Welcome to a mindfulness supportive touch meditation.
In our meditation today we will explore different placements for supportive touch to investigate what may be most comforting.
Let's begin.
Start by finding a position that feels right for your body now.
Maybe this is in a seated or lying position.
Selecting a location where you're not likely to be disturbed.
Allowing the eyes to gently close or in focusing your gaze.
Intentionally shifting from doing to being.
Placing attention on the breath.
Maybe feeling the breath as it enters the body through the nostrils,
Down through the throat,
Into the chest,
And maybe even feeling the expansion of the belly.
Slight pause and on exhale the belly contracting,
Chest,
Throat,
And nostrils.
Maybe even feeling warmth on your top lip.
Following this breath through the body.
When you feel ready,
Placing one of your hands or both if you prefer over your heart.
Feeling the warmth of your hand here.
Maybe feeling the sensation of the heart beating or the gentle rise and fall of the chest.
Sensing the pressure of your hands.
Noticing any sensations here.
Perhaps difficult emotions.
You can place the lightest of labels.
Worry,
Worry,
Sadness,
Sadness.
Noticing if this touch in any way soothes.
And at your pace,
Remove the hands from your chest over your heart.
Placing one of your hands or both over your stomach.
Sensing the pressure of the hands here.
Any story or narrative that the mind might be telling you,
Just noticing.
Bringing your attention to how having the hands here feels in your body.
Being gentle here.
Maybe sensing a rise and fall with the breath.
Noticing any sensations,
Comfort or discomfort.
No need to change them.
Just noticing.
Inviting you to now remove your hands from your abdomen and place your hands either on either shoulder,
Across the chest in a hug,
Or across the abdomen in a hug.
Exploring the sensations here of being held.
Difficult emotions or thoughts arise.
Noticing,
Feeling if there's any soothing or comfort from this hug.
And when you feel ready,
Moving from this hug to place your hands on your face.
Gently cradling the face.
Feeling warmth and pressure from the hands.
Maybe sensations,
Soothing or comfort.
Allowing yourself to feel this support.
And when you feel ready,
Allowing yourself to select a soothing touch that's right for you.
Maybe it's placing the hands over the heart,
Stomach.
Providing yourself a hug or cradling your face.
Whatever feels right for you.
Selecting your soothing touch and maybe you identify another area in which you feel soothing touch would best serve you.
Staying here in your selected soothing touch for a moment more.
Perhaps continuing with this soothing touch while placing attention on the breath.
Feeling the breath enter the body.
Slight pause and exit the body.
Maybe a pause again here and continue.
And in these last few breaths and meditation noticing where you felt the most soothed.
And perhaps bringing to mind that you can access this soothing touch at any time.
Maybe even adding compassionate phrases such as may I be safe.
Coming to the end of the meditation,
Here is the sound of the bell.
