Welcome,
Mama.
Let's take a breath and settle together.
Take a slow,
Deep inhale,
Feeling the lungs expand.
Hold gently at the top.
And exhale out through your mouth,
Letting your shoulders soften,
Let your jaw relax.
And one more,
Deep breath in,
Inhale,
Hold,
And slowly exhale out your mouth,
Letting any tension or tightness release with the exhale as you allow the natural rhythm of your breath.
Turning your attention inward now,
Invite in awareness of the warrior parts of you,
The parts who push through,
Carry the load,
Keep going even when you're exhausted.
These parts are fierce,
Protective,
Unwavering,
They've helped you survive,
Endure,
And show up again and again.
Take a moment to honor them,
To acknowledge them.
You might say inside,
Whisper a thank you.
I see how hard you work for me,
To protect me,
How hard you work for my kids,
My family.
Let them know their strength is felt and appreciated.
Take a breath and just notice how they receive that.
And now gently notice the tender parts within you,
The tired one,
The overwhelmed one,
Part that longs to rest,
The part that feels small or unsure at times.
These softer parts are not weakness,
They are invitations for care.
You might whisper inwardly towards them,
I see you too,
You matter,
I'm here with you,
I'm here for you.
And take a deep breath that holds them all,
That makes space for both the powerful,
Protective warrior and the tender,
Vulnerable inner world that needs gentleness.
Let both be here,
Without tension,
Without one trying to overpower or silence the other.
They both belong.
Feeling into your capacity for inner harmony,
When not making one part wrong or bad,
Where strength and softness share the same breath.
Now you wish,
You might bring in a visual image,
Imagine yourself as a great tree,
Roots deep grounded into the earth,
Branches soft,
Flexible,
Opening up into the sky,
Strong back,
Soft front,
Steady and unshakable,
Yet open and receptive.
Roshi Joan Halifax speaks to this beautifully in her quote,
A strong back and a soft front allow the heart to stay open.
Feel that in your body now,
Your strong back,
The warrior,
The mama bear,
Your soft front,
The tenderness,
The love,
Your open heart,
And sensing the bridge between the both.
Let this be your anchor,
Mama.
I am strong without hardening.
I am soft without collapsing.
Both and are honoured within me.
Take a slow breath in,
Feeling the strength in your spine,
And exhale,
Feeling the softness in your chest and belly,
Letting both energies integrate within you.
Your warrior parts can rest knowing that your softer parts are held,
And your tender parts can relax knowing your strength is there.
As we close,
Place a hand on your heart or your belly,
Wherever feels most comforting and connecting right now.
Feel the warmth of your hand,
The steadiness of your breath.
You are a warrior,
Mama,
Not because you never fall,
But because you rise each time with compassion.
And you are soft,
Not because you are weak,
But because your heart knows how to stay open,
How to connect and love.
You are feminine power that is both strength and receptivity.
The flow of open and closed,
Structured and flexible.
This is your superpower.
You are the steady anchor of safety for your kids,
And you are the loving embrace that they go to.
Feel the strength in this,
Mama,
Feel the power.
As you take one last deep breath into your whole body,
Feel yourself rooted,
Open,
Holding it all with self-love and kindness.
