Start Your Day in Connection
Also available on Apple iTunes-Awaken into Love Podcast
Hi, everyone, welcome to the Awaken into Love podcast. This is your host, Kiyomi Lafleur, and we are on Episode Number 5 of the Awaken into Love podcast. I'm currently lying in bed right now. It's Sunday night and I had a surge of creative inspiration for what I wanted to offer and support you with at the beginning of your week. So it's the beginning of October and if you're just tuning in right when this got released, then it's October 5th, which means a brand new month and it's a brand new week.
I know that when I had ROCD and when my anxiety and depression were so bad, I dreaded each week. I had this image that the next day was going to be exactly like the day before or the week before, and I felt like I was just dragging my feet like I was dreading a new day, even if the new day had endless possibilities of hope and progress and awakening. And so whenever I'm recording these podcasts or I'm thinking of these podcasts, I'm, of course, thinking of you. And also of my old self and my clients, all of my clients and my incredible course members at Awaken into Love. And I always think, what would my past self need to hear or what would my clients and course members or followers need to hear this week? And so that specific thought inspires me to come up here and speak to you. Because I know how isolating all of this can feel. And I know how alone you may be feeling or can be feeling as you're going through this journey, and my hope and my passion is to help you to alleviate even just a little bit of that suffering and that lie that says that you're not. Not alone. You aren't alone. Even when it feels as though you may be alone, and so this podcast is going to be a little bit different from the other podcasts that I do. Because sometimes when I had ROCD, I definitely needed to listen to understanding ROCD, feeling hope like we offer with the success stories, but I also needed deeper practices to help rewire my brain.
With ROCD, our mind is constantly on this loop and it's playing about different habits and different patterns that we've been going into numerous times for many of us since we were young. So it's important for us to many times just disrupt that wiring and create a new one and tap deeper into the subconscious to promote greater healing and awakening. So if you're driving, I'm sorry, this podcast isn't for you, because I'm going to really invite you to go a little bit deeper today. And if that scares you, I get it, but I promise you, it won't be scary. But this podcast is just going to be a guided practice guided exercise to help you help you have a little bit more momentum and inspiration for your week ahead, no matter if you're in the beginning of the ROCD journey or the middle or toward the end, no matter where you are or if you're just on this path of awakening. It's always important for us to be reminded that we are not alone. So if you're sitting or lying down, perfect, if you're driving, I invite you to pause this and listen to this later. But just for the moment and just for this podcast episode, I'm just going to invite you to listen. You don't have to believe what I say. And you never do. But I'm just going to invite you to just listen, become curious. And as you listen to this guided practice today. And as you listen to my voice. I want you to remind yourself. That I, Kiyomi, have gone through exactly what you're going through, I get it. I know it's so hard. Whether you're in the beginning of the journey where you stumbled on ROCD and anxiety, whether in the middle. Moving through the mud of discomfort, slowly having moments of awakening then going back into the mud, it's okay or whether you're in this and have been for a while, that's okay. That's okay. You're not behind. You are all right where you're meant to be.
If you woke up with anxiety or fear today and you're having obsessive thoughts. Don't believe for a moment that you failed or that you've done something wrong. What if you believed in this moment that you are right where you are meant to be? You're right where you meant to be. And recognize where you are right now; is your growth and also your progress. Wherever you are on your journey today, in this moment, in the second, in this moment of aliveness where you're breathing, your heart is beating. I invite you to listen to my voice and just remember that I've been there too.
Now, the next moment I'm going to just invite you to take just a couple of nice deep breaths and oh, my goodness, maybe you did not do this today or maybe you haven't done this in a while, but just take a moment to feel your breath. Really feel it. And if you're feeling like, oh, I just want to pause this, I'm going to keep you going. Keep going. Feel the ground underneath you wherever you're sitting. Feel your belly expanding as you breathe, breathe into your heart and if you'd like, place your hand on your heart. Feel the touch of your hand on your heart. You are alive. You are here and I am so proud of you. Now, with your eyes closed and with you breathing. I want you just to imagine a white little bubble at the top of your head just floating a beautiful white bubble. And this white bubble is a bubble of complete safety. Bubble of complete safety. And you don't have to figure out where it came from. But just imagine it being there at the top of your head. If you can't feel what safety feels like. I invite you just to think or imagine a sense of peace. Your gentleness. Kindness. And as you imagine, this white bubble, recognize it slowly, starting to expand like a protective shield, like a protective cloth moving over your head, down your shoulders, down your arms, your elbows, your wrists, your hands, all of your fingers moving down your chest, stomach, hips, back, thighs, legs, knees, all the way down to your toes and your feet. And just imagine this white bubble of safety. Around here. Comforting you. Holding you. You are safe here.
Now in the next moment. I'm going to invite you to keep your eyes closed and imagine me sitting in front of you. Just allow whatever picture comes up or image that comes up, it's not wrong, it just is. Just imagine me sitting in front of you. Imagine me having gone through everything you're going through and have been going through right now. Imagine me acknowledging you, seeing you. I know this is hard. I know this feels so tough, and I know sometimes you feel as though you can't keep going or you're tired of relapsing and regressing. I know. It can be hard being human sometimes, but listen, you're doing this every day, you're doing this, and that is the greatest and deepest love and courage. Most people wouldn't do this. Why? Because it's hard, because it's deeply loving. You're here because you care, because you love, because you're strong and you have the strength to do this. I'm going to keep inviting you to just imagine that white bubble of safety around you and me sitting in front of you, remembering and reminding yourself that I have gone through everything you've gone through. And if I can, you can too.
And the next moment. I invite you to imagine a couple of people next to you. Doesn't matter what they look like, doesn't matter what they're doing, but these people are people listening to the podcast with you right now.
There are people from the course, YouTube channel, Instagram, our listeners, people from all around the world speaking different, same languages, different and same ages, different career, same careers. And imagine them continuing to pop up around you like little bubbles of light, sitting right next to you. Right in front of you, right behind you. You can even imagine them in their own little safe bubbles walking their own journey, but with you. We can sometimes feel so alone on this journey. But I'm going to tell you right now, this is an illusion, it's a lie that we are separate. Our mistake and false assumption is in this lie of this belief that we are alone, that we're the only ones on the planet who experience this, that in some way you're an exception. But I invite you right now, as you imagine me and all of these people around the world sitting with you. Walking this path with you. To try on this belief that you're not alone. If I can, you can do that, if others can, you can too, you are not an exception. You have the power and the ability within you to awaken, to heal, and you are doing it right as you're listening to this. You could imagine other people around you and their hearts beating with you, breathing, listening to this podcast with you. You can even imagine them saying to you, you're not alone. I'm walking this with you. And just keep breathing and imagining yourself in the safe bubble of light and love with these people. These people are cheering you on. They're supporting you. And maybe it might be hard to receive that right now. Maybe it may be hard to feel that right now, and that's okay. Whatever you're feeling is okay. But I'm going to invite you just for a moment. It's become curious to recognize this truth. That even in your darkest days, even in the moments where you feel most alone and low, that you are supported. That you are not alone.
Now, as you imagine, all of these thousands of people around you are walking the same path with you. I want you to think of the fact that you are starting this new week knowing that each week has the potential. And maybe there's fear with it, maybe there's sadness and that's okay, but I just want to remind you that tomorrow, the next day and the day after that doesn't have to look like you're past. Each week and each day is an opportunity and path for deeper awakening, and no, that doesn't mean to be completely free of ROCD for you to not have any thoughts or any feelings of doubt or uncertainty. That is life. That is human. But it is a week of an opportunity to be kinder to yourself, to be more loving and compassionate to yourself. To feel safer in your body and who you are has this magnificent, incredible being that you are. When you fail to recognize how amazing you are. To remember all of these people around you. Who are cheering you on in your magnificent. Some days you might walk this path feeling scared. Some days you might have a glimmer of hope, of excitement. But no matter how you're feeling. You aren't doing anything wrong. No matter how you are feeling, you are supported and you are not alone.
Now, I invite you again, have your hand as moved away from your heart to place your right hand on your heart to take a couple of more nice deep breaths in, feel your breath so liveness this breath that moves through us for us, this breath that connects us to every other human being on this planet, this breath that reminds us that we are in this together. Feeling the breath moving in and out with every inhale, a new opportunity, with every exhale, a letting go, I'm letting go, letting go of old and false beliefs that you are alone, old and false beliefs that you are not capable, old and false beliefs that you can't do this, old and false beliefs that you are not love, you are not worthy. Breathing into new beliefs, that you are loved. That you can do this. That you are doing this. You are safe. But you are so worried that your relationship is so worth it. And that you are not alone. Feel this love for you. This connection. And allow yourself to breathe in this community and connection.