Since the free app that I recommended for my Afterglow Support Group curriculum guided meditations, “Stop, Breathe & Think,” went out of business, I want to offer some alternatives for you to use instead. Feel free to print and read them aloud in your group.
“Find a comfortable seated position. Let your hands rest naturally and allow your shoulders to soften away from your ears. Take a slow, steady breath in through your nose, and gently release it through your mouth. Bring your awareness inward. Notice whatever physical sensations, mood, or energy you are bringing to this moment, meeting yourself exactly where you are without judgment.
“Bring one hand up to rest gently over your heart space, feeling the steady beat and the warmth beneath your palm. Acknowledging that life has its difficult seasons, and that it is completely human to experience stress, fatigue, or need support, especially while caring 24/7 for another tiny human, we will silently offer ourselves a few simple words of kindness, along with our exhale:
- “May I be gentle with myself.”
- “May I give myself the patience I need.”
- “May I accept myself just as I am in this adjustment to parenthood phase.”
“Feel the resonance of those words sinking into your body with each breath.
- “May I be gentle with myself.”
- “May I give myself the patience I need.”
- “May I accept myself just as I am in this adjustment to parenthood phase.”
“When you feel steadied in those words of self-compassion, gently broaden your circle of awareness. Bring to mind someone in your life who is easy to appreciate—a close friend, a family member, your baby, or a beloved pet. Picture them clearly in your mind’s eye. Imagine sending that same quality of warmth and goodwill in their direction, silently wishing for their well-being:
- “May you be safe.”
- “May you be gentle with yourself.”
- “May you feel safe and supported.”
“If it feels natural, expand your awareness further—perhaps to your broader community, or to all parents everywhere who, like you, are navigating the complexities of daily life. Silently extend a wish of shared humanity:
- “May we all be gentle with ourselves.”
- “May we all give ourselves the patience we need.”
- “May we all find moments of peace and ease.”
- “May we accept ourselves just as we are in this adjustment to parenthood phase.”
“Bring your attention back to your own body. Feel the support beneath you and the natural rhythm of your breath moving in and out, the rise and fall of your chest. When you are ready, take one deeper breath, wiggle your fingers and toes, and gently open your eyes to carry this open, compassionate mindset forward throughout your day and night, with your baby.”
