Take a moment to settle in,
Lying down in a quiet space,
Making yourself as comfortable as possible.
You can also place an eye mask or a small towel over your eyes and have a blanket to keep you warm.
This is a time for you,
A time to support your well-being,
Even with all the demands as a new mother.
Rest is not something you need to feel guilty for taking.
Rest is essential in supporting you and your family.
Let's begin by letting go.
Letting go of any thoughts,
Feelings,
Tasks.
Take a deep breath in and on your exhale,
Let go of anything that hinders you from fully relaxing in this moment.
Take a deep inhale and exhale and again.
Take a few more on your own and know that you can come back to anything on your mind after this meditation.
This is your time,
Your space to be,
Your space to rest.
And notice how you might feel edgy,
Or expectant,
Or maybe a little wired.
As your senses listen to the needs of your baby,
Just notice.
Trust you will know when your baby needs you,
Trust the connection you have with them.
As you begin to sense and feel into the space around you,
Feel the temperature of air in your skin.
Notice any lingering smells or fragrances,
And now taste.
Become aware of all of your senses,
Even with your eyes closed,
What colours or images can you see.
And become aware of your breath and body now.
The breath and body can only be in the present moment.
Notice any internal sensations,
Where the breath lands in the body,
The gentle rise and fall of your chest and abdomen as you breathe.
And notice any sensations,
There might be some aches calling for your attention.
Senses are welcome here too,
Your body is asking for nurturing and care,
Just as your baby is asking for your nurturance and care.
All is welcome here.
Now allow my words to wash over you,
Like a wave,
Everything is just an invitation.
Take a moment now to tune into your needs,
Your voice.
What intention would you like to set for this practice?
Perhaps it's for rest,
Or healing.
Take a moment to find something that resonates deeply in your being.
And once you have an intention,
You can silently repeat it in your head with full knowing that it will come to fruition.
And if there's one thing you wish for in this world more than anything,
What is that wish?
Maybe it's for health,
Happiness,
Purpose,
Peace,
Love.
What is the guiding principle you live your life by?
Allow yourself to be open to receiving the messages from within.
Now let's initiate deep relaxation in the body.
Don't try to make something happen,
Just experience the body.
There's no right or wrong way to do this.
Feel into the sensations in your mouth.
Sense your entire mouth,
The tongue,
The jaws,
The teeth,
And the space inside the mouth.
Feel into your left ear,
Right ear.
Welcome the feeling of both ears at the same time.
Sense into the nose,
Left nostril,
Right nostril,
And the air flowing in and out of both nostrils.
Soften the eyes,
Left eye,
Right eye,
And relax the eyelids,
Left cheek,
Right cheek.
Soften the forehead and feel into the back of the neck and the spaciousness of the throat.
And now the left shoulder,
Left elbow,
Left wrist,
Left palm,
And each of the left fingers one by one.
Now the right shoulder,
Right elbow,
Right wrist,
Right palm,
And each of the right finger one by one.
And draw your attention to the chest,
Upper back,
Spine,
Abdomen.
Feel into your entire torso.
Now the left hip,
Left thigh,
Left knee,
Left ankle,
Left heel,
Left foot,
And each of the left toes one by one.
And now the right hip,
Right thigh,
Right knee,
Back of the knee,
Right ankle,
Right heel,
Right foot,
And each of the right toes one by one.
And allow your attention to wander throughout your entire body.
Feeling into the entire body,
Front,
Left side,
Right side,
Inside,
And outside.
Feeling into the entire body.
The body that carried your baby.
The body that birthed your baby.
The body that knew exactly how to nourish your baby.
Offer love for the body.
The innate wisdom and intelligence of your body that gifted you with your baby.
And allow everything to be just as it is.
Your postpartum body might feel different from before.
It might look different.
It took nine months to grow your baby.
It might take nine months or more for the body to recover.
The mother's sacrifice is a gift.
Every sacrifice a mother makes is a gift to life.
Welcome this chain as the earth welcomes season.
The journey of pregnancy to motherhood is another season.
Keep offering the body the love and nurturance and gratitude it deserves.
The body's aches and pains are mere whispers of where it's asking for your love and attention.
Now begin to nurture the body with the breath.
Each breath flowing down into the abdomen.
Feeling the gentle rise and fall of your breath.
Like the ebb and flow of the waves.
The breath rises,
The breath falls.
The body functions by itself.
And bring appreciation to your breath.
This breath that oxygenates and sustains your body.
We're slowing everything down.
So we begin to notice the spaces in our life.
Spaces to rest and recharge.
Spaces to notice how we're feeling.
Spaces to welcome the changes in our life.
What feelings are present right now?
Not any feelings that may be present.
Scan the body.
Legs.
Pelvis.
Belly.
Chest.
Shoulders.
Head.
Notice what your body wants to tell you.
What is your body asking for?
Maybe it needs more rest.
A nourishing meal.
Or maybe your mind could be asking for support from your partner.
A relative.
Or even a professional.
Listen to what you need right now.
This is a time for you to inquire into your needs.
Everything is waiting for you.
Take this time for you.
There's nothing to do.
Nowhere to go.
Just simply this moment.
Now take a moment to slowly come back to your body and mind lying down.
Begin to sense and feel into the room around you.
Take several deeper abdominal breaths.
And begin to wriggle your fingers and toes.
Slowly stretch,
Ease and roll onto your right side.
And take a moment to rest.
And when you're ready,
Push yourself up into a seated position.
Taking as long as you need to grind yourself.
Before blinking your eyes open and closed.
Coming back to your wide awake and alert state.
