Begin by sitting comfortably.
Relax the shoulders away from the ears.
Close the eyes.
Feel your sit bones rooted into your seat.
Heavy grounding.
Bring the soles of your feet flat on the floor if you're in a chair.
And then wherever you are in a chair or cross-legged,
Begin to tilt your pelvis back and forth.
As you tilt the pelvis back,
Tuck it in and tilt the pelvis forward.
And then find that neutral pelvis where there's a natural comfortable curve in the lumbar spine,
The lower back.
Tucking your chin just slightly,
Elongating the back of your neck,
Cervical spine,
In another natural curve.
Feel as if someone is pulling a string from the crown of your head,
Introducing space in between each vertebrae of the spine,
Growing taller from those sit bones.
Let's take three breaths together.
Join the exhale.
Empty out the lungs first.
This allows us to take more in.
And then inhale through your nose for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Inhale for four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Hold.
Exhale for six,
Five,
Four,
Three,
Two,
One.
Return your breath to a comfortable,
Natural rhythm.
Something you can maintain for the rest of the practice.
And as you breathe,
In this moment,
Feel yourself supported,
Safe,
And comfortable.
The support of the seat,
The floor below you.
And as you breathe,
Feel yourself supported,
Safe,
And comfortable.
Name one challenge or hardship that you survived.
You don't need details.
You don't need to relive the challenge or hardship.
We don't need details.
We don't need to go back and relive the experience.
We just need to acknowledge it.
Acknowledge it by saying to yourself,
I made it through that.
It was challenging.
There was a lot going on.
But I sit here today having overcome it.
And we'll release this.
Now name one small source of support in your life today.
This can be a person,
A loved one,
A pet,
Or maybe a routine,
Or a small object of comfort.
Even this moment of pause.
Name one source that's providing you the support that you need,
Whatever that may be,
Today.
And then we can begin to release this as well.
And we'll close this practice of gentle resilience with an intention.
A word or phrase that provides you with support and also maybe some direction forward.
A word can just be peace or patience,
Openness.
The phrase can be,
I do my best and I love and accept myself.
Whatever serves your needs.
Choose the word or phrase.
Repeat it silently to yourself and let it soak in.
Soak into your being.
And then with your next exhale,
You can release the intention.
Let it float into the back of your mind,
Serving as a guide as you navigate the challenges of everyday life.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Taking a little longer than you normally would.
Thank you.
