To listen to the guided version of this meditation, please click here.
Journaling is the way I often practice meditation. There’s a real magic in taking the thoughts in your mind and transforming them onto the page.
Today, I’ll be offering you three journal prompts about self-care and self-trust.
You’re welcome to listen and respond as you like. I would like to gently suggest that you simply listen to this recording first. Without the pressure to write down the questions or responses yet. Just allow yourself to experience each question unfold. Then you may choose to listen a second time, writing down all three questions before stepping away from your phone to journal.
Before we dive in, I’d like to lead you through a relaxing body scan. Whether you’re seated on the floor, lying down, or in a chair - take a few moments to get comfortable. Settle in.
Start to bring awareness to your breath. Inhale through your nose. Exhale out your mouth. Inhale through your nose. Exhale out your mouth. Inhale, expanding your belly as if there was a balloon inside. Exhale, open mouth, easy long sigh out.
A few more like this - inhale 3, 2, 1. Exhale 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Breathing into the nose - noticing the air at your nostrils. Breathing out of your mouth - observing the air flowing over the lips.
Beautiful. Now, bring your focus to your belly. Can you soften here? Allowing each inhale and exhale to create a massaging wave from the inside out.
Guide your focus to your heart space. Can you envision a bright, glowing green light here? Surround your heart with free flowing, loving energy.
Next, take your awareness to your hips. Notice what they may be touching in space. The floor? A chair? Your bed? Allow the gentle pull of gravity to fully relax your hips into the earth beneath you.
Legs soften. Feet relax.
Travel up your spine to the shoulders and neck. Find some gentle rolls of the head side to side if you need.
How’s your breath? Is it shallow and in the chest? Invite a few deeper breaths into your belly.
Soften your face. Open and close the mouth. Squish the eyes closed and open.
Take a deep breath. In. And out. Today, I’d like you to explore your relationship with self-care and self-trust. Do you know what things fill you back up? Do you listen to and honor your body’s needs?
I invite you now to stay curious about the following three questions.
1 what is my body trying to communicate to me right now?
2 how can I best support myself today?
3 where can I grant myself a little more self-compassion?
Allow the answers to flow freely. No one will read your responses. There’s no need to edit yourself.
Take a deep breath.
Be open.
You can trust yourself.
Remember, you can return to this recording at any time. Thank you for joining me today in this practice of journaling meditation.
May you discover all the answers you’re searching for on the page.
Photograph by Hannah Sharriee