Please find a position where you're comfortably lying down,
Preferably on your back.
You can try putting something under your head or neck for support.
You can also put some pillows or blankets under your lower legs or knees to allow your lower back to release.
Take some time to get really comfortable and settled.
Once you're settled,
Take a few slow breaths.
Inhaling in through your nose,
Expanding your belly and chest,
And allowing your exhale to be slow and smooth.
And taking two more deep,
Slow,
Gentle breaths.
On your exhale,
Allow yourself to really let go.
Allow your breath to return to its natural rhythm.
Bringing your attention to the body.
Noticing how the body feels at this moment with kind curiosity,
Allowing whatever's here to be here.
And we're going to do a body scan.
And as you're doing that,
Notice if there's any part of your body that feels okay,
That feels pleasant,
Open,
Easeful,
Spacious.
And just take note of that body part.
So bringing your attention to the top of your head,
To your forehead.
Allowing your brow to be soft and smooth.
Allowing your eyes to relax.
Allowing your brain to take a break.
Noticing if your jaw is clenched,
Inviting it to relax.
Your tongue resting in the lower part of your mouth.
Relaxing your shoulders.
You might imagine two little magnets at the end of each elbow.
That just allows your elbows to drop down a little bit.
Noticing if that shifts anything in your shoulders.
Allowing your heart space to be open and soft.
For your breath to be entering and exiting a soft belly.
Softening the lower part of your body.
Your lower back,
Your seat,
Your thighs.
It's just an invitation to soften and relax.
Relaxing your arms.
All the way down to your hands and fingers.
And then relaxing the lower part of your legs.
All the way down to your feet and your toes.
Now bring your attention back to the part of your body that felt okay,
That felt pleasant or neutral,
Soft,
Open.
Maybe it's simply a place in your body that isn't experiencing physical pain right now.
Your heart space,
Or the feeling of your breath in your belly,
Your hands,
Somewhere else.
If it feels good to you,
You can bring your hands to this place.
Give yourself a little bit of a gentle,
Loving touch.
You can leave your hands here for now,
Or you can allow them to rest somewhere else where they feel comfortable.
This part of your body can serve as a place that you can bring your attention back to whenever you need to take a break.
You can come and rest in this place where there's some ease,
And then return back to the meditation.
And whenever you need a break,
Just take it.
And when you feel ready to return back,
You can do so without any rush.
And taking another slow and gentle breath if that feels good.
You can continue this meditation with a slower breath,
Or your natural rhythm,
Whatever feels most comfortable to you.
Bringing your attention to the part of your body that's making contact with the furniture or floor.
You might shift or sway your body a little bit,
So you can really feel that connection to the stability underneath you.
Feel that contact with the ground,
With the earth.
Then come back to stillness.
Notice the sensations of the parts of your body that are making contact with the ground.
Is there a temperature?
Does it feel warm or cool?
Does it feel hard or soft or somewhere in between?
What do you notice about the solidity underneath you?
Now imagine that you're lying directly on the earth.
She's solid,
Yet comfortable.
As you inhale,
You feel the earth supporting you.
And as you exhale,
Relax into her support.
It's as if the earth is saying to you,
I got you.
You can be here.
You don't have anything to do,
Anywhere to go.
Except be here with me.
Rest with me.
And invite your body to do just that.
To relax here.
Feeling the support of earth.
Inhaling,
Acknowledging the support.
Exhaling,
Softening into the support.
When you feel ready,
Bring your attention to the place in your body where you feel discomfort.
Place your hands there if you'd like.
Imagine sending your breath to this area in your body.
Allowing your touch and your breath to be loving and gentle and kind.
Allowing your breath and your touch to be slow,
Soft.
And as your breath travels to this part of your body,
It invites in some softness and spaciousness into your body and into your heart.
Your breath offers some kindness to this part of your body that's in pain.
Saying,
I see your pain.
I feel your pain.
I am here with you.
Your breath has the spaciousness to be with your pain with gentle acceptance.
And if you notice any resistance or tension arising,
That's okay.
Whenever you notice it,
Just invite in the feeling of relaxation again.
Remembering you can always take a break and go back to that place that feels spacious and open and neutral.
And come back when you feel ready.
Coming back,
Breathing into this part of your body,
Being with this part of your body.
An open,
Spacious,
Loving awareness.
And just as your breath is here for you,
The earth is here for you too.
Feel that connection to earth again.
Her stability,
Her groundedness.
She is strong and limitless.
She has the capacity to lovingly hold so much pain.
Pain from the past as well as the present and the future.
Your pain,
Others pain,
The pain of the world.
She can hold it all.
She can love it all.
You are part of her love.
She wants to support you,
To help you hold your pain.
She's saying you don't have to hold it all by yourself.
I'm here for you.
I want to be with your pain.
I am able to hold it and accept it and love it.
Because even though your pain may not feel pleasant or good,
It's a part of you.
And all parts of you are beautiful and worthy of love.
I accept all of you.
And invite yourself to be held by her,
By earth.
Relax into her support.
Relax into her love.
Allow her to be with your pain.
You are not alone.
She is here,
Holding you,
Loving you.
Maybe you're loving her back too.
You can rest here with earth for however long as you'd like,
Taking your time.
And whenever you feel ready to complete the meditation,
Move slowly.
And before you do,
Send yourself some gratitude.
Gratitude for taking this time to care for yourself.
And send some gratitude to earth for holding you with so much loving presence.
