I Do Not Have To Hold This Now (Affirmation Meditation)

You don't need to hold everything all the time.

You can let things go completely,

If only for a short time,

And then pick them up again.

Or you can choose not to hold them at all.

You can recover your lightness,

Your ease,

Your clarity.

It's okay to let things go.

It's okay.

So in this meditation,

What we're going to do is let our bodies feel what they're holding.

Because sometimes the burdens that we're carrying have just snuck up on us,

A little bit by little bit.

And then before we know it,

We get that heavy feeling.

Our shoulders are heavy,

Our hearts are aching.

And we have other signs that we're carrying more than we need to,

More than we can,

More than our bodies want to in order to stay vibrant and light.

And then we're going to let go of that holding.

Let go of it physically and also from our hearts and minds.

Using the mantra,

The truth,

I do not have to hold this now.

Whether this is forever,

Or just so you can go to sleep,

Or just during this meditation,

You do not have to hold anything right now.

You can let it all go.

So for this practice,

It's great if you can lie down and let yourself and any weight you are holding just drop away into the ground.

Helps to release your muscles if you don't have to hold yourself up at all.

So you can lie on the earth outside,

That can feel really good,

Or on a yoga mat,

Or your bed,

Or the sofa.

Or if you prefer,

Then you can sit in a chair,

But sit so your pelvis can release into the support there.

Make sure it's a comfy seat.

Perhaps you'll need a little propping of a cushion behind your lower back.

You just want to make sure you've got plenty of space for your breath to flow and that your head and your neck and shoulders can release into some kind of support.

Then your heart can open and lift with your breath,

Which is a really delicious feeling and helps us to relax and let go.

So you might want to pause this while you find your spot.

And now get nice and comfortable and invoke an attitude of real kindness and tenderness towards yourself.

It's okay to move during this meditation if you're feeling that and to make any sounds.

This is your time and your body knows how it wants to release,

So be spontaneous with yourself.

And if you feel an emotional release at any time,

Let that flow too.

That's good.

Now even as you settle in and begin to tune into yourself in this quiet space,

Say to yourself right from the start,

I do not have to hold this now.

You can say,

Just for now there is nothing I need to hold onto.

I can let go.

Take a few deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Beginning to get familiar again with how your body loves to clear and release.

As you take that big sigh out,

At the same time relax your neck and shoulders,

Just let go of them.

So with the out-breath,

A sigh,

You almost just flop and slump,

Deflating.

And keeping that sense that your shoulders can start to let go a little,

Return to the steady flow of your natural breath.

Keep it really easy for yourself.

Feel how life offers you each new fresh breath to fill from.

And you breathe in and there's a moment at the top of the inhalation where there's no breath,

A pause,

A quiet steadiness.

And then as you breathe out,

Your breath pours through you and then leaves your body completely.

And your body empties and relaxes,

Making space for the next new nourishing breath.

Being with that rhythm now,

A nice slow breath in,

Rising to the top,

Hold,

Pause and then release.

Slowly,

Deliciously,

Empty yourself,

Let go.

Feel your body now and feel the support underneath you.

And being particularly with your exhale,

Each time you exhale,

Feel your body letting go.

Feel it giving itself to gravity and to the support completely.

You can let gravity do all the work.

You do not need to hold yourself up or use any effort,

Not even a tiny bit.

Gravity is doing all the work and the support is under your body and there's nothing to do but let go.

And feel your muscles completely release and relax.

And feel the weight of your bones simply drop to the earth.

And say to yourself,

I do not have to hold this now.

Be with the comfortable rise and fall of your breath.

I do not have to hold this now.

Let it leave your body.

Now as you do begin to settle into your deeper presence and the outside quietens,

You might become particularly aware of things that are inside you calling for your attention.

You may feel sensations in your body including tension or aches and that's okay,

That's good.

Be with your body and breath,

Not to change anything but to feel and acknowledge what's there.

It's good to see and feel everything you've been holding so you know what to let go.

There may be a place that feels particularly burdened.

It could be your heart,

Your chest,

Your throat,

Your belly or your forehead.

These parts of you are calling to you for release and relief,

For permission to let go and you can offer them that.

Take your tender awareness there.

Breathe in gently and then with the thought,

I do not have to hold this.

Let go of your muscles,

Let go of your breath,

Let go of that burden.

Bring your awareness up to your face,

Your precious face.

Take a nice big breath in and as you do so scrunch your face up as tightly as you can.

You can do this by pursing your lips and furrowing your brow or alternatively widen your jaw into a big stretch.

Scrunch your face,

Hold your breath at the top of the inhale,

Say to yourself,

I do not have to hold this and then breathe out,

Completely relax your face and let it go.

Do that again.

Breath in,

Scrunch,

Hold the note.

I do not have to hold this now,

Let it go.

Completely empty your breath and let your face relax.

And now be with the sensations there,

Sensations of lightness in your face for a moment.

Your brow smooth as butter,

Your jaw relaxed,

Your tongue soft.

Let your brain fall back in your head,

Let your head release.

I do not have to hold this now,

You don't have to.

You can let it go.

Move your awareness now tenderly to your neck and your throat.

There are 50 muscle groups here and they can all relax.

Start to breathe deeply and softly in your throat and gently roll your neck and chin,

Getting into all the muscles and the kinks there,

Giving it some love,

Shifting some stuff.

And as you do so,

Say to yourself,

I do not have to hold this now.

I do not have to hold anything here in my neck and in my throat.

And then come to a point of stillness.

And take a soft breath into your throat.

A pause and with a long exhale say,

I do not have to hold this now.

Let it go.

And be with the lightness in your throat now for a short time.

And then move down into your shoulders.

Shake out your shoulders and your arms and your wrists,

Give them a shake,

Shake it out.

You're reminding your body it can move stuff and nothing needs to stick.

And then as you breathe in,

Clench your hands into fists and tense your shoulders as you bring them up to your ears.

And say to yourself,

Breathing out,

I do not have to hold this.

And release.

Do that a second time,

Tensing your arms,

Your hands,

Your shoulders,

Breathing in.

And then I do not have to hold this,

Exhale and completely let go.

Let everything collapse.

Let your shoulders and arms and hands be like jelly.

Everything released here,

Gone.

And be with the lightness there for a couple of breaths now.

And now move your awareness down into your torso.

Feel with your attention along your spine where it's releasing into the support you're resting on.

And feel along the front of you,

Your chest and belly,

Your buttocks and pelvis.

And if there's anywhere holding on,

It's all time to let go.

Place one hand on your belly and make your belly soft so it can rise and fall from your hand there.

And place the other hand on your heart tenderly.

We all carry burdens here sometimes.

Sometimes they're not ours to bear.

Sometimes it's time for them to be let go and set free.

Now you can free your heart,

Free your whole back and free your belly.

Take a nice long deep breath in from your belly into your heart.

And tell yourself,

I do not have to hold this now.

And breathe all the way out.

Let the whole breath pour out of you completely with all that needs to go to leave your body.

Do that a few times from your belly to your heart,

Breathing in.

I do not have to hold this now and let it go.

Now move your awareness down your legs and into your feet and toes,

Those parts of you that hold you up all day.

Even they can take a rest.

Take a big breath in and as you do so,

Flex your toes towards your shins so you feel the muscles of your legs switch on.

And pause and say to your legs and feet,

I do not have to hold this now.

Exhale and let them go.

Let your feet flop,

Let your ankles go,

Let all the muscles of your legs release.

One more time,

Breathing in,

Flex your feet tight,

Tight and then I do not have to hold this,

Let it go.

Pour your breath out.

Let everything flop.

And now with your awareness in your whole body again,

From your head to your toes and all around you,

The whole of you,

Breathe in and say to yourself,

I can completely let go now.

There is nothing to hold onto.

Dissolve your breath,

Melt into the lightness here and simply rest in all the delicious sensations in your light and open being and relax.

And when you are ready,

Prepare to transition.

Feeling your body,

Feeling your breath,

Feeling your lightness.

And when you are ready,

Prepare to come back by feeling your body again and taking some nice long clear breaths.

Allowing your body to sense into some organic movements,

Some stretches that feel really good and spacious,

Claiming all that new space and ease.

Allow your eyes to open naturally.

Soften your gaze and give yourself time.

And then carefully,

Come to your feet again and continue your day clearer and lighter.