Cultivating your inner resource is an exercise derived from the IREST tradition created by Richard Miller PhD and involves creating a safe space within ourselves where we can always return even when things are difficult. It is a place of refuge within you where you feel safe, peaceful and at ease. Often time’s practitioners bring to mind a memory of a person, place or thing that created peaceful easy feelings in the past and that now lives within you. As you traverse the healing path, it is often beneficial to cultivate your inner resource through guided meditation so that it becomes more vivid and alive each time you visit. As it becomes familiar it can truly act as a place of refuge for you.
Following is a basic script to guide yourself or others to their own inner resource. You can record yourself reading this script or ask someone else to read it to you.
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Find a comfortable place to sit or lie on the floor. Allow yourself to get comfortable, move and fidget and then let yourself settle into relaxation when you are ready. Begin to sense your breath moving in and out of the body. Notice the rise and the fall and the expansion and contraction of the breath. With each exhale let yourself settle a little deeper into relaxation. Letting go of thoughts now, let your attention continue to turn inwards to sensations happening in the body. Let yourself settle here, giving yourself time to turn the attention inwards. If you notice your mind wandering back to your daily tasks and activities, just note that and turn your attention back to the body. Over and over again, we just direct our attention back inside (Allow time).
Now begin to bring to allow a peaceful memory surface where you felt peaceful, at ease and completely safe to be yourself. Take your time and allow it to come naturally. Maybe it is a particular beach or meadow, an experience with a pet that filled you with ease or the presence of a special person. Or maybe it is a place that you have imagined or dreamt about. Just let that image or memory arise (allow time).
Now begin to let the image get clearer. Maybe you notice the colors that are emerging; maybe there is a specific smell, sound or taste that comes forward. Perhaps you begin to feel a specific texture or temperature that is soothing for you such as a warm blowing wind or the soft fur of an animal. Let the details emerge (allow time).
Now that you are connected with your inner resource, allow yourself to bask in the peaceful feelings. Let it become more and more familiar with each breath. Notice where you feel peace and ease in the body. Notice how it feels to be authentically you, completely at peace, completely at ease (pause).
Now remind yourself that this place resides within you. You can return to your inner refuge anytime you want or need to feel peaceful and at ease. Your inner refuge is yours. It is a safe place within (pause).
As you are ready, begin to wiggle your fingers and your toes and slowly let your attention return back to the outside world. Take your time. Let yourself set with the peaceful feelings that you have created within.