In this meditation we are going to open up space to be present to a part of you that is feeling overwhelmed.
Likely this part is showing up in various ways in you.
Maybe in racing thoughts.
Maybe in your body through a tension or a tightness or maybe through numbness or disconnection.
Maybe this part feels a lot of stress or is carrying a heavy load.
So to begin we are going to move slowly.
Starting by taking some slow,
Deep,
Rhythmic breaths to the extent that this feels possible and safe inside of you right now.
So begin by slowly breathing in from deep in your belly and slowly exhaling.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Breathing in and breathing out.
As you continue to breathe you might find it helpful to feel your feet solidly on the ground or there may be some other position for your body that feels more right and soothing to your body right now.
As you continue to breathe see if it's possible just for a short time right now to gently push back the external factors that are feeling overwhelming to this part of you.
Gently separating this part from the circumstances around you that may feel like too much.
You can use the external breath as a means of gently extending a separation from the world around you.
As you inhale see if it's possible to use your breath to breathe in the love and presence of God inviting it to fill every part of you.
Maybe your breath can wash over your overwhelmed part as you breathe into the areas of your body where this part is showing up.
As you continue to breathe deeply I'm going to invite you to notice your overwhelmed feeling as coming from a part of you.
It's likely that right now this feeling may feel all-encompassing.
As you notice the overwhelmed feeling in your body see if it's possible to continue breathing towards it and as you do maybe you can let this part know that you are aware of it.
Is the part able to sense that it is not alone?
It may be helpful to ask this part to separate from you a little bit to come out in front of you so that it has greater capacity to notice and feel your presence and so that you can get a better sense of it.
And if this part doesn't want to do this that is totally fine too.
Just stay with this part however you are able to notice it and connect to it.
And check with yourself now.
How do you feel towards this part?
You may notice feelings that are incongruent with love such as judgment or a desire to get rid of this part.
If so you are simply noticing other parts of you that have concerns with this part.
That is fine and completely understandable.
Can you gently ask those parts of you to step back a bit so that more space is created for you to love this part.
You may also notice a thinking or logical part trying to reason with the part that is overwhelmed.
Maybe that part is trying to find solutions for its overwhelm.
If so think that part for its efforts to help and see if it would also be willing to step back making space for you to really be with this part here and now.
As you ask these parts of you for space you may notice more capacity to access qualities of your core self such as love,
Compassion,
Calmness,
Curiosity and a desire to support.
You may also notice a greater degree of spaciousness inside right now.
To whatever degree it is possible focus on the overwhelmed part now and observe it for a moment.
What is this part doing?
What is its energy like?
Maybe it possesses an active energy or maybe it is more frozen or maybe there is something else happening with it.
Do you have any visual imagery of what this part looks like?
What is this part doing?
What is it saying?
As you notice these things check in again to see how you feel towards this part now.
And once again if you notice anything but love present in you ask the parts holding those other feelings to soften back making space for you to be the one with this part.
This space will also allow God's love to flow in and through you towards this part.
And now check and see if this part is aware of you.
Does it notice you?
If not pause now and see if it is possible to get this parts attention.
You may find it helpful to say hi to this part and to ask it to look at you.
Or this part may need you to move closer to it so it can really feel your presence.
Can you ask the part to look at you?
How is it responding to you?
Can you let the part know that you care about it and that you want to support it?
And as you communicate this ask the overwhelmed part not to overwhelm you but to allow you to be a calm and loving presence with it.
How is it responding to this?
And now leading with curiosity see if the part would like to show you what it feels so overwhelmed by.
Is it focused outward on circumstances or events in life?
Or is it focused inwardly on things happening inside of you?
Is it focused on the present or the future or maybe the past?
Or it may not really want to share much right now and instead just wants to be around your loving presence.
All is okay just let this part be with you in whatever way it needs the most right now.
How is this part responding to your presence now?
As you stay with this part you can ask it if there is more it wants you to know about it or its concerns.
The feeling of overwhelm usually communicates a sense of too much.
So you may find it helpful to ask this part what feels like too much to you?
How did this part come to be responsible for holding or caring that which is too much?
And as you listen to this part how are you feeling towards it now?
And now ask this part if it would like to connect more deeply with God's presence in this space.
Is it open to asking God to reveal himself in this space right now?
If so you might consider a simple prayer such as come Lord Jesus or God be near.
And if that doesn't feel okay to this part that is fine.
Just stay with this part in a loving way extending a loving presence to it.
But if the part is open as you offer this prayerful invitation to God notice how God's presence reveals itself.
Maybe as one of the members of the Trinity or maybe as light or maybe as just a felt sense of peace or love.
And now notice how is God responding to this part?
And how is this part responding to God?
Is there anything this part wants to share with God or wants him to know?
Maybe this part is open to showing God the weight of the burden that it bears.
