
.
5.
.
.
6.
.
.
7.
.
.
8.
.
.
9.
.
.
10.
And releasing the visualization.
And just settling back in your body,
Taking a big deep breath and feeling that anchor.
Running your energy down from the base of your spine,
Down your legs to your feet,
To feeling the earth beneath you.
And just resting here.
And take these last moments to just be.
Let any thoughts arise that are arising,
Let any emotions be here.
All parts of you get to be here right now.
The more you allow yourself to be exactly as you are,
The more you will access the healing you are seeking.
This is a journey through the layers of yourself.
It is a journey through your life,
Through the worlds within and around you.
It begins here,
In your own body.
It begins now,
Wherever you are.
This is your personal quest.
And it could take months or years or lifetimes.
But you have already chosen to go.
And that is all that matters.
And you have been provided a vehicle in which to take this journey.
It is your body and it is equipped with everything you might need.
Your body is the journey and it is where you begin.
It is your connection to the physical world,
Your foundation,
Your home.
You are the place from which all action and understanding will arise and to which it will return.
You are the ground on which all things rest.
You are the earth from which all things grow.
You are the point from which all things begin.
Remember,
You can always come back here.
Come back to this meditation or back to that place,
That safe place.
Inner sanctuary,
Inner refuge.
When you feel unsafe.
And remember,
You have what you need inside of you to resolve any stuck emotions,
Old energy,
Old connections.
Enjoy this last minute.
And just let yourself soothe however you need to.
You might begin to move your body a little bit.
You might blink your eyes open slowly.
Thank you again for being here.
