Guided Meditation: Stop Holding Yourself Back

One of the most important things to know is that creating transformation in your life is not just about thinking positive and having a really good vision, but it's also about removing the inner roadblocks that are stopping you from getting there in the first place. This is the key, and if you can learn to unlock what is stopping you then you're able to access the greatest gifts of your life.

Shadow work is learning why you continue engaging in habits that are out of alignment with your highest good. 

Shadow work is learning the secret habits that are keeping you back. 

Is it fear? Trauma from childhood? Patterns and conditioning that are hard to break? 

Once we learn what’s holding us back, we can finally say YES to what’s waiting for us. 

This free guided meditation will help you.

The key to unlocking our greatest gifts lies in the shadow. You are learning and growing. No need to judge yourself. But it’s time to say YES to a bigger dream. 

If you’re ready to learn what’s REALLY holding you back, listen to this free guided meditation.

Listen to this Guided Meditation for Free on Apple Music, Spotify, Youtube, and more here - or on your favorite streaming platform. 

Please enjoy!

THE TRANSCRIPT OF THIS PRACTICE CAN BE FOUND BELOW:

One of the most important things to know is that creating transformation in your life is not just about thinking positive and having a really good vision.

But it's also about removing the inner road blocks that are stopping you from getting there in the first place.
This is the key.

And if you can learn to unlock what is stopping you, then you're able to access the greatest gifts of your life, and you deserve that.
And so this practice will help you unlock and unblock what is stopping you from reaching your dreams.

Go ahead and find a comfortable way to sit.
And if you're comfortable doing so, I invite you to shut your eyes.
Place your hands over the center of your chest, one over the other, and relax a little more deeply, just softening your body, letting gravity take you.
Now, take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out.
And again, another deep breath in, and a deep breath out.
In a moment, for this next breathing practice, I want you to inhale for four, hold for four, exhale for four, and then here's the key, hold it out for four.
And I'll walk you through each step.

Ready?

Inhale with me for one, two, three, four.
Hold for one, two, three, four.
Exhale one, two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three.
Again, inhale two, three, four, 
Hold for one, you got it, two, three, four.
Exhale one, two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three.
Last time.
Inhale one, two, three, four.
Hold for one, two, three, four.
Exhale one, two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three, release.
Now just breathe normally.

I want you to imagine, call into your mind, an image of a future version of yourself who is living the life of your dreams.
I want you to pretend that everything can be exactly as you could always want and dream of.
You have the body you've always wanted. 
You have the money you've always wanted. 
You’re in the house you've always wanted.
Your relationships are as you've always wanted them to be.
Your self-love and self-care practices are on point as you would always want them to be.
And if this feels impossible, good, because if we can't think beyond our current circumstances, how can we expect to live beyond them? 

So let yourself go there with me.

Like you can rub a magic lamp, anything's possible.
What do you notice in this future vision of yourself?
Even if it's fuzzy or blurry or a little incomplete, trust what arises.
Take a moment now to scan around this future vision.
And notice in the vision if you're indoor or if you're outdoor, in the vision.
What colors do you see? 
Is there anybody there with you, or are you alone?
And what's happening in this vision that indicates to you that you are indeed living the life of your dreams?

I want it to feel like if this came true, it would be a miracle.
What do you notice?
Keep scanning around this vision to just take in as much as you possibly can for the next few moments.
And now, keeping this vision in mind, I'm gonna ask you a few questions.
And without judgment or force, I want you to just trust the answers that arise, without feeling an immediate need to do anything about them.
Just be witness to what shows up.

First, bringing your vision present, as present as you can in your mind, and this future version of yourself.
Here’s your first question.
Ask yourself, what is one habit that I am engaged in regularly that's keeping me from reaching my vision?
I’ll ask it again, what is one habit that I'm engaged in regularly that's keeping me from reaching my vision?
And your second question, what is keeping me from shifting this habit or giving it up?
What is keeping me from shifting this habit or giving it up altogether?
And your final question, what part of me is making the choice to continue with this habit, even when I know it's not in my highest good?
I'll ask it again.
Feel it in your heart.
What part of me is making the choice to keep engaging in this habit, even when I know it's not in my highest good?

This is a really important question to ask, because if you know that there is a habit or something that you're doing that is keeping you from being able to become the version of yourself that you wanna be, then what part of you is making that choice? 

Is it your trauma from childhood? 
Is it your pattern and conditioning?
Is it fear disguised? 
And without any shame and blame, we just own it, because this is how we become aware and then make the choice to say yes to our dreams.

Take a deep breath in, and a deep breath out.
And just like we started the practice, inhale with me for one, two, three, four.
Hold for one, two, three, four.
Exhale one, two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three.
Again, inhale one, two, three, four.
Hold for one, two, three, four.
Exhale one. two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three, four.
Inhale one, last time, two, three, four.
Hold for one, two, three, four.
Exhale one, two, three, four.
Hold it out for one, two, three, and release.

You have an opportunity here and now, to say yes to your dream.
Yes to releasing the sometimes hidden habits that are sometimes hiding right in plain sight, that cause us to sabotage ourselves from reaching forward towards our dreams.
And these habits are often hiding in what's called our Shadow, which means they're impacting your life without you sometimes fully even realizing. 

The key to unlocking our greatest gifts lies in the shadow, and today you gained new awareness.
So be kind and compassionate with yourself, because every step of the way, in each moment, you are learning and you are growing, and so there's no use in beating yourself up for it.
What you can do now, in this moment, is say yes to a bigger dream.

This is Justin Michael Williams, signing out, and I'll meet you right here in this special place, the next time we practice together.
Bye for now.