Hi,
This is Chris McDonald,
Licensed therapist.
Go ahead and get yourself into a comfortable space.
You can sit with your feet on the floor,
Spine straight,
Or if you prefer to sit cross-legged.
Whatever feels good for you.
And then just noticing your shoulders for a moment.
Feel free to gently roll them back.
Whatever feels good for you right now.
Just try to settle into your body.
If you need to make any shifts to get more comfortable,
Do that now.
Feel free to use any pillows or props.
You want this to be a comfortable experience.
Meditation shouldn't be something to be endured or with pain.
So sitting on the floor is okay,
Or in a chair.
Whatever works for you.
And if you're comfortable,
Gently close your eyes or look at the floor in front of you with eyes soft.
And just take a moment just to tune into your breath.
Just notice the air coming in through your nose,
A little bit cooler.
And on the exhale,
A little bit warm.
Ending the breath,
We're just following it for now.
Just noticing.
And just settling in,
Noticing the ground beneath you or the chair beneath you,
Supporting you,
Holding you up.
Feeling any weight in your arms or hands.
Just make that intention.
Relax and be present.
You can shake out both your hands and arms if that feels better.
Releasing any stress of the day.
And just allowing your hands to sit either palm up or palm down.
In your mind,
Imagine you're going through a walk in the woods,
Taking your time.
You're by yourself.
Just noticing the trees above,
The breeze blowing through the trees,
Blowing through your hair,
Across your face.
Just really connecting to where you are.
You can smell the trees and grass,
The fresh air.
Feel the warm sun on your skin.
Just that perfect temperature,
Not too cool,
Just right.
Can you feel your feet as they walk on the earth?
Noticing the motion,
Feeling your hip with each step.
Feeling each step on the earth.
Hear the sounds of the squirrels rustling in the leaves.
Birds float above with their calls.
Seeing the clouds above,
Floating on by.
And as you're walking,
You notice up ahead,
There's a clearing to the right.
So you decide just to veer off and walk into the clearing.
You notice there's wildflowers and a beautiful space that is just for you.
But notice the space.
What does it look like for you?
This is your safe space.
It could be something that's outdoor or something indoor.
So what do you see as your space?
If you don't see something now,
Make something up.
Where do you feel most comfortable?
Where you can feel most like yourself.
Be present with what is.
Over to your space.
Take it all in.
Notice the feeling of being outside of your space.
Gently walking into your space.
What shapes do you see?
Notice the colors.
What is present for you in this space?
Take a walk around.
If it's indoor,
Go to different rooms.
If it's outdoor,
Just continue to explore.
Noticing what you hear.
Is there sounds?
Or is it stillness and quiet?
Is there music or other voices?
Or maybe a pet or two?
Just see if there's other people there or if you're alone.
Or maybe there are some animals.
If that is your safe place.
And there is no right or wrong place for you.
Kind of exploring.
Pick up an object in your space.
Notice this object is something that can bring you back to you.
This object is light,
Can ground you.
So notice it in your hand,
How it feels.
And you gently put it up to your heart,
Acting with it,
Centering into this space where you can fully be your authentic self.
You can take off all your masks that you put on for everyone in the world.
The masks around other people,
The roles you play.
Pinging in to your core being.
Put this object down and have a seat.
And you're seated in the most comfortable chair.
You lean back,
Just settling in,
Wonderful breeze.
Or indoor fan soothing you.
You notice the most calming colors around you.
And this chair is where release.
All that's holding you back from being this core self is true you.
Can you settle down in the chair a little more,
Noticing your breathing.
Being present with what is.
What is in your heart?
What is in your mind?
What is in your spirit?
Is there a message from your spirit?
Something that can help guide you when you're back in the real world?
If there's not,
That's okay.
So maybe it could come to you later in the day.
So you take a nice breath in,
Breathing in.
And exhale.
Gently take yourself up out of this chair,
Which is so hard to leave.
Put your arms out to your side,
Taking it all in,
Feeling that groundedness,
Centeredness of the space,
The safe place.
Just make a mental note of everything you see here or the space,
Just being present with it.
You can always come back to the space at any time if you're needing a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
When you're noticing maybe more anxiety or depression feelings coming in,
Or just stress,
This is your place to be you,
To recharge,
To unwind,
And find that inner peace.
So you take yourself out of the space,
Walking back past the wildflowers on both sides of you,
Looking back over your shoulder one last time at your space,
Engraving it into your mind,
Making a mental bookmark,
Reminding yourself not to forget to come back to the space when you need to.
You continue walking back through the woods,
Through the trail,
Just noticing your breath is much calmer,
Much smoother since going to your space,
Feeling the relaxation in your shoulders,
Into your room that you're in now.
For a moment,
Notice how you feel,
What emotion has come up from this experience.
How is your energy?
Any shifts?
Was there a message from you,
From the spiritual side of you,
From this present,
Well,
Safe space?
Just notice yourself,
Mind,
Body,
Spirit.
How are you feeling?
See if you can take this with you the rest of the day,
Gently wiggling your fingers and toes.
When you're ready,
Gently blinking your eyes open.
Just look from right to left,
Nice and slow,
Bringing in the space you are in,
And then back to center.
And I hope this was helpful and that you're able to use this meditation whenever you need to.
And remember that you have that calm space inside of you to always retreat to when you need it.
I hope you have a blessed day.
