Mama Collection (adults): Sample Transcripts

Sleep — You Deserve Rest

This practice offers you tools to induce sleep naturally, following the natural workings of your own mind.

Notice your body as a whole now. Can you find just a little more comfort in your position?

Just shift your body and let yourself sink into the surface beneath you. Shift and move a little more until you find some more comfort. Letting your body settle deeper and deeper into the surface beneath you. Letting go into the surface beneath you. Feeling supported.

So let yourself be comforted that at this time everything is okay. The support beneath you is holding you. Feel your breath flowing through your body, and allow your bones to become heavy. So feeling your bones heavy and sinking into the earth and then release your bones down, down, down, heavy, and feel them sinking.

So nothing else matters right now. Everything is okay. You are supported and safe. Time for that later. Letting go of everything else. Feeling it melt away, nowhere to go and nothing to do. You are here to simply feel your body and listen. Don't worry if you don't hear everything I say, it's natural to flow in and out of conscious listening.

The deepest part of you, your core self, is always listening. Whatever you experience today, this practice will still work. So there's no way to do this wrong.

You are safe and protected, and held in this space. Come into stillness now and remain still for deep rest, and deep nourishment.

Now setting an intention, go deep inside now. Deep inside to notice your heart's deepest longing. What does your heart desire? How do you want your rest to nourish you?

Think of this intention as a little seed you are planting, deep in your being to be tended to during your sleep.

As you contemplate your heartfelt intention, see and feel your life. See and feel your life with the fulfillment of this desire. What would your life look and sound and smell and taste and feel like, if this deepest desire were a reality? State your intention three times in the present tense from your heart.

Now allow your awareness to travel through your body on a journey of sensation. You can repeat the name of the body part to yourself silently after me, and then simply feel each part as it's mentioned. Remain still and sinking deeper and deeper, welcoming all sensations just as they are.

Whatever comes up is exactly as it should be. Just allowing the sensations to come and go and flow through you. Begin with the mouth, feeling your mouth, feeling the sensation in your mouth.

And then hearing, noticing sounds, the sensation of hearing.

And then touch, noticing the felt sense of touch, feeling into the sensation of touch.

And then noticing the smells, feeling the sensation of smelling.

And then seeing, even with eyes closed, feeling the sensation of seeing.

Just welcoming all the sensations, just as they are, just allowing your awareness to travel through the body.

Starting with the right hand thumb, second finger, third finger, fourth finger, fifth finger, palm of the hand, back of the hand, wrist, forearm, elbow, upper arm, shoulder, armpit, waist…

Breath — Letting Go of Anxiety

This practice will help you let go of anxiety in less than seven minutes. Find a comfortable position and gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.

As we start with the breath, letting go of racing thoughts and landing on the breath. Dropping out of the head and landing safely in the breath.

Treating yourself to a long and slow inhale and exhale, and now taking a luxurious inhale and exhale.

No need to rush.

Taking as much time as you want, for those luxurious inhales and exhales.

Let that flow of breath continue and then explore your body for pockets of anxiety, the gripping of fear, seeking out that feeling of what if, or that feeling that something bad is gonna happen.

That anxious urge to distract yourself or avoid something. It might be subtle or it might be loud and panicky.

Where do you feel it? Where can you locate the anxiety in your body? Does it feel like a buzzing sensation or is it gripping or dense?

However you experience it, acknowledge it, honor it, and just breathe into it.

Your anxiety has a good intention, it's trying to keep you safe, it wants to protect you, to keep you safe from harm, so acknowledge it and thank it for trying to keep you safe and protected.

Breathing in this sense of gratitude and appreciation. Your anxiety wants to protect you. It wants to keep you safe. Thank you brain for these thoughts. Thank you body for these feelings. They let me know I'm alive. Really feel a gratitude for their service, and now slowly let them free.

You might even visualize all the little bits just floating away, releasing them.

You can go now. Thank you for trying to protect me, you are free to go now.

And then on the next exhale, just let your belly go soft. Let your gut be loose and relaxed, just releasing any tension there. Letting the shoulders drop down…

Stillness — Self-Compassion Break

This short practice will take less than five minutes.

Start by sitting on the floor or in a chair, and gently close your eyes. Feeling your body where it makes contact with a support beneath you and settling in. Notice your breathing as you inhale and then exhale. Feeling the breath move through your body, feeling your chest gently expanding as you inhale, and then gently relaxing as you exhale.

And then place your hand gently on your heart as you start to cultivate feelings of warmth and compassion.

Visualize bundling up in a warm blanket.

Feeling your body warm and cozy and comforted.

Now, think of something you're struggling with right now or something you're beating yourself up about.

And now repeat the following phrases of self-compassion to yourself saying:

I'm having a hard time right now and just notice that the mind comes in saying it's not that bad, or others have it worse. Just noticing everyone feels this way sometimes.

May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.

And now really accept the compassion you're giving to yourself, feeling this energy flow through your entire being.

Gratitude — Heartfelt Appreciation

This practice will help you get gratitude flowing in a little over 10 minutes.

Please take a seat on the floor or in a chair and get comfortable, allowing your body to breathe naturally and easily. Whenever we take time to be still, we create a quiet time for reflection and awareness, so we can bring more attention to everything that we do during the day.

Remembering we don't meditate to get better at meditating. We meditate to get better at life.

But bringing your attention to the breath as we begin to turn our awareness inward, using each breath as an opportunity for letting go and releasing and relaxing.

And just appreciate yourself for showing up here today and taking a moment to do something so supportive. And now reflecting on something in your life right now that you can be grateful for.

Maybe noticing the breath or your heart beating. That heartbeat that's been with you since before you were even born. And then finding another thing to be grateful for, maybe a comfortable chair or a comfortable bed to sleep in at night, having running water in your home, or the magic of this audio and all the little bits floating into your eardrums. Or maybe that you took care of yourself and drank enough water today.

Just finding another thing and another to be grateful for.

Take a moment and now appreciate yourself for having nurtured and cared for your baby, child, or children. Recalling a specific moment in the last few days when you really cared for your child or felt a close sense of connection. Did you hug them a little longer?

Take a moment to notice how their smile warmed your heart.

Did you feel a kick in your belly? Did you let them sleep peacefully on you? Or maybe you can remember an adorable photo and when you think about it, it just melts your heart.

Call to mind a specific moment and start to cherish it. In the beginning this might be hard, but with practice over time, you'll start to focus on and savor these moments, making them easier to recall in the future. But just bringing one particular moment of connection or care with your child, how does it feel in your body to recall this event?

Remember, there's no right or wrong ways to feel. Just take notice of the sensations in your body and bring in a sense of appreciation for this connection and your kindness and love as you replay the moment in your head. And visualize the situation completely.

Let this sense of appreciation flood your body as you appreciate yourself and the beauty of the moment.

Now, bring to mind something you can appreciate about yourself, a quality of your essence, your compassion or kindness or loyalty. Really take a moment and savor appreciating yourself for who you are, not what you do, or what you've accomplished.

You being here, breathing and taking a moment to care for yourself is something to celebrate. Savor this feeling of appreciation.

Notice how it feels in your body. Notice all the different sensations and perhaps a sense of calm that's come over your body.

Store the memory of this peaceful and calm sensation deep within your being so that it may be strengthened and recalled easier in the future. And now please repeat the following statements silently to yourself.

Every day, I'm becoming more and more grateful of all that I have in my life.

I am grateful for my family and friends and the moments of connection we share.

I am grateful that I can learn and grow from all my experiences, even the ones I may not have wanted.

Empathy — Loving Kindness

This practice will help you connect to your child and is excellent when pregnant nursing pumping or when you just wanna get those good vibes of connection flowing, and it should take a little less than 10 minutes.

So start by getting comfortable, it can be laying down or seated on the floor or in a chair, and then you can soften your gaze or gently close your eyes, whatever feels most comfortable for you. And just take a nice inhale and exhale. Just settling into the body and the breath.

And on the exhale, just letting go and releasing.

And I want you to start by imagining someone you love and all the positive feelings you have for them. You will want to pick someone where the relationship is uncomplicated and it's easy to feel those feelings of warmth and tenderness. You can even practice with your favorite pet or even a loved one who has passed.

Imagine this special being sitting in front of you, smiling your way, and then repeat the phrases of loving kindness to them while imagining an invisible river of love, connecting your heart to their heart.

And you can place your hand on your heart, or both hands in your heart during this practice, as it helps your body begin to release oxytocin.

So imagining this loved one and that invisible river of love connecting you, and saying to them, may you be well, may you be peaceful, may you be happy, may you be healthy and strong.

Really feel the feelings of loving kindness flowing from your heart to theirs. May you be well, may you be peaceful, may be happy, may you be healthy and strong.

And now shifting to imagine your baby or child and sending them the same well wishes. May you be well, may you be peaceful, may you be happy, may you be healthy and strong. And once you start to feel good in your body thinking about your baby or child and sending them loving kindness, I want you to shift and imagine them now sending you the same well wishes of loving kindness, repeating the following phrases, imagining they're being sent from your child to you.

May you two be well, may you too be peaceful, may you too be happy, may you two be healthy and strong. Really feel that love flowing from them and how they want the same thing for you.

And now that your heart is tender and you've felt what it's like to send love and receive love, you can begin to send loving and kindness to yourself directly.

May I be well, may I be peaceful, may I be happy, may I be healthy and strong. Allow yourself to really receive your own compassion and let yourself feel the warmth of your care. Feeling that compassion spread into every cell of your body. Relish it, and enjoy the feeling of being on your own side, the feeling of caring for yourself. May I be, well, may I be peaceful, may I be happy, may I be healthy and strong. And then sending these same well wishes to all moms everywhere, allowing yourself to both give and receive in equal measure.

Inspiration — Fresh Perspective

This short practice will help give you a fresh perspective in just under nine minutes. Begin by closing your eyes and taking a few deep breaths.

Inhale slowly and deep, and then exhale slowly. Letting go of whatever was going on before this moment, just letting go. Releasing whatever was going on before this moment, and letting go of anything that you need to handle after. Just for this little bit that we do this today, let yourself be free of the past, rest in the future, and rest in the here and now.

Take a luxurious inhale and exhale on your own pace.

Just giving yourself as much time as feels good to you, on the inhale and exhale.

And on the next exhale, just let out an audible sigh, “Ahhh”. You can even imagine you're breathing a sigh of relief with each exhale.

And with the next breath, just let everything go.

Feel your entire body relax and let go.

There's nothing to worry about, time for that later. This moment is for you. Just this wonderful, peaceful, relaxed moment.

Just relax. And let go.

If any pain or tightness or tension arises in the body, just really sit with the next breath, relaxing and letting go.

Thoughts will come and go throughout meditation which is normal and natural.

The mind secretes thoughts, just like the liver secretes enzymes.

Just notice that you're able to notice your thoughts, noticing what thoughts are passing through your mind without any need to interact or change them.

Imagining you're sitting beside a stream, watching your thoughts float by like leaves on the water.

Simply observe your thoughts instead of getting involved in their content or resisting them.

Feel the strength and this awareness that allows you to clearly and passively watch your thoughts as they go by. Like leaves floating down a river.

Feel the freedom in noticing that you are not your thoughts. You are the one aware of your thoughts. That vast open and loving awareness, as big as the whole sky.

See if you can notice any gaps or pauses between thoughts…

Awareness — Working with Emotions

This is an extended meditation to help you bring awareness to difficult or disturbing emotions, so you can better deal with them and we'll take about 12 minutes. To begin, get comfortable in a seated position or lay down, and soften your gaze or gently close your eyes.

Sense the body breathing itself and get a felt sense your body seated here on earth. Feeling the support beneath you, feeling the weight of your body.

Choose a circumstance where the situation is difficult for you or you're feeling stuck. Not somewhere where there's trauma, but something that's challenging for you. And whatever you pick is just fine.

And with loving and kind attention, just notice the feelings that arise from this circumstance.

Observe whatever emotions are present with tenderness and care.

Breathe and let the emotions be.

Notice how they feel in your body. Feeling the part of your body where the discomfort is present.

Just getting curious and noticing, what does it feel like? And then labeling the emotions the best you can. Fear feels like this. Frustration feels like this. Sadness feels like this. Anger, disappointment, or loneliness.

By naming your emotions, you become the witness to them. You become the greater awareness that can hold them.

And now just pick one emotion to focus on and notice the physical sensations of this particular emotion.

Is it grippy or tight? Hot or cold? Clenched?

Gently labeling the sensations you feel by saying them quietly to yourself.

Oftentimes we store anger in the jaw, sadness across the chest, or fear in our bellies. And now invite the sensations to become stronger, to grow in their intensity. Making space for all the little bits to do what they want. To open and grow bigger.

Let the emotion expand further, to fill all the space around you. To fill the room, your whole house, the whole of the sky. Let the feeling become fast. And notice how it changes, it might intensify and get stronger and then become softer. It could feel less personal, more like a strong current moving through you, or another emotion or physical sensation could come up.

And now that you've felt discomfort in your body, this provides an opening for practicing self-compassion. Compassion moves towards suffering and pain.

Place your hand on your heart softly.

This natural gesture of self-kindness releases oxytocin, the feel good hormone to help you feel more calm and peaceful.

See if you can hold this difficulty and compassion with tenderness.

And then repeat the following phrases of self-compassion to yourself. Saying gently and with kindness:

I'm having a hard time right now. Everyone feels this way sometimes. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need

Really accepting that compassion for yourself. Feeling this energy flow through your entire being, sensing this warmth, compassion, and care, letting it sink in.

And repeating the phrases of self-compassion again:

I'm having a hard time right now. Everyone feels this way sometimes. May I be kind to myself in this moment. May I give myself the compassion I need.

And just notice how your heart feels now, gently beating below your hand. And you can remove your hand from your heart and just begin to get curious again about the area of discomfort in your body.

Maybe the discomfort has grown stronger, or maybe it's changed and it's a little less intense but still challenging. If you felt a release and you're feeling good, you can feel free to stop at this point and get back to whatever you were doing.

Restoration — Self Worth

This practice will take about eight minutes and will help you release that feeling that you’re somehow falling short, not doing enough, or if you’re feeling overwhelmed. We often don’t hear it described this way, but shame is that never enough feeling and shame is an especially challenging emotion. Even saying shame can elicit the shame response, it’s that strong.

So although this practice might be challenging, since you are probably feeling like stopping because I’ve said shame so many times already, stick with me for this healing journey if you can.

Start by paying attention to shame. Noticing the part of your body where the shame resides.

Where do you feel it in your body?

Get curious about the feeling and notice all the qualities wrapped up in the discomfort. Is it hot or cold? Tight, gripping, heavy? Clenched, throbbing, searing, or stabby? Solid?

Just feel the various elements of the discomfort while gently labeling the sensations by saying them quietly to yourself.

Now let your attention rest for three luxurious breaths. And let yourself feel a little release, however tiny.

See how the breath creates a small pocket of open space, and then noticing that discomfort. Wherever you feel shame in your body, begin to soften around the discomfort. No need to go into the discomfort directly, just soften around the edges.

You can even say gently, soften, soften, soften.

Then imagining you can soothe the discomfort directly. Maybe imagining a warm towel or a gentle touch. Bring something soothing to that area, or simply saying, soothe, soothe, soothe.

And then just allow those feelings to be there, just as they are. Without trying to change them or even wishing they were different. Just allow the feelings to be exactly as they are. Allow. Allow. Allow.

Not making the sensations wrong, just letting them be exactly as they are. And just notice if anything has shifted.

Do you feel any pockets open up? Any tension released, or a little bit of space created?

Just imagine that open space filling with light. It can be visually imaging a light, or maybe the felt sensation of a light combing to those areas. And enjoying the feeling of openness and lightness where there once was shame. Just really feeling and imaging that space being filled with light.

Relaxation — Being on Your Own Side

This relaxing practice will help you unwind and be on your own side and will take about nine minutes. You can start by laying down or sitting on the floor or in a chair, just getting comfortable, softening your gaze, or gently closing your eyes, finding a position that feels supportive for you.

Feeling your body where it makes contact with a support beneath you and settling in and just noticing your breathing as you inhale and then exhale, feeling the breath moving through your body.

Your chest gradually expanding as you inhale, and then gently relaxing as you exhale, and then allowing yourself a luxurious inhale and exhale.

Just taking as much time as you want for the breath, inhaling and exhaling, at a pace that feels comfortable for you. And then placing your hand gently on your heart, as you start to cultivate feelings of warmth and self-compassion and thinking of something you're struggling with right now or something you're beating yourself up about, And we'll start with noticing, noticing, how does it feel in your body? Do you notice any tightness or tension when you think of this difficulty or self-criticism? Getting really curious, how does it show up in your body?

The self-judgment, is it tight or gripping? Pokey or hot? Solid, or tingling?

Just start to notice how the discomfort feels without trying to change it. And now just recognizing this is difficult, ouch, it's hard to be present with what's uncomfortable. You can say, ouch, this is painful or, yeah, this is hard for me right now or whatever words resonate with you as you acknowledge the pain caused by self-criticism.

Acknowledging our discomfort and pain is the first step towards recognizing that you're deserving of your compassion and care. Compassion flows naturally towards pain and suffering, so spotting the discomfort is where you want to begin.

And next we'll connect with a deep truth and wisdom. Everyone feels this way sometimes, this is a part of what it means to be human, we all experience emotional pain from time to time. And it doesn't matter if the pain is self-inflicted through criticism, when discomfort is present in the body, it's hard and if you're starting to get more self-critical by blaming yourself for feeling this way, please remember that feelings are not your fault. Feelings just happen, you're not alone in this. Everyone who has ever been self-critical has felt this way before. And now will practice self-kindness and bring gentleness towards ourselves, just like you would a good friend who's having a hard time.

We don't need to finish our to-do list or achieve a certain level of success, or have a tidy home in order to be worthy of self-compassion, there is nothing needed to be deserving of your compassion and support. You deserve warm-hearted compassion just for being a living, breathing human being.

Think about what you might say to comfort a friend who's having a hard time, and then speak those words to yourself. Things like, I'm sorry you're feeling this way, but I'm here for you. I believe in you. You're doing a great job. You are so much stronger than you realize. It's okay to take care of yourself. You deserve everything you wish for and more, and anything else that comes to mind, just speaking to yourself like you would of dear friend.

And then just repeating these phrases of self-compassion, repeating them silently to yourself. I'm having a hard time right now. Everyone feels this way sometimes. I'm not alone in this experience. May I be kind to myself in this moment…