I plunge my hands
Into the dark soil
To harvest the fruits
Of gratitude into the light
It is practical work
Grounding work
Spiritual work
To nourish my soul
Drawing upon the root work
Already deeply planted
I turn my face to the sun
-gws
Harvesting
Tag: self care
Guided Mini-Meditation: Worthy – Whole – Enough
In honor of World Mental Health Day, I share the following guided mini-meditation.
Let’s start by having you sit with your feet flat on the ground with your back either straight or leaned comfortably against your seat.
Next, lay your hands relaxed in your lap, or you may place them against your stomach or the center of your chest if that feels more grounding for you. Now close your eyes.
Let’s start by bringing your attention to your breath. Your only task is to simply notice the air as it moves into and out of your lungs. Notice where your focus goes. Is it air moving in and out of your nostrils? The rise and fall of your chest? The expanding and contracting of your diaphragm? By connecting with our breath, we connect with our bodies and tap into our mind-body connections.
As you breathe, let your shoulders fall away from your ears. Move your tongue off the roof of your mouth, and relax your jaw. Feel tension flow from your body with every exhale.
Inhale peace. Exhale tension. Inhale peace. Exhale tension.
As you continue your gentle breathing, I want you to start visualizing you are looking in a mirror. The version of you looking back is the very best you. This could be a childhood version of you. You on a special day. It is you on any day when you have felt good in your skin. Look into your reflection with the same kindness and compassion you have for those you love most in your life. This person in the mirror deserves to be gifted that same love.
As you observe your reflection, you begin to reinforce three core beliefs in your mind:
You are worthy. You are worthy to receive and luxuriate in the same love and kindness you give freely to others. Breathe in your empowered worthiness, breathe out your dis-empowered feelings of lack as if they were so many dandelion seeds set free on the wind.
You are whole. You are not made up of fragments. You are, instead, a vibrant, faceted jewel of a human being. Breathe in your empowered completeness. Breathe out your dis-empowered feelings of brokenness as if they were so many bubbles set free in the wind.
You are enough. You must remember that you are a human being and not a human doing. You do not serve yourself or others pouring from an empty cup out of obligation. You deserve rest and replenishment from relentless expectations of others and yourself. Breathe in your empowered honoring of your limits. Breathe out your dis-empowered need to meet everyone else’s needs and release it like so much incense smoke curling away into the ether.
You are worthy.
You are whole.
You are enough.
As you continue breathing gently, noticing the air moving in and out, your reflection start to fade, as does the mirror. You feel yourself settling back in your body. You feel your feet on the floor. Your back against your chair. Continue your gentle breathing and when you’re ready, open your eyes and take with you into the world that:
You are worthy. You are whole. You are enough.
Ritual
I have coated my boundaries in sacred salt
Saged the walls of my mind
Served healing teas to my soul
Soaked my dreams in moon water
Calmed my spirits with lavender sachets
I have removed the “welcome” mat from my doorstep
Hung a horseshoe above my threshold
Covered my aura in layers of steel
Cut the cord with silver shears
All to reclaim myself from you
-gws
North Star
Inside her dreaming, I see her
Hurting
Lost
Grieving
Bags beneath her eyes from haunted or missing sleep
Furrowed brows from innumerable worries
Her will shaken and unsure
I know her well for she is me
Me ensconced in endings and beginnings
Me inelegantly navigating transition
The magic of dreaming grants me this opportunity
I approach her
My hair more silvered
My face more textured
My heart glowing warm with a joy for living
That felt so unreachable then
"Hello," I say
She composes herself and silently greets me in return
"I hope you don't mind, you look like you could use a friend."
She inhales unsteadily and motions for me to sit
We look out at the passing world
Quiet for an indistinguishable amount of time
"It will not always feel this way," I say
I take her hand in mine
She does not resist
"Do you remember when your children were babies?"
She nods slowly
Eyes unfocused as she touches the memories
"Do you remember the nights that felt so long?
The marathon of survival that was three babies under three?"
She nods again with a slight smile
Alighting at the corner of her lips as she remembers
"It felt like forever until you one day realized
You could sleep through the night.
You could establish routines.
You could start making time for yourself
In bigger and bigger doses."
She exhales
Her shoulders lowering a bit
"This journey is just like that one.
Unpredictable and exhausting.
Endless in the moment.
Overwhelming."
She looks at her hand in mine and nods
I wrap my other around our clasped hands
"This will not last forever.
You will find your way off your knees
As the weight of this slowly lifts from you.
You will relinquish your worry.
Your grief will fade to make room for joy.
You will learn to trust yourself again.
You will learn to trust others again.
Do not get too lost in your sadness.
Navigate moments of laughter and lightness
Like stepping stones amongst the mud.
Let them light up your eyes and relax your shoulders.
Let them propel you through your days
Until you are no longer keeping track of days.
Just like those early times in motherhood
You will awaken to find yourself on the other side.
Changed.
Renewed.
Rebuilt.
Ready to welcome joy and love and freedom willingly.
The fog and pain will clear as passing storms do.
This I can promise you."
She looks up into my face
Eyes searching mine as I smile and squeeze her hand
I watch as a tiny light returns to her tear-filled eyes
"How do you know?" she whispers
I pull her hand to my heart.
"Because I have seen you do it.
I have witnessed you rise from these ashes.
I know how powerful and radiant you will emerge."
As dreams do when truth is revealed
The edges of this world begin to dissolve like chalk in rain
The light of recognition begins to glow in her eyes
As I release her hand and stand
I step in amongst the other passersby of her dreamscape
My message conveyed
My job done
A voice from her future left to linger in her dreaming
Placing a north star in the sky of her darkest night
-gws
Cup of Kindness
Save a cup of kindness for yourself
No one is more deserving of your love than you
-gws
I Want
I want to live in a cabin between the woods and the sea
I want to smell mossy earth and pine resin at daybreak
Wood smoke and salt air at sunset
I want to be surrounded by books and filtered sunlight
Candles, blank pages, and moonlight
I want to walk with hopes by day
And dance with dreams by night
I want to watch banana slugs explore my garden
I want to hear the chorus of crashing waves
Gulls crying exultantly from the sky
Wind playing chase through the cypress boughs
I want to be free of the chains of expectations
Free of the weight of the looming other shoe
I wish not to drink from any more bitter cups
Fall on any more swords
Remove twisted daggers from my back
I crave peace
Beauty
Lightness
Hope
Creativity
Freedom
I crave relationships that are mutually supportive
That nurture souls
That transact in honesty
Respectfulness
Genuineness
Ease
Love
-gws
Struggle and Acceptance
Knocked off my feet Tumbled and tossed Disoriented Lost Struggling Fighting Failing Unable to know up from down Gasping and desperate Threatened Panicked Scared *relax* *float* *you can ALWAYS float* I still myself Relax Trust Know And begin to ascend Freed from the struggle that was threatening me And distracting me from remembering my power Surrendering to acceptance isn't giving up or in It's accepting that it's okay to let go of the fight If it allows you to care for yourself It's having faith that divinity will help you with Rest of the heavy lifting Be present Be peaceful Be silent Be gentle Be... Just Be And the rest will work itself out -gws
I Am Enough
Today I wake and remember I am enough. I strive to live honestly And with integrity as I walk in my truth Embracing all of my imperfections because I am enough. When storms rage and tempers rise I will place a hand on my heart and Breathe into my belly remembering I am enough. When I judge myself harshly When I feel like I failed myself or others I forgive myself and remember I am enough. I will end my day in gratitude for all I have experienced All I have learned from those experiences I will lay my head down at the end of the day And whisper into the dark I am enough. -gws
Words Wishes and Wisdom 