Self Nurturing Meditation
Close your eyes and bring your attention to the region of the forehead just noticing if you’re holding tension there... And if you are.. see if you can soften.
Sense a subtle smile through your lips.... and feel the whole face soften...
And as you relax begin focusing on your breath..To help you center.. and come into this moment. Following each breath as it enters and leaves your body…
Observe how each inhale turns into an exhale.. Over and over… and over………...
And now begin to scan the body, part by part… starting with the head and face... Relaxing your forehead.. and eyes...and your jaw… Softening all the tiny muscles in the ears and lips……..
Relax your neck and shoulders… and if there is any tightness, tension, or pressure… see if you can stay with your experience and exploring what’s here… rather than resisting it or pushing it away, investigate all sensation with a gentle curiosity. Ride through the wave of whatever you are feeling.
Bring your attention to the chest, sensing the ribcage, the area of the heart. Bringing a friendly attentiveness to this region and seeing what’s here.……...
Notice any pressure or tension in your back……….And observe any sensations in the belly now.. Digestion, fullness, emptiness, tightness…see if you can get nice and close. Not trying to change anything, but rather… seeing what’s there…….
And now circle your awareness around the area of your hips, pelvis, and glutes…
As you observe sensation, notice if it grows stronger. Does it shrink? Does it soften? Does it change?.........
And then drawing your awareness down the length of your arms.. All the way into your hands.. and fingers…Notice if there’s coolness,.. heat, ...tingling,.. or pulsing. Observe how sensation comes... and sensation goes…
And shift your focus into the legs. Feeling the legs make contact with the ground beneath you……circling your attention to your upper legs.. your knees… your lower legs...and then all the way down into the ankles,... feet, ..and toes….
And now just tune into the full length of the body.. Allowing sensation to be your teacher. Observing where you might be storing any tightness... or emotion. And if you notice any… just hold it gently in awareness..The way you would a flower. Observing it with curiosity,...tenderness, ..and compassion. ……………………………………..
And now relax your attention... Allowing space for everything………………………………...
With this meditation above, I welcome you to record yourself saying the words and listen (with compassion) to yourself - you leading you through a meditation. Most of us feel uncomfortable listening to ourselves... think of this as a practice of self love.
This meditation is one of my favorite types of meditation, body scanning. It was sourced from a meditation app I use, called "Calm". This app is how I have trained my mind to be quiet(er). If you are not a practitioner of meditation I encourage you to challenge yourself - use calm for 21 days straight (12 minutes a day). You will get 30 days free after you sign up and if you like it, I encourage you to pay the $60/yr and become a practitioner of meditation. This app has changed my reactivity, my forgetfulness, my sleep patterns, and my self sabotage behaviors. It has made me more aware and compassionate to myself and others... it has changed me for the better.
If you'd like to get lead through a meditation like this in person, we offer it in our massage sessions as an "add on service". We love it, because it grounds our clients back down into their body and gets them out of their mind.
Remember: practice makes perfect, each moment is different, and there is beauty in the unfolding.
With Love,
Sophie
