Leaning Into Support (S4E2)
In a highly individualistic society that celebrates independence, it can feel hard sometimes to accept and embrace support. But the truth is, there is massive strength and freedom in allowing loved ones and our communities to support us. This meditation will tune into the ways your body and mind are resisting support as a practice in leaning into it.
Subscribe via your favorite platform:
Spotify ∙ Apple Podcasts∙ Overcast ∙ Pocket Casts ∙ Castbox∙ RadioPublic
Support the podcast and help me…
Creating content of mostly-online bite-sized mindfulness offerings, such as this podcast episode!
Collecting resources and cultivating insights that I publish regularly in my monthly newsletter and in my membership community
Researching and developing curriculum for longer mindfulness and Buddhist meditation offerings
Increasing of accessibility of mindfulness teachings to those without easy access to a teacher or in-person offerings
Transcript
Take a moment to set yourself up in your meditation posture and fully arrive here and now.
Feel your body sitting, standing, lying down.
Look around the room and make note of where you are.
you might describe what you see out loud to yourself. Or simply feel your feet, buttocks, or your back body being supported by the ground or your seat.
How does it feel to settle here?
Is there some part of you that doesn't trust or want the support of the floor?
Does part of you want more support?
Try to make room for whatever is coming up and allow it to be here.
Now bring to your awareness the way the Earth is also supporting any furniture in the room.
The walls, the ceiling, the doors, the windows, are supported by the rest of the building.
Take a moment to receive that visual.
a note of any animals, people, or plants in the room.
All of this is supported by the Earth, the sky, the air.
And make note of all of the support that is here for you right now.
You don't have to do a single thing for it. Just notice the whole system of support.
Notice your body becoming aware that it is supported.
Notice your awareness of your body in contact with the points around it.
You may notice your body making little adjustments.
Pay attention to any sensations that arise in your body as you feel your relationship to the support around you.
As your body settles into that feeling of support, you might feel an urge for movement.
If that happens, allow it. If you need permission to be moving, consider it granted. Let the movements be as big and external as they would like to be.
Note that you don't have to move your body, but that you can allow it to move because it wants to.
You aren't responsible for making anything happen here. Just keep noticing what is happening.
Now notice as the body wakes up to its own aliveness. What happens?
Take a couple of moments here to rest in this inner awareness of what is happening.
Thank you for your practice. Until next time, take care of yourself because that's how we can best take care of others.