Hello,
My name is Catherine Cucatone.
Let's get started with the self-regulation grounding meditation.
Begin this practice by taking a moment to secure yourself a comfortable position.
You're looking to be both alert and relaxed.
Take time to connect to the ground below you.
Press your feet into the floor,
The earth below you,
And your sitting bones into your chair.
Take a moment to notice,
Do I feel supported?
Do I feel grounded?
And then take a moment to make any adjustments that you need to feel both supported and grounded.
Now if it feels right,
Allow your eyes to close or settle your gaze gently,
Allowing your eyes to soften.
As you sit grounded and supported,
Begin noticing your breath,
The flow of your breath in and the flow of your breath out.
There is no need to change your breath.
Simply notice all of your attention is now focused on your inhale and your exhale,
And your inhale and your exhale.
If your mind is active,
See if you can allow it to gently settle.
Maybe your thoughts fade into the background.
You can come back to them later.
For now,
Simply focus on breath in and breath out,
Feeling the support of the seat upon which you are resting,
Feeling your entire body grounded and connected as you rest here,
Breathing.
See if you can let go of a need for your breath,
This moment,
This meditation to be any certain way,
Allowing it to simply unfold.
As you breathe,
Consider that by grounding or getting present in your own body that you can have access to a source of connection,
Guidance,
And coping.
First,
Consider that your own body can be a source for connection to the present moment.
Right here and right now,
Because of your body,
You can feel the earth and the ground below you.
You can smell coffee,
Chocolate chips,
Cooking and cookies baking in the oven,
A soup in the crock pot,
The smell of spring leaves,
Or the fall.
You might hear the crisp crackle of snow beneath your feet in some areas.
You might hear birds singing or a car rumble down the road.
All of this in this moment,
Because of your body,
You have access to beautiful and compelling art,
A smile,
A tear.
Your body is the home of your breath,
Your own heartbeat.
It is an amazing and beautiful thing,
Your body,
That helps you connect right here and right now.
Whenever you feel a bit lost and unconnected,
Find your body,
Find your feet,
Find your sitting bones,
Support yourself,
And turn toward your senses.
Right here and right now.
You might even say to yourself,
My body is a source of physical grounding and connection to the earth,
My world,
And the here and the now.
My body is a source of physical grounding and connection to the earth,
My world,
The here and the now.
And breathe.
Consider this,
Your body is also a source for guidance.
The way your belly feels when things are right or not right,
Your feelings live there and can tell you so much about what is okay and not okay in your present moment.
Connecting to your body is a connection to a whole world of wisdom and information.
It can be a tremendous source for guidance.
Consider saying this to yourself,
My body is wise,
It is a source for finding truth and decision making.
My body is wise,
It is a source for finding truth and decision making.
We'll say that one one more time,
My body is wise,
It is a source for finding truth and decision making.
Breathe here.
Last,
Consider this,
Your body can be a resource for coping.
Yes,
Your body.
The same body that gets triggered and might shake or tremble or react can be a source for calm and settling.
By grounding your feet,
Your sitting bones,
Yourself and breathing deeply and with great intention,
You can support yourself in a calming down regulation.
When you access your body as a source of connection,
Guidance and coping,
You don't have to rely so much on your thinking self.
You don't need to cope all the time from your thoughts.
You can give your brain a break as you practice grounding,
Connecting and settling into your breath.
Breathing here and placing a hand on your belly and a hand on your heart,
Say my body can be a source for connection,
Guidance and coping.
Breathe.
My body can be a source for connection,
Guidance and coping.
One more time,
My body can be a source for connection,
Guidance and coping.
Bring your awareness back to your breath,
Feeling your entire body as you rest here.
Just breathing,
Breathing in.
I know I am breathing in and breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
Notice what is present in this moment,
Letting go of the need for your body,
Your emotions,
Your thoughts or this moment to be any certain way.
Now let's complete this meditation with three gentle breaths.
Breathing in and breathing out.
Breathing in and breathing out.
I'm breathing in and I'm breathing out.
Allow your eyes to gently open if they were closed,
Reorienting yourself to your surroundings and maybe choose one thing upon which you can anchor your gaze.
Connect to your breath.
Breathing in,
I know I am breathing in and breathing out.
I know I am breathing out.
Thank you for practicing.
Thank you so much for practicing with me and thank you and your body for taking this time to truly connect,
To breathe and be with.
