Welcome, caregiver, to the meditation for transitioning into a season of caregiving. In this season, priorities are shifting, and while they do, remember that The Negative Space is here with you in this and all the moments to come.
Caregiver, taking time for yourself is essential for your well-being. This time and this space are for you. We’re so glad you’ve chosen to be here.
Let’s begin. I invite you to take a moment to find a comfortable position, honoring whatever feels best to your body right now. You can close your eyes or softly rest your gaze in front of you. Notice whatever is physically supporting your body. Perhaps it’s the floor beneath you or the chair you are sitting on. If possible, feel yourself sink a little deeper into that support. Notice that you are breathing in and out. If you like, you can place one hand on your breastbone and one hand on your belly. Let yourself feel the gentle movement of your breath without any effort to control or change it.
During this guided meditation, you’ll notice thoughts arise. This is natural, and not a problem. Simply notice when you are distracted and welcome yourself back to the sound of my voice. You might have to refocus your attention again and again, and that’s ok.
If you like, check in with your body. Notice how your body feels right now. You might observe areas where there is tension and areas where there is more ease. Perhaps there are places that don’t feel good or bad, but simply feel neutral, or places where you don’t have much awareness. With each thing you notice, just be curious. There is no need to fix anything.
Transitioning into a season of caregiving likely means living with change and uncertainty. In this season, priorities are shifting. This may feel unsettling or scary. Can you pause for just a moment to notice how this uncertainty feels in your body? Everyone is different, but you might notice tightness in your chest, or maybe a churning in your belly, or possibly tension in your shoulders or jaw. Is it possible to notice these sensations without trying to resist or change the discomfort? Can you try—even for a breath or two—to just let the discomfort be, simply feeling it without judging or pushing it away? Your body is wise. It is responding to the transitions in your life in the best way it knows how, and you can honor it by simply acknowledging and feeling the sensations as they arise.
For the next few minutes, your only job is just to be. You don’t need to have anything figured out. Each time your thoughts go back to your to-do list or your fears, acknowledge the thoughts and then let them be. Welcome yourself back to the sound of my voice as often as you need to.
Invite your awareness back to the support beneath you. Can you sense the ground, or the chair, supporting your weight? Notice the contact points between your body and whatever is supporting you. Once again, try letting your body sink a little deeper—any amount—into that support and the ways in which you are being held.
As you rest into this support, invite your body to absorb the stability of the earth beneath you. Despite the many transitions and moving parts in your own life, remind yourself that the ground beneath you is solid: that the earth can, and will, hold the weight of your worries and uncertainties, today and in the days to come. There is nothing you need to do in this moment. Simply feel that you are connected to the earth by gravity. That you can rely on the support of the ground beneath you.
I’m going to be quiet for the next 30 seconds to let you continue to explore the physical sensation of stability and support.
When you’re ready, welcome your awareness back to your body and your mind. Without any expectation, can you notice thoughts or sensations that have shifted since you began this meditation?
As this meditation draws to a close, you might choose to place your hand on your heart to acknowledge the importance of showing up for yourself and to honor the choice you made to be here, carving out this time for your well-being. Then take a moment to gently move your body, maybe wiggling your fingers and toes, or gently turning your head, and then slowly blink your eyes open.
As you move forward with your day, remember that in this season, priorities are shifting, but that the earth is stable beneath you and that The Negative Space is here for you in this and all the moments to come.