When You’ve Been Holding It All Together

Welcome,

You've been carrying so much,

For now,

You can come sit with me.

However you are arriving is enough.

If it feels right,

You can allow your eyes to gently close,

Or simply soften your gaze.

Take a moment to notice that you're here.

There is nothing you need to hold together in this moment.

This is a space where effort can rest.

Where you don't have to be strong,

Or capable,

Or collected.

For these few minutes,

You are allowed to arrive exactly as you are.

If you've found your way here,

There's a good chance you've been holding a lot.

Maybe you've been the steady one.

The responsible one.

The one who keeps going,

Even when it's heavy.

Maybe you've been functioning,

But it feels like you're just holding on.

Keeping yourself together.

And maybe no one sees how much effort that takes.

The quiet strength.

The quiet doubt.

The way you keep showing up,

Even when you're tired.

Let this be a moment where that is recognized.

You are recognized.

Nothing about your experience needs to be minimized here.

What you've been carrying matters,

And it makes sense that you're tired.

In this space,

You're not being asked to let go forever.

Just to set things down for a few minutes.

You might notice what it's like to gently place your responsibilities beside you.

Your roles,

Your to-do lists,

The parts of you that are always on.

You don't need to push them away.

They'll still be there if you need them.

For now,

You are allowed to loosen your hold.

You are allowed to soften your shoulders,

Unclench your jaw,

To let your breath move in its own way.

There is nothing else required of you in this moment.

You don't have to hold it all together here.

Let yourself stay with whatever you're noticing,

Sensation,

Emotion,

Or maybe just the sound of my voice and the space around it.

If your mind wanders,

That's okay.

You can gently notice the feeling of being supported in this moment.

You are allowed to rest here,

Even briefly,

Even imperfectly.

As we begin to close this time,

There's no need to rush back.

Maybe you allow the softness to hold you for another moment,

A reminder that you don't always have to carry everything alone.

When you're ready,

You can slowly open your eyes or shift your body.

If it feels good to do so,

You might allow a piece of this feeling to accompany you through your day.

Your breath is always here to support you,

And you're welcome to return to this meditation whenever you need.