Welcome to your safe place visualization practice.
This audio is great to use if you're in a time where you feel like there's just high energy.
That may be heightened anxiety,
Emotions,
Or even pain and sensations.
Before we begin,
I invite you to invite in any accessible sense of safety and settling into your immediate environment.
You can take this practice in a comfortable seat or lying down.
Again,
Whatever feels most safe and accessible for you right now.
When you're ready,
I invite you to either close your eyes or you're more than welcome to rest your gaze downward at a gentle spot just past your nose tip.
Once you're there,
Let's take a moment and check in with our breath.
We're not here to change anything just yet,
But let's just notice where your breath is living and use that as a guide to further check in with your mind and your body.
Noticing how you're coming into this space.
Maybe there's some muscle tension that we can go ahead and let go of softening through our bodies.
Maybe there's some lingering thoughts that we can set aside to come back to later if they still serve us.
Inviting in that sense of settling and safety here at the beginning by bringing some intention and further attention to your breath.
Seeing where you can invite in a bit more on your inhale and seeing where there's some more release and expansion on your exhale.
Noticing the natural movements of your body with your breath.
The rise and fall of your belly,
Your chest,
Your shoulders.
And know at any point if your mind begins to wander,
That's okay.
You're human.
What you can do in those moments is simply bring your attention back to your breath as a guide back to your visualization process.
I invite you to begin to bring some imagination and curiosity to your lens and in your mind begin to tap into what safety means to you.
Once we start to get familiar with the meaning of safety together,
We can use that understanding as a guide to understand what does safety look like,
How does it feel,
How does it sound,
Taste.
Getting curious and from that lens of curiosity,
I invite you to imagine a surrounding,
An environment that encapsulates the feeling of safety for you.
This can be a place that you are familiar with,
This can be a place from your memories,
A place you've seen online or purely from your imagination.
Maybe it's indoors,
Maybe it's outdoors,
Maybe it's a combination of the two.
Know that there is no wrong answer because this is what safety is for you.
Now as you get familiar with your surroundings and your mind,
I want you to take a look around and see where your imagination is bringing you,
Noticing every detail while knowing that more details will show themselves.
What about this place feel safe for you?
Notice in this environment of safety,
Who is there with you?
You may be alone and safe in your own presence,
You may be with a person,
A loved one,
Or a small group of people.
Maybe you're even with your pet or a pet that has been a part of your life.
Again,
There is no wrong answer.
Once you notice who you are sharing this space with,
Even if it is just yourself,
I want you to begin to explore.
The exploration can come by imagining you start taking steps in one direction.
The exploration can also come by staying put where you are and just taking the look around.
What do you notice as you look around,
As you explore?
What colors can you see?
And from those colors,
What is making up those colors?
What are the objects?
Are they alive?
Are they inanimate?
Do they have a deeper meaning?
Allowing curiosity to be your guide to safety.
Notice the sounds or the lack of sounds.
What can you hear?
Is it the sound of nature?
The sound of music?
The sound of your breath?
The sound of quietness?
Maybe there's a smell in the air,
The smell from a memory,
The smell of something that makes you feel warm and comforted.
Exploring your safe place through that lens of curiosity,
Knowing that you are safe here.
Take another moment and really look around,
Seeing what details are left to discover,
In what ways this place is showing you.
You are safe.
Taking in the details,
Taking in the feeling,
Imagining that you're taking a mental and physical snapshot of your safe place and how it's making you feel.
And as you take in every last noticing,
I invite you to bring some length back behind your breath,
Using your breath as a bridge,
A connection from your safe place visualization to the safety you're cultivating in this present moment,
In your body,
Where you are right now.
For they are all the same.
When you are ready to fully cross that bridge or a connection back to this present moment,
Back to your immediate surroundings,
I invite you to bring full attention to your breath.
Breathing in for a count of four,
Pausing for a count of two,
And breathing out for a count of six.
And repeating that as many times as you need,
Starting to notice the natural movements of your body with your breath,
Noticing the textures on your skin,
Repeating the words to yourself,
I am safe.
I am safe here.
I am safe here in this moment.
I am safe here in this moment with my breath.
When you're ready,
Gently flutter your eyes open,
Resting your gaze on one spot in front of you,
And then gently starting to scan your surrounding space,
Knowing that you are safe here in this moment with your breath.
