Inspired by Women

Hi, I'm Sam, and I'm grateful to get to share a heartfelt meditation with you and your loved ones. Let's take this opportunity to reflect on the contributions of women and the ways in which they have shaped who we are. I was raised by women. They were the strongest pillars in my life who loved me into being. And as I think of them, I remember their tireless commitment to their children and grandchildren and the ways they showed up every day to make a living, inspire people around them, and share their wisdom with me through their lived example. Who are the women in your life? Who are the women who inspire you to show up authentically with love? Maybe they're friends or mothers, sisters, teachers, or neighbors. They may even be women that you've never met, women whose stories have inspired you and impacted your life. Whoever they are, this meditation is a celebration and a love letter to them and to us. This meditation is designed as a communal practice, so invite a special woman or two in your life to practice with you as you gather and honor each other's strength, resilience, and love. And if you can't be together in person right now, just imagine a woman in your life who you'd like to practice with, and imagine that they're here with you right now. Meditating is a vulnerable act. It's trust in action. We're choosing to go inward and witness and allow all of ourselves to show up. Choosing to be vulnerable in this way together is an assertion of the trust and connection you have with each other. So let's just take a moment to acknowledge this. Just let that sink in. How great is it to practice together, to have other people in your life who are willing to be vulnerable with themselves and with you, to seek truths, often really uncomfortable ones, and then to share these experiences with you? So let's take this moment to get comfortable in our bodies. And if it's comfortable for you, you can close your eyes or just rest your gaze on a spot in front of you. And just find a relaxed, seated posture, feeling the support of the surface underneath you. And just allow your spine to lengthen and your chest to open, inviting the heart space to expand. And we'll just invite a smooth transition into stillness, just allowing your body to shift and settle in any way it needs. And then notice what it's like to make this transition inward. Maybe it feels natural and welcome today, or maybe it's a bit challenging. Maybe you notice restlessness or just busyness in the mind. See if you can greet this transition with a gentle acceptance, however it is today. And let's just take a few slower, deeper breaths, just feeling the abdomen expand as you inhale, and then feeling it rest back down as you exhale. And now just explore the...