Look Up Child

This is a practice for those heavy times when you may feel overwhelmed by what's going on in your life or what's going on in the world around you.

For the times where you struggle putting into words or finding the language around what you're experiencing or what may be causing your anxiety,

Your stress,

Your depression.

For the times where you feel disconnected and find yourself dissociating from the real world,

Knowing that it's a common trauma response when we leave our body to feel safe.

This is a practice about coming home to our bodies and leaning on God when we need Him the most.

So I encourage you to find a comfortable safe place in this moment,

Whatever that may look like.

So whether it's sitting down or lying down or curled up in a ball,

Just arrive in a place that's good for you in this moment.

And I encourage you to close your eyes if that feels okay,

But if you need to keep them open to allow yourself some control in this moment,

Feel free to do that as well.

But just take a soft gaze down in front of you.

And I want you to bring your awareness to your breath.

Not trying to change anything or breathe in a certain way,

Just notice your breath.

Oftentimes when we experience anxiety,

We forget about our breath.

We tend to tighten our chest and our bellies and restrict this natural tool that does us well,

That encourages calm.

So notice the breath around your heart today.

Feel the expansion,

Feel the rise and fall of your chest.

Feel the breath moving in and out of your body.

Now I want you to take one hand and put it on the ground or chair or some firm structure next to you.

Just this posture of rooting of grounding.

Feel the firm support beneath you.

Know that you are supported,

Know that you can find grounding in this moment.

And now I want you to notice any sensations in the other hand.

Notice the lightness or tingling of the fingertips,

The gentle buzzing or humming.

Feel whatever sensations arise from a place of non-striving and non-doing.

And if your mind wants to wander to another place during this practice,

Perhaps you bring your awareness back to your anchors,

Your breath,

The firm support beneath you and the light humming of your fingertips.

The Bible says in Philippians chapter 4,

Verses 6 and 7,

Do not be anxious about anything,

But in every situation,

By prayer and petition with thanksgiving,

Present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.

And now a friend I invite you to soften whatever that may look like for you.

Maybe that's relaxing the shoulders away from the ears or relaxing the jaw.

Maybe that's softening the belly so that you can feel the expansion of the breath there.

Come home to your body.

Come back to who you are.

Come back to knowing that you're enough just as you are.

Knowing that whatever you're facing today,

Whatever struggles,

Whatever challenges,

There is light on the other side.

And I know that it's easier to say like,

Yes,

Once I get through this hump or this struggle,

Things will get better but what do I do now?

What can smooth me now?

And perhaps in this space you imagine God wrapping his arms around you.

Saying look up child,

I'm with you,

You are not alone.

You are supported and I will give you the strength that you need.

The strength to keep going,

To keep persevering.

And to make it to a new day.

This is just a little reminder that you've survived every day where it felt impossible to go on.

And when you wanted to give up,

You didn't.

So trust yourself,

Believe in yourself and know that you have the strength to survive whatever you're going through now as well.

Notice if you can soften your breath a little bit more.

If you can lengthen your exhales just a little bit more.

Feel the release.

Feel the ability to let go.

Feel God's arms around you today.

Saying look up child,

I am with you.

Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving,

Present your request to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

So now in this moment maybe you offer up whatever you're going through to God.

Whatever is the cause of your anxiety.

Whatever the cause of your stress.

Maybe you don't even know what's triggering you right now.

Offer the feeling up to God.

Pray that he can give you the strength to get over this hump,

To make it through this cloud,

To get through the situation.

Feel the breath.

Feel the firm support beneath you.

Feel the humming in your fingertips.

Feel God's arms wrapped around you saying look up child,

I am with you.

And know that whatever you go through in life,

Whatever situation,

You can return back to your body.

You can lean on God.

You can root and ground in this moment.

And we'll close this practice with one cleansing breath.

So breathing in deeply through your nose and releasing out of your mouth.

I pray that you have the strength to make it through each moment.

Just continue forward taking things one breath at a time.