A healing moment for those who give care to others.
Hello and welcome to this healing moment for those who care for others.
My name is Verna Fisher and it is my pleasure to offer meditations for everyday situations.
In today's world,
More and more of us are in the midst of helping another person in our life.
And while our minds,
Hearts and souls have said yes to this work,
And while we are grateful to be of service to another,
It doesn't change the possibility that in doing so,
We have less time and energy to care for ourselves.
These few moments are here for you to take care of your own self.
So take a breath,
Say yes to yourself,
And be prepared to be cared for body,
Mind,
Spirit and soul.
Before we do this,
Because it can sometimes be difficult to let go of our role in caring for another,
And because we may feel various unsettled emotions when focusing on our own needs,
We start by bringing the ones we provide care for into our mind's eye.
Whether you care for one or more,
Take these next few breaths to bring each one into your mind's eye.
Imagine each one,
Bowing in respect and honor to them,
And acknowledging your gratitude in being able to be of service to another human soul.
I invite you to place the palm of your hands together in what might be called prayer position,
And bow your head,
Touching your forehead to the tips of your fingers.
As you breathe,
Deeply,
Slowly,
Easily,
Say the name or names of those in your care.
We take this moment to honor their life's journey and our part in that walk.
In this next practice,
You are invited to set everything down.
All thoughts,
Worries,
Emotions,
Judgments,
And especially your to-do list.
Set each one down.
Breathe slow and easy as you take the time to consciously name and acknowledge each one,
And imagine setting each one down.
As you do so,
Notice how you feel as you open up more space within.
Now,
Turn our attention to our body,
Allowing all thoughts to be with your physical being.
Start at your feet and gently work your attention upwards,
Breathing,
Releasing any tension as you go.
Relax more and more with each breath.
At your own pace,
Move up your torso,
Breathing easily into each spot that you find sore or tense or tight.
If you have not already arrived here,
Move your attention all the way up to the top of your head.
Imagine any residual tension released upward and out through the crown chakra.
Take a few breaths to experience this open and relaxed body of yours.
And now you are invited to place your awareness on your thoughts and emotions.
As you do so,
Do not dive into the feelings or thoughts.
Simply notice them and name them.
You may have been carrying these around for a long time,
So long that you forgot a time when you didn't carry these deep feelings,
These heavy and worrisome thoughts.
These next few minutes are your opportunity to set them down,
To experience the freedom,
The expansiveness of a mind that chooses to reset now and then.
Smile gently to your body and your mind and perhaps promise to revisit this practice often,
Reassuring yourself of its importance and value.
We move now to honor your soul and the spirit that feeds it.
Let us do this by bringing your attention to the center of your chest,
Your heart chakra.
Place the palms of your hand here,
One on top of the other.
Feel the give and take of energy,
Hands to heart and heart to hands.
Imagine filling up your beingness with self-care,
Self-compassion and self-love.
It is so important for those who care for others to make it a practice to care for the self first.
You can't give from an empty cup or so the saying goes and that is important wisdom to heed.
Make a promise to yourself to practice this often.
Here's a mantra you can use.
I honor the wisdom within as I listen,
As I trust,
As I take the necessary steps to care for my own needs even as I care for another's.
Let's repeat that.
I honor the wisdom within as I listen,
As I trust,
As I take the necessary steps to care for my own needs even as I care for another's.
Breathe.
As we prepare to end this meditation,
Take a moment to reaffirm your desire to honor your own care needs even as you continue to provide care to others.
Know that you can return often to this practice,
Releasing tension,
Stress and any other emotions or thoughts you find yourself holding on to and allowing yourself to breathe deeply and easily,
Finding once again that expansive state of freedom.
This is Verna Fisher,
Meditations for Everyday Situations,
Sending you blessings and hugs.
Until the next time.
