Good day,
And thank you for showing up here.
Because of similar life experiences,
You and I have found each other.
And I'm so happy to spend this time with you as we begin the journey of rebuilding the brain after exposure to life's trauma.
Trauma often has physical effects on the brain,
Leaving us with an enlarged amygdala and decreased hippocampus.
Meaning the survival part of our brain is strengthened and we begin to filter the world through a threat response,
Seeing even neutral information as dangerous.
But this is reversible.
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital showed that with a 60-day practice of meditation,
You can actually reverse the process.
After 60 days,
Those who participated in meditation showed the survival part of the brain was actually smaller than before,
And the hippocampus,
Responsible for memory,
Self-awareness,
Compassion,
And introspection,
Increased in size.
I welcome you to journey with me for 60 days.
Combining techniques designed by Elaine Miller-Karis and her team at the Trauma Resource Institute,
With 10 minutes of sitting in silence to find the peace you so deserve.
So let's begin.
I invite you to find a comfortable seated position for this.
And once you find comfort,
Sink in and find just a little more,
Adding just a little more solace,
Melting into your position.
And if they're not already,
Allow your eyelids to gently close.
Bring your attention to your great vehicle,
Your body,
Noticing any sensations you might be experiencing,
Any warmth,
Any cold,
Any pain or comfort,
Any heaviness,
Any lightness.
And as you take the time to check in with your body,
Label each sensation attaching a simple observation.
Is what I'm experiencing pleasant,
Neutral,
Or unpleasant?
So let's begin at the crown of the head.
Bring all your attention,
All your awareness right to the scalp,
Right to the top of your head.
And notice any sensations you might be feeling there.
And whether they're pleasant,
Neutral,
Or unpleasant.
And allow your attention to fall to the back of your head.
Any sensations.
Then drift forward to the forehead.
Anything you might be sensing.
Is it pleasant,
Neutral,
Or unpleasant?
Across the brow,
In the eyes,
In the cheekbones,
In the lips.
Any sensations in the teeth,
Or in the tongue,
In the jaw.
Always coming back to,
Is what I'm sensing,
Pleasant,
Neutral,
Or unpleasant,
Before moving on.
In the elbows,
In the forearms,
In the wrists,
In the hands.
Any sensations in your upper back,
Or in your lower back.
Any sensations in your chest,
Or your heart.
Any sensations in your solar plexus,
Just below the sternum,
Where so often we hold anxiety.
Or in your belly,
Or in your hips.
Any sensations that might be lingering in your legs,
Your thighs,
Your knees,
Your calves,
Your ankles,
Your heels,
The arch of your foot,
The ball of your foot,
And toes.
Great check in with your body.
Now that we know where we are,
We can begin the journey toward growth.
As we begin,
Notice the support of the chair or bed beneath you.
Notice as it supports your back,
Your seat,
Your legs.
Notice the stability of that which holds you.
Witness the strength of the earth below that,
Connecting you with an unwavering source of safety for you in this moment.
Take a moment and absorb that stability.
We will sit in this space for 10 minutes.
I'll watch the time so you can just absorb the comfort of your resource.
This time is for you.
If you feel any sensations arise,
They're part of this meditation.
Just allow them to come,
Then return your attention back to the expanding of your resource.
When you hear the chime,
Just sit comfortably.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
We'll be right back.
Sit comfortably.
We'll be right back.
