Honoring Our Identity

Hi, my name is Rosie. I'm one of the meditation and mindfulness teachers here at Headspace. I'll be guiding your practice today. How do we honor ourselves, our lineage, and our identity? Some of us have grown up inheriting stories and experiences that came before us. Our ancestry creates the fabric of who we are. Often during meditation practices, we are informed to let go of that identity, but what if that identity is what gives us solace to live our life? What if that sense of belonging is what has kept us moving forward? Welcome to this meditation for belonging. A friend of mine once said, "Too many people spend their lives being dutiful descendants instead of good ancestors." So how do we bridge the gap between both? How do we hold both our past and our future in the present moment by honoring both and by cultivating a sense of belonging to ourselves? This practice was created so that we can bring our attention into the present moment and acknowledge who we are, those that came before us, and resting in the belonging that is our birthright. We will go on a journey of presence and relaxation. I encourage you to create a space where you can comfortably rest. It can be difficult in a changing world to find your place. This practice is designed for you to know that you already have one. If you need to take a break or a pause at any point during this practice, please do so and return when you feel ready. Let's begin. If it's comfortable, you can start with your eyes open. Take in your surroundings for a moment. Orient yourself with your space. Take in everything you see around you. Find a place to arrange your focus so that it's relaxing for you. If you prefer to close your eyes, you can do so now. If you prefer to gaze at a point, allow your gaze to be soft, remembering that you can always return to this point as your anchor. Take a deep breath in through your nose and back out through your mouth like a slow moving wave. With each breath, gently filling your lungs with air and every exhale, relaxing your body further. Do this two more times. In through the nose and out through the mouth. This time, as you breathe in through the nose, your face softening. Exhale back out through your nose, your shoulder softening, creating a sense of ease. Feel your body grounding down to the floor. Move your awareness to your seat or whatever base it's on. Feel the connection between you and the ground and relax. Let your spine grow taller, softening the upper back, your shoulders, your arms, your hands. As you breathe, notice the expansion of your chest, the softening of the front body. Relax your throat, your jaw, the muscles of your face, and the crown of your head. Observe your body breathing gently. Begin to...