you are not in danger...
Capitalism has programmed you to feel that way through violence, coercion, and trauma.
Over the last few years, I've developed a lot of discipline in meditative practices. There's a lot of fluff around meditation, wellness culture, and a TON of spiritual bypassing that can make it difficult to discern the healthy actions from those that are purely performative.
Real meditative practice —the kind that helps you feel grounded and safe— isn't a show. It's an external reflection of your inner thoughts and emotions. Your brain doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's fake, and in a society run by the sickest of minds, everything genuinely seems like a threat —and a lot of it is, threats against our natural position and nature itself. We face the choice every day to resist or capitulate: at school, at work, and in our peer groups. There is a lot of pressure to perform. To move away from our true selves.
I'd like to share a meditation that I've been working on lately that I hope can help you feel grounded in moments where the world is coming at you too fast to think, too fast to rest, too fast to focus on what you need to and leave the rest behind. This has helped me immensely in the most intense traumatic moments I've experienced over the last couple of years. I hope it can help you too. 💜
Guided Meditation (Modified for self-guidance)
You can do this meditation sitting or standing.
If you feel comfortable, close your eyes. Loosen your body, drop your shoulders, unlock your knees, plant your feet.
Imagine a field of protection emanating from your creative center.
Think about what that looks and feels like to you. It's different for everyone.
Breathe in
Hold
Breathe out
x2
Notice your breath, how it flows. Breathe in and out. Following your natural breath. Notice the sounds around you, near and distant.
Notice your feet, grounded and rooted, the roots breaking through the floor and reaching the ground beneath.
Notice your crown. Imagine shoots breaking through the ceiling and reaching up to the sky above.
Breathe in
Hold
Breathe out
Let your natural breath guide you, notice the sensations in your body. Notice and release the noise around you.
Today, we will transmute our focus and set our intention.
You can say this out loud or say it silently to yourself.
"What I focus on expands.
I focus on what I want, not what I don't.
I focus on what I want, and I leave the rest behind."
x2
Focus on your breath. Notice your creative center. Imagine your field of protection around you.
Breathe in
Hold
Breathe out
x2
Let's speak an affirmation.
You can say it out loud or say it silently to yourself.
"I am focused on what aligns with my goals, my dreams, my highest good, and my total well-being." x2
As you move through your day, imagine your field of protection growing larger around you. What you focus on expands. Observe what needs your focus. Leave what doesn't behind.
Take one last cleansing breath.
Breathe in
Hold
Breathe out
Open your eyes if they're still closed, and share a moment of gratitude. You can say it out loud or say it silently to yourself.
"I am grateful for my ability to focus. I am grateful for taking up space. I am grateful for the communities I belong to." 🙏🏽