Hugging Ourselves

How do you support yourself?

How do you support yourself? How do you create more ease in your body?

We have reflexive responses in our body, like our shoulders coming up to our ears and tightness in the back of our neck. When we really pay attention to our experience, we notice the habitual patterns in our body, breath and thoughts.

We notice — Is what is going on in my mind helping me to relax and settle? How can I support and nourish myself with my thoughts?

Listen to this guided practice to experiment with some different ways of nurturing yourself using visualization. Bring all of your senses to support yourself in this way.

Hug your younger self: bring up an image of yourself at an age where you really needed comfort and connection, and visualize giving your younger self a warm, supportive hug.

Remember a time you were hugged by someone who was safe and connected with you. Or tune in to the look on their face when they really saw you? What does that feel like in your own skin? Your own body?

Bring yourself back into nature to a time when you felt safe and warm. A beach. In the forest. Your own back yard. Let yourself absorb the comfort of that. Notice in your whole body, energy and breath.