Begin to get yourself into a position that feels supportive to you,
Supportive to your body.
It can be either seated or laying down,
Feet on the floor,
Or tucked underneath you.
Anything that feels even just a little more supportive than before you started this practice.
Begin to move toward that and then place one or both of your hands on your belly and feel it expand as you take a deep breath in and then let it just fall out of your mouth.
Breathing deeply in through the nose,
Out through the mouth,
Letting that out breath be an audible sigh,
Just releasing anything you're holding on to.
In through the nose,
Feeling your belly expand and letting it go through your mouth.
And see if you can soften your face as you breathe,
Soften behind your eyes,
Soften your jaw,
Let it hang a bit slack.
Soften your shoulders.
Begin calling your energy and your attention back from anywhere you have left it.
Letting go of any thoughts of emails,
To-do lists,
Conversations,
Either past or future.
Imagining yourself reeling in these strands of energy,
These cords that are attaching you to things outside of yourself.
Bringing your energy back into the container of you and trusting yourself with its care.
And as you land here,
Notice what it's like to be held by the surface you are resting on.
Notice how much of you is actually grounded,
How heavy you are where you are sitting or laying,
Without judging or trying to fix,
Just noticing.
Noticing if you can welcome the support of the earth,
Welcome the support of whatever surface is beneath you.
Let this surface have your back.
Let it have your thighs.
Let it have your butt.
Let it have your feet.
Let it have the weight of your whole body and just become as soft and as heavy as you can.
And then beginning at the top of your head,
Start to do a scan for what's present in your body.
Looking for spaces of sensation,
Places that feel charged,
Not neutral,
Like they may be holding something.
And when you find one of these activated places,
Don't go straight into the core of it.
Just stay around the edges,
Being an impartial witness,
Noticing and beginning to trace the edges of that presence in your mind.
Getting a feel for the texture,
The shape,
The quality,
The weight of that sensation in your body.
Maybe giving it a color or personifying it with an image.
And begin to imagine the area around that space softening like a hug.
Giving it a little more space,
Noticing some space appearing outside the edges,
Creating room for this thing to breathe and sending the message,
It's okay to be here.
And then asking if this part of you needs to hear anything from you,
Like an affirmation.
I am here.
I've got you.
We don't have to solve or fix this.
We can cry.
Maybe it doesn't need words from you.
Maybe it's touch or an image or visiting a place in your mind that feels safe and comforting.
Just noticing what the quality of this sensation is and asking what message do you have for me?
What would you have me to do?
Just noticing if anything pops into your head.
And if nothing does,
That's okay.
Just creating the space for it to be heard.
And then begin to rub your hands together,
Creating some friction between your hands.
Rubbing,
Rubbing,
Rubbing,
Creating warmth.
And then placing your hands on that place on your body,
Allowing it to soften under that warmth and asking how can I resource myself?
What do I need right now?
And as you do,
Just noticing if any needs come up from inside of you,
Any awareness of something that this part of you is longing or asking for.
And then with your hands still over that place in your body,
Thanking it,
Thanking it for speaking up,
Thanking it for asking for your attention,
Giving gratitude to yourself for listening,
Beginning to deepen your breath again,
Feeling your belly expand on the in-breath and releasing on the out-breath,
Bringing yourself back into the space.
