Welcome to your practice.
As we begin,
I invite you to settle.
Really check in with your body,
Asking your body what it needs in this moment.
Give yourself permission to move and settle into whatever position feels right and comfortable in your body today.
And yes,
It is okay to slow down and to invite your body to soften,
To let go and surrender,
Even just for a few moments.
Yes,
It's okay to give yourself this time.
And it's also okay if you aren't ready yet,
But know the invitation to loosen your shoulders,
Your brow,
Your belly is there for you whenever you are ready.
And maybe then you can give your weight over to the bed,
The chair or the floor,
Just letting go of all that you're holding,
Putting it down for just a moment.
And if it feels right,
Go ahead and close your eyes or maybe just soften your gaze.
You can also keep your eyes open because this is your time and your practice.
You get to choose.
By letting the attention come back to the body,
Maybe let your attention rest on your breath.
See if you can slow and deepen your pace,
Maybe even extend your exhale,
Letting each one be longer than your inhale.
And this is important because extending the exhale can calm and soothe your nervous system,
Giving you a few moments of much needed ease,
A moment to settle.
Take slow,
Deep breaths in through your nose and exhale completely through your mouth,
Maybe even letting a sigh escape your lips.
Let your breath fall into a steady,
Natural rhythm,
No rush or hurry,
Just finding what feels right for you today.
And now grounding into the body,
I invite you to notice the weight of your body by whatever surface is supporting you.
So maybe you're seated or you're lying down,
You're on the floor,
Maybe you're in your car,
But notice that you are being supported.
You don't have to hold your body up.
Feel the support beneath you and allow yourself to be held by this moment,
Knowing that you do not have to carry everything right now,
You can let go.
With each breath,
Imagine tension leaving your body,
Shoulder softening,
Jaw loosening,
The tightness in your chest opening,
Spaciousness.
And maybe grief is coming up,
It's okay to acknowledge it.
Bring gentle awareness to the heaviness you're carrying,
The grief,
Sorrow,
Anger,
Overwhelm,
Fatigue,
Whatever you're holding.
Know that these feelings are not signs of weakness,
They're normal human experiences.
We all feel that way sometimes.
And your feelings are signs that you care deeply,
That the work you do matters.
And as you breathe,
Silently say to yourself,
It is human to grieve,
It is human to feel.
My feelings are human and they deserve to be acknowledged and cared for.
And I know how to show up for myself and all of my feelings.
I'm here for you.
And you're here for me.
Let this truth settle in your heart.
Maybe even placing a hand over your heart or your belly,
Wherever you feel the weight most strongly.
And with each inhale,
Imagine drawing in calm,
Steady strength.
Because it's in you.
Call it forth.
And with each exhale,
Release just a little bit of the heaviness you're carrying.
You don't need to let it all go,
Not all at once.
Just as you're ready.
Remembering to be gentle and patient with yourself.
And if images or names or moments come to mind,
Bad memories,
Acknowledge it with compassion,
This is hard.
Maybe even saying I'm having a hard time right now,
This is painful.
And offer a silent blessing.
May I be at peace.
Letting yourself return to the breath.
And as we move toward closing,
I invite you to picture yourself surrounded by a circle of light,
Or maybe by your community of colleagues,
People who understand and share your journey.
Letting yourself feel their support.
Remembering you are not alone in this work,
Even when it feels overwhelming.
You belong to a community of people who care and who,
Like you,
Want all people to be happy and free from the suffering of violence.
The work we are doing matters,
And you matter.
With each breath,
Allow this circle of strength to steady you.
Maybe as you inhale,
Think courage.
We are stronger together.
And as you exhale,
Think releasing grief.
We are holding it together.
And if it feels right,
I invite you to take three slow,
Deep breaths.
Letting the belly rise.
And letting the belly fall as you inhale.
Exhaling completely.
And do that two more times,
Maybe even inhaling for the count of four and exhaling for the count of eight.
Your count,
Your pace.
Noticing if there are any shifts or changes in the body as you tend to the experience of breathing.
And on the final exhale,
Imagine placing your grief gently on the ground.
Not discarding it.
Grief makes sense here.
But just setting it down for a while.
Laying down a burden.
And when you're ready,
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
If your eyes were closed,
Gently open them or lift your gaze.
And carry this with you.
You are allowed to rest.
You are allowed to feel all your feelings,
Even the ones that hurt.
They need your attention and care.
And you can trust yourself to care for all your feelings,
To show up for yourself in all that arises.
And you can also trust others who understand to hold your grief with you.
You are not alone.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe and free from harm.
And may you have deep peace and ease.
