We are going to take some time now,
Checking inside,
To notice parts of you that are here and active right now,
In this moment.
Right now,
We are here to notice and let parts of you that are active now sense your presence in the presence of God and know that they are not alone.
So,
To begin,
Move your body in a way to make yourself comfortable.
Stretch your neck,
Lean back in your chair,
Feel your feet on the floor,
Or move in any other different way that feels good or right in this moment right now.
You may find it helpful to close your eyes and take several big,
Deep breaths.
And as you breathe,
Gently draw your attention inwards,
Gently pushing the outside world away and inviting in a deeper awareness,
Knowing that this time right now is to notice and be aware of what is happening inside of you.
As you do this,
You can also bring your awareness to the presence of God,
Who is in you and around you right now.
If it feels right,
You may want to say a gentle prayer,
Asking God to be present in ways that you and your parts need Him most right now.
Breathe deeply and take a moment to rest in the knowledge that God is here with you and that He knows and loves every part of you deeply.
See if it is possible to find a sense of anchoring deep inside within your core cell and leave from a place of curiosity and open-heartedness right now.
And now I invite you to simply notice.
Begin by scanning your body.
Do you notice any areas of tension,
Tightness,
Constriction,
Stuckness?
Is there a tension in your chest,
A knot in your stomach,
Heaviness in your eyes?
Does your body feel heavy or uncomfortable anywhere?
Do any parts of your body want to move in a particular way?
Or maybe parts of you feel the opposite and feel stuck or frozen.
What feels the strongest in your body right now?
Can you focus your attention on it?
If it feels okay,
I might suggest you breathe into it.
Letting this part know that it is not alone but that your breath can be a means of communicating your presence here with it.
Can this part feel you?
Can it sense or feel the love of God who is here with you also right now?
Say hi to this part and gently ask it to be with you but not to overwhelm you.
How is this part responding to your attention on it?
And now check with this part to see if it's okay to shift for a moment to notice any other parts that may be present here also too.
If so,
I invite you to shift your focus back.
This time focusing on noticing what is happening in your mind.
What thoughts are going through your head?
Is there a thought repeating itself over and over?
Is there a worried or anxious thought present?
Or maybe your mind wants to wander or daydream.
Maybe it is fantasizing or fixated in some way.
You may have thoughts reaching into the past.
Maybe the recent past or even the distant past.
Or there could be items on your to-do list that keep popping up into your mind.
What feels the loudest or strongest in your mind right now?
Can you put your attention on it knowing that the thought is coming from a part of you that is likely holding concerns or energy that may feel burdensome?
Say hi to this part and,
If authentic,
Extend love and compassion to this part,
Letting it know that it is not alone.
Ask God to make himself known to this part in a way that it needs him the most right now.
How is this part responding to having your attention and to being noticed?
And check with this part now and see if it's okay to shift once again to notice other parts that may be present in your now too.
And now I invite you to shift your focus back,
This time focusing on your emotions.
Do you notice any strong emotions present now inside of you?
Stress?
Worry?
Sadness?
Anger?
Shame?
Fear?
Loneliness?
Irritability?
Anything else?
If one feeling feels particularly strong,
Acknowledge this feeling as an emotion coming from a part of you.
Can you take a moment to acknowledge this part and say hello?
Let this part know that you see that it is feeling a very strong feeling and see if it can realize that it is not alone.
Can this part sense your presence?
Is it aware of the presence of God?
Can it feel the love of God?
As you have journeyed through this meditation,
You might invite any and all parts that you are aware of right now to be present with you,
Coming as close or as far in connection with you as they feel comfortable right now.
If there's one particular part that you feel particularly drawn towards or curious about,
I might suggest following up with my meditation,
Getting to know a part of you for deeper exploration and connection.
But before ending today,
Take a few minutes to breathe deeply,
Inviting the parts you have become aware of to once again feel your presence.
Can you extend love,
Acceptance,
And care to each of them?
And if it feels okay and you don't sense resistance,
Take another moment to invite God's presence to be near right now.
Maybe these parts can get a sense of the holding presence of God who holds all things together.
Maybe these parts can feel,
Even if only in small ways,
The love of God.
Or maybe parts are uncomfortable with God's presence.
Maybe he feels distance or there's confusion or even anger towards him.
This is okay too.
Let your parts know that God's presence is never imposed,
But only offered in gentleness and in love.
And finally,
See if there's anything any of these parts need from you now,
Or as you move forward after the meditation ends.
And now,
As we come to an end,
Take a few deep breaths and see if it feels possible to commit to keeping your heart open and curious about these parts of you as you leave this space and return attention to the outside world.
Breathe deeply,
Extending your own calmness and God's peace to these parts of you as you gradually transition to the outside world.
