Candice Wu 0:00

Hello and welcome to the Embody Podcast where we talk about remembering and embodying your true nature, living from your soul, healing, and loving yourself. This is the place to advance your own healing process as we will journey through healing experiences, conversations, and meditations together.

Candice Wu 0:18

This is Candice Wu. I’m a holistic healing facilitator and intuitive coach. I live and love my practice of Embodied Healing because it has truly helped me to be more at home in myself and living a life for my soul. I love to support people in healing personal trauma and intergenerational trauma, in feeling love and worthiness, knowing themselves deeply, feeling at ease in their bodies, and tapping into their body wisdom, and shining as the beautiful expression of themselves that they are.

Candice Wu 0:48

This is session one, New Beginnings. In this episode, you’ll journey with me in the exploration of moving through new beginnings or challenges, with a discussion and three meditations.

Candice Wu 1:00

The first meditation is from the practice of Karma Yoga. And it’s about connecting deeply with the wise of what you’re doing, especially the unconscious wise, and who you are behind it. This is important because it helps you start on the right foot when you’re taking action, and helps you find the true reasons why you’re doing what you’re doing.

Candice Wu 1:20

The second meditation is to offer strength and resilience when you’re moving through challenges or new things.

Candice Wu 1:27

And the third meditation is about moving through fears or anxiety about starting something new. These might be interesting for you so that you can build your capacity in your body and your nervous system, and go for what you’d like to and your life.

Candice Wu 1:40

So, since this is the beginning of the first session of the Embody Podcast, I thought the perfect topic would be new beginnings, and how to move through new beginnings with grace and with all of yourself.

Candice Wu 1:53

It’s not always easy to start something new. Often, fears can come up or anxieties. Or you might even stall yourself or put it off completely. When’s the last time you started something new? Or move through a challenge? And what are the new things that you’re beginning now in your life? What would you like to begin in your life?

Candice Wu 2:12

These are some of the questions that I have for you. And as we move through the podcast today, I’d like to share three ways that I support myself in getting through starting something new. Whatever it is that you are doing or acting on, whether it’s starting something new or moving through a challenge, or working towards a goal, it’s good to know why you’re doing what you’re doing. People who know why they’re doing what they’re doing are more likely to achieve it. And it gives what you’re doing life and purpose.

Candice Wu 2:41

In the Yoga Sutras, the scripts of knowledge, there are a couple of Sutras that describe that our actions have consequences, and that the consequences are directly related to the intention behind the action.

Candice Wu 2:54

In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra translation, Chapter 2 Sutras 12–14 described that our actions have consequences and that the consequences are directly related to the intention behind the action.

Candice Wu 3:09

The practice of this is called Karma Yoga. Karma means action. And in this practice, we ask ourselves, why am I doing what I’m doing? And who am I being behind this and why?

Candice Wu 3:21

This is a good chance for me to share with you why I’m doing this podcast. I’m doing this podcast because I’d like to offer my healing experiences and the ideas that come through me. It’s a chance to truly express my voice and to share the ways that I found helpful in healing and to be myself. So the question to ask beyond this is, who am I being behind this? And usually, that comes in the form of an “I am” statement, to be clear.

Candice Wu 3:48

For me, it’s, I am myself. I am radiant. And I’m fully expressed. Getting to this place of who am I being behind why I’m acting, helps us to get to the core of what we’re doing, and why. This also separates action from focusing on the outcomes and shifts the focus to myself, and what possibility of myself that I’m tapping into. With all of this, what’s most important is to embody. Embody who you are, or who you want to be behind what you’re doing. So that you can take actions from this place, and allow the greatest possibility of abundance.

Candice Wu 4:32

So let’s jump into the meditation about getting to the “whys” and the “who” behind what you’re doing. If you’re just joining me, or are ready to do the meditation, feel free to find a comfortable place to sit. Sit on a pillow or a block, or rolled up blankets. Whatever you need to feel comfortable. And feel free to close your eyes or look down. And notice your breathing.

Candice Wu 5:08

Notice earth below you and which parts of your body are rested on the floor. Start to feel any sensation or emotion that’s happening inside. So ask yourself, what new things or challenges are you stepping into? Choose one for now. Whether it’s a challenge or something new you’re beginning, picture this thing or action, or this challenge. Notice any sensation in the body or emotions that come up while doing it.

Candice Wu 6:06

And now ask yourself and be completely honest and transparent. Why are you doing this? Or why do you want to do this? And listen for the response from inside. Whatever your responses, continue to ask why again, until you get to the very bottom of it. Until it has to do with you and who you’d like to be.

Candice Wu 6:43

For example, if the answer is, to provide for my kids, this is why I’m doing what I’m doing. And ask yourself, why? Is the answer because I get to be a good father? Or is it, so that I don’t feel judgment from my colleagues? Or, that I’m afraid that people will outcast me? Whatever the answer is now, notice it. And keep asking yourself why, ’til you get deeper and simpler, to the core of why you’d like to do this or why you’re doing it.

Candice Wu 7:31

Feel free to pause the meditation at any time, if you need more time. Now we’ll move on to the next question.

Candice Wu 7:42

Whatever your why is, ask yourself now, is this a good reason for me to do this? Is this reason from fear and constriction, or from openness and expansion? Notice what comes up for you now without any judgment. Now ask yourself, who are you being or who would you like to be behind this action? Let yourself find an “I am” statement that clarifies who you’d like to be behind this.

Candice Wu 8:38

An example is “I am enough,” or “I am lovable,” “I’m vibrant,” “I’m disciplined.” Now, imagine and feel that you are already that. Picture yourself being and acting from this intention of who you are. Notice this image of yourself and feel any sensation or emotion that comes with it.

Candice Wu 9:25

Imagine yourself being truly complete in this intention, in this statement of “I am.” And notice how you act and take steps from this place. Feel free to take as long as you’d like to picture yourself being in this intention and acting from here. If you’d like more time, please pause the podcast now and resume when you’re ready.

Candice Wu 10:10

And now we’ll move into the second meditation, which is resourcing strength and resilience. We begin with this meditation instead of working through fears first, so that the nervous system can build safety in the body. Then when we go into the fears and anxieties of the third meditation, you’ll have more capacity internally to feel through what’s there. In this meditation, I will invite you to recall a time that you began something new or got through a challenge.

Candice Wu 10:39

For me being in a Chinese family, we showed very little affection. And when I was in middle school, I noticed all of my friends hugging. It was a weird experience, but I wanted to experience it for myself. And I wanted it with my family members.

Candice Wu 10:53

This idea was a bit freaky because nobody hugged each other in my family at that time. It just wasn’t the way we showed love. But, I decided to go for it. And one day I hugged my mom. And it was weird. But over time, it got easier. And now it is completely easy to hug my family members, and we do that freely. The experience of going for something that I was afraid of, gave me invigoration and a feeling of power.

Candice Wu 11:25

So as we move through this meditation, I invite you to recall a time that you tried something that you are afraid of or that was challenging or was new to you. And we will strengthen the feeling that came after you completed or got through this experience. So let’s jump into the meditation.

Candice Wu 11:47

Feel free to find a comfortable place again, whether that seated in a chair or on the floor, or standing. Feel the floor beneath you, feel your breath. Find your spine and notice each of the vertebra stacking on top of one another. Be open and curious to whatever experience, emotion, or sensation you have in the present moment.

Candice Wu 12:25

Now I invite you to recall a time that you began something new or that you had a challenge, or something scary, and you got through it. This can be as simple as speaking up when it was hard to, writing something to a loved one and sending it, making a meal or anything that comes to mind now.

Candice Wu 13:00

Take yourself to the moment in time where you knew you got through it. Notice where you were, what was happening at that very moment. You might even be able to recall the smells, the sounds around you, who was around you. Open your awareness to anything that you’re feeling in your body at this moment. As you imagine this part of the experience, feel any sensation in the body like lightness or tingling, heat or coolness, tension, spaciousness. Notice any emotions that come up, and where they’re located in your body.

Candice Wu 14:10

Let yourself experience this without doing anything at all. Take as long as you’d like here. If you need more time, please pause the podcast. And if you’re ready to move forward, notice how you feel about doing that same type of action at this moment. If you were to do it again for the most recent time that you experienced it, notice the difference if any. And again, be aware of any emotions or sensations that come with this. Any images, and even movements in the body.

Candice Wu 15:31

Take your time here and whenever you’re ready, feel free to give a little movement to your body. Move all the fingers and toes. Deepen your breath, and slowly start to open your eyes and notice your surroundings.

Candice Wu 15:54

If you’d like more time again, please pause the meditation and join us back when you ready.

Candice Wu 16:02

And now we’ll step into the third meditation around beginning something new or stepping into challenges. This meditation is about working with the fears or anxieties that come up around stepping into something new or challenging. For this particular one, we will jump right into the meditation. So here we go.

Candice Wu 16:22

Feel free to stay in your comfy place, or find a new position of the body that feels comfortable for you. And again, just noticing yourself right here and right now, sensing your breath, any emotion and sensations in the body. Just feeling into the experience of being in your body.

Candice Wu 17:00

Now bring up the new thing or the challenge that you were focusing on from the beginning. And allow yourself to imagine one of the fears or the worst fear that’s connected with this.

Candice Wu 17:24

For me, doing a podcast brings up my perfectionist side. So I worry that I’ll say something stupid, or I’ll forget something which I already have. So with this, I distill it down to the belief that lies underneath. The belief is I am stupid or that no one will care what I have to say or that I’ll do it wrong.

Candice Wu 17:55

So feel into this action for you this beginning something new or stepping into a challenge. And notice one of the fears that you have about it. See if there’s any image or picture that comes to you about what this looks like and check in with your body. See if there’s any emotion that you’re feeling at the moment. Any sensations in the body, any movements that start to happen. And allow this to unfold without any judgment. Let yourself feel into this a dose at a time.

Candice Wu 18:52

So now when you’re ready, just let that idea go. Let the image go. Open your eyes for a moment. Just notice your surroundings. Notice if there’s something pleasant in the room to look at. Just let that break happen. When you’re ready to go back to the fear or anxiety, or the discomfort, shift back to the image or emotion that you had before about starting something new or stepping into a challenge.

Candice Wu 19:38

I invite you to go back and forth at your own pace, to just looking around the room, taking a break and feeling into the fear, discomfort, or anxiety of this image. And as you do so, notice what’s happening in your body. Notice any emotion and sensation, feel into what changes, what stays the same. And know that you can always take a longer break than just a few breaths or minutes. You can come back to it tomorrow or next week.

Candice Wu 20:34

For now, feel free to pause the podcast if you’d like more time to practice this. Or if you’re ready to end the meditation, then you can stay with me and start to notice your breathing again. Feel free to deepen your breath. Give a little movement or stretch to the body if you’d like. Then gently open the eyes and notice your surroundings.

Candice Wu 21:11

I invite you to return back to the time when you got through something challenging or did something new, and how that felt. So that you can embody that strength and return to it if you’d like to. And now give yourself some gratitude for practicing these three meditations, for doing some internal work with beginning something new or stepping into a challenge and honor anything that happened in this time.

Candice Wu 21:54

If you’d like further support or have questions, feel free to reach out to me. Thank you so much for joining me today for these three powerful meditations, and for the start of my podcast. Look out for more podcasts on healing tips, meditations, and ways to care and love yourself.

Candice Wu 22:12

If you’d like to learn more, you can also join me in the Embody Community on Facebook by going to CandiceWu.com/embody. Also check out my website for more information about healing, consulting, retreats, and meditation albums with me. It was nice to be here with you and see you next time.

Candice Wu 0:00
This is the first of four meditations that will be released in conjunction with the podcast about nature as medicine and healing. You can find the full podcast at CandiceWu.com/nature.

Hello, and welcome. You're listening to the Embody Podcast, a show about remembering and embodying your true nature, inner wisdom, embodied healing, and self-love.

My name is Candice Wu, and I'm a holistic healing facilitator, intuitive coach, and artist, sharing my personal journey of vulnerability, offering meditations and guided healing support, and having co-creative conversations with healers and wellness practitioners from all over the world.

Today, I am sitting outside and the birds are chirping. I'm in Perth, Australia, and I'm facing several large and old trees. I'm not a tree kind of source. I don't know how exactly which trees these are, but I invite you to either get outside and look for a tree around you or look out the window or pull up a picture from the internet of a beautiful tree. You might look up magnificent tree or a certain kind of tree that you like, anything will do.

In this meditation, I'll guide you to let your eyes trace the outlines of the tree to trace the organic line, and to let yourself just experience what this does for you. It's a way to help the body to rebalance to its true nature, to allow the body to heal whatever needs healing inside, and to bring a grounding and stability as well as strength to your day.

Doing this meditation can also help you to feel more creative, free, flowing, and natural in your work day as well as in any creative thing that you're doing. In many traditions, including somatic experiencing, family constellations, EMDR therapy, as well as yoga, the eyes are an essential aspect of healing, and when we can see a resource or when we can see something that gives us strength, something changes inside of us or when we move our eyes right to left or top to bottom or diagonally as in yoga or EMDR therapy, there's a healing effect that takes place. From both yoga and EMDR therapy, there's a bilateral stimulation of the brain that takes place when it moves side to side, when the eyes go back and forth, and that brings us to the amygdala to the center of where all of our emotions are stored connected with a nervous system, and that can bring up emotions that can release them.

In somatic experiencing, we are reminded that the eyes can also help us find safety. We can orient ourselves with our eyes, we can see what's around us. If you don't have good eyesight, that's okay, because you can also sense into what's around you and sense into your safety, but the eyes particularly can hold an energy pattern of what might have been stuck in time, in the past, if we've been through something scary, even a car accident or a relational trauma or abuse. The eyes can store a locked way of being that wants resolution. It can store shock, it can store fear, and it can also be the way towards healing.

So, these are just a few of the ways that the eyes are an essential part of the healing process, and hopefully the meditation today will support you in feeling ease and groundedness, but you may feel some other emotions come through at the same time or beforehand or even after. As you do this meditation, just notice what comes up for you, and allow yourself to have some time with it.

If at any time things feel overwhelming or a bit too distressing, feel free to just take a break and slow down, and just look at the ground. Look around so that you're not focused on the meditation anymore, but that you can just orient yourself to the safety of this space here and now. And without further ado, let's jump into the meditation.

So, as you are either outside or sitting with a picture of a tree or looking out the window, find yourself a comfortable place to be, and in a comfortable seated position.

Take a moment to adjust and feel into the space that you're in right here and now. Feel free to look around you, and sense anything that seems pleasant to look at, comforting or soothing.

Feel your breath. Notice any sounds around you. Feel the air on your skin as well as in and out of your mouth or nose. Now, as you look towards the tree that you've chosen, just start at the base of the trunk. Whatever you can see, and follow with your eyes slowly the line of the tree edge, and traced that line of the trunk to a branch all the way out to the edge of the branch, the end of it very slowly. Pause at any spot that seems interesting. When you get to the end of that branch, trace it back the other way, and just trace it all the way back down to the base of the tree.

And when you get to the base of the tree, imagine the roots that go down into the earth. Imagine the depth of these roots, and then from the depths of the roots, just falling back up to the trunk of the tree that you can see, and again, following the line of the tree, this time even slower, looking at the subtleties and the bumps all the way out to a branch. As you do this, sense into your own body feeling anything that's happening inside, as if you're watching a movie, and noticing sensation in the body, any emotion, how your eyes or different parts of your body are feeling, and where in your body feels soothed or grounded, calm, and take a break anytime just to rest your eyes and to feel inward what's happening now.

Anytime you're ready to do it again, you can follow the branch, the tree lines at your pace, maybe choosing a different one that interests you or following the lines differently, wherever they may lead, and doing it even slower as if it's slow motion, so that your body can have the time to integrate and feel into exactly what's happening right here and now.

And you might notice which eye movement, which tree trunk line feels the best for you to follow right now, and it may be different now than at another time, and just do that one, a few times or as many times as you would like, and then rest your eyes when you feel ready, and just allow the image of the tree to remain in your mind. The tree including its roots.

Sense into the stability as well as the flexibility of this tree. The energy and the sense of this tree. Let yourself match the resonance of this tree in your own body, and then feel what happens inside. There's no effort needed, and just notice whatever is happening, and allow any emotions or sensations to be felt and just move. Your body may be recalibrating or releasing.

Feel free to take your time as many times as you want to do this to trace the outlines of the tree or to just turn inward to your image of the tree, and your sense of your body.

And now, I'll leave you with some silence in nature so that you can tune into this at your own pace and end at your own pace. The silence will be followed by a bit of music and then you'll know that this meditation has ended.

Candice Wu 0:00
This meditation is the second of four in the series with nature's medicine and nourishment. You can find the introductory podcast as well as all the meditations at CandiceWu.com/nature.

Hello, and welcome. You're listening to the Embody Podcast, a show about remembering and embodying your true nature, inner wisdom, embodied healing, and self-love.

My name is Candice Wu, and I'm a holistic healing facilitator, intuitive coach, and artist, sharing my personal journey of vulnerability, offering meditations and guided healing support, and having co-creative conversations with healers and wellness practitioners from all over the world.

This meditation comes from tantric practice, and it's about sensing into the earth and the sky at the location that you're at right now. This can help you to balance your emotions, to feel energized and at ease as well as to ground you or bring you movement, depending on whatever you need today.

The movement of going down and up balances prana and apana in the body, the energies of upward and downward movement, and you can practice this anytime of the day. And don't worry if this is challenging for you at first to imagine the aspects of the meditation, it will come with time and practice. Also, if you're a traveler or if you have a lot of movement in your life, a lot of thinking, you can use this meditation to ground you, to support you and feeling rooted to the space that you're in in the moment, so you can release any jet lag, and that you can feel centered. If you have insomnia, this might support you in balancing the energies in your body to give you a more restful sleep. So, let's jump in.

If you have the possibility of being outside in nature, I would recommend doing that now, and so feel free to pause the podcast and head outside. If you're not going to be out in nature, that's okay. Find yourself either way in a comfortable seated position.

Go ahead and just take a look at your surroundings briefly, just like cats and dogs do as they're settling into a space, and when you're ready, close your eyes If you feel comfortable or look down and take your fingers and touch thumb the thumb, pointer to pointer, middle to middle finger of each hand, all the fingers touching the opposing side. This mudra or hand position connects all of the elements of nature within your body, within your energetic system. It connects all of the energetic meridians so that your body is in a bit of a circuit. This mudra connects you to the five elements in your body and energy system.

Now, just notice your breath, however it is without changing it at all. Notice if your breath is shallow or deep, smooth, choppy, just the quality of your breathing, in and out of your nose, if possible.

Now, place your attention at the very top of your head, and when you breathe in, imagine tracing a line down from the top of your head down your spine to the very base of your pelvis, at the perineum. When you breathe out, imagine breathing a line up the spine all the way to the crown of the head. Continue this breath, breathing in — tracing a line down, breathing out — tracing the line up, a couple of times at your own pace.

Lengthen your spine and roots into the ground as you do this.

The next time that you breathe downward and down the spine, imagine opening up at the base of the pelvis and letting your awareness go down into the ground. If you're in a building, down all the levels of the building into the ground and into the earth or if you're in nature, just right into the earth itself. Imagine roots going down as far deep into the earth as you'd like, and when you breathe out, bringing your awareness back up through the body along the spine, opening the very top of your head, and letting your awareness go out into the sky, into the air and ether. And with each inhalation, going down all the way through the body and into the earth, and this time sensing in with your senses with the tanmantras.

Sense the earth and the ground in this space. Notice the temperature and the minerals that you sense. Notice if there's a smell or even a taste or sound, the quality of earth and the dirt and soil right here in this moment, and as you breathe into the sky, with the exhalation, do the same. Notice the quality of the air, the temperature, the sense of it, the vibration. Taste as if you could taste it, and smell it, even though you're not using your taste buds or your nose at the moment, and do this nine times in total breathing down, sensing into the earth, feeling all the nutrients, feeling any sense of the earth and the ground, and the same feeling into the sky as you exhale, the flow and the movement, made even sense, a sweet or sour taste in the air, mineral taste. Just imagine you could feel and taste, and sense with all of the senses here.

When you're complete with nine cycles of this, just breathe at your normal pace, and when you're complete the next breath in, go all the way down into the earth again, just see where all of your attention or awareness has gone, even if it's gone all the way to the core of the earth, and imagine pulling it up, back up into the body, pulling up all the roots, all of the energy that's yours, gathering all of your energy right behind the belly button.

If you need a couple of breaths to do this, that's no problem. Just breathe down, gather up all your energy, collecting it right behind your belly button, and when that's complete, close the bottom of the pelvis, just give your body that cue to close, and the next breath out going into the sky, noticing where your attention is gone in the sky into space. And again, just gathering all that energy and pulling it back into the body, all the way down the spine and right behind the belly button.

Take as many breaths as you need to gather that energy and draw it back in. Let it connect up with the energy from the root, from the roots of the earth, and when all of your energy in the sky is gathered and inside, give your body the queue to close the top of the head, and just breathe the same way we began with an inhalation going down the spine and the exhalation drawing a line up the spine. Feel that energy behind your belly button.

If that's challenging to feel it, just imagine that all that energy is stored right there, the balance of earth and sky.

And now, release that breath and just come back to your most natural breath, letting your body breathe itself.

Take some time to just feel into your body now, noticing any benefits, anything that's being released, any emotion or sensation, how your body is right now.

And I'll leave you with about 30 seconds of silence in nature to just sense inward and integrate, followed by a little bit of music, and you'll know the meditations over.

Candice Wu 0:00
Hello, and you are listening to the third of four meditations in a series related to nature's medicine and the healing properties of the elements. You can find the full podcast at CandiceWu.com/nature.

Hello, and welcome. You're listening to the Embody Podcast, a show about remembering and embodying your true nature, inner wisdom, embodied healing, and self-love.

My name is Candice Wu, and I'm a holistic healing facilitator, intuitive coach, and artist, sharing my personal journey of vulnerability, offering meditations and guided healing support, and having co-creative conversations with healers and wellness practitioners from all over the world.

Today's meditation is called Body Like Mountain, and it is tuning into some of the major elements for a sense of calmness, stability as well as movement and fluidity of emotions, and flexibility and creativity in the mind. It's also great for feeling centered and finding a natural balance in your body. You can do this anytime and anywhere outside, inside, at a break, at work. Right now, I'm in Perth, Australia and just surrounded by green and trees, birds, you can hear them in the background, so, please join me.

Find yourself in a comfortable seated position, and when you feel ready, feel free to close the eyes or look down whichever is more comfortable, and as you breathe into the body, notice the flow of your breath, however it is.

As you breathe into the body, notice the flow of your breath however it is. Let yourself be a complete witness to your body, your emotions, your mind, and hatever is in your mind at this moment, just let it go, letting go of any future thoughts and any past thoughts or memories.

Feel into the present moment. This is where you can be available to receive and to create.

Now, imagine that your body is like a mountain. Steady, standing tall, magnificent, grounded and connected to the entire earth. Feel into your steadiness, stillness, and stability.

Notice that you are ancient, that nothing can really break you. You might just crumble a little piece of sand off your back. Feel that your body is like a mountain.

And now, imagine that your mind is like sky, flowing an open, spacious, flexible that any thoughts are like clouds in the sky. Some days, it's stormy, some days, it's clear. Whatever it is today, just notice those clouds or lack of, and if there any clouds there just let them float away with the wind.

Notice that your mind is like sky, the holder of thoughts, the holder of information, and take a notice whatever's there in the sky and just let it be, body like mountain, minds like sky. And now, imagine that your emotions are like water fluid and flowing, moving, grounding you. Sense into any emotions that you have at this moment and allow them to be felt. Sometimes, they feel like still water and they're present. Sometimes, they're moving and flowing. Sometimes, they're rapid and rigorous or thrashing. Notice whatever emotions you have right now, and let them flow however they will.

In anytime they become overwhelming, just come back to your body like mountain, feeling into your steadiness and rootedness. Your body like mountain, mind like sky, emotions like water, and now, your breath like the wind. Your breath steady, breezy, and giving air, letting your breath move through all places of your body effortlessly and natural. And if it's not feeling that way, just notice how your breath is now, how the wind is at the moment, letting it be noticed whatever here. The wind can help the emotions move along and steady you, but no matter how the wind or water are moving, nothing can shake the steadiness of your body like a mountain, grand and full, and at ease. In body like mountain, mind like sky, emotions like water, wind like the breath.

Now, take your own time and feel into any of those elements that feel more compelling or soothing to you. Body like mountain, mind like sky, emotions like water, and breath like the wind. Let your entire being release into this nature, that is you, trusting in your body's innate natural organic ability to heal and balance on its own, and feel free to take as long as you'd like to sensing into your body like mountain, mind like sky, emotions like water, and breath like the wind.

And now, I'll leave you with some quiet time ending with a little bit of music, so you'll know the meditations over, and when you feel complete, feel free to give some movement to your body, stretch if you need and open the eyes.

Candice Wu 0:00
Hello, you are listening to the fourth out of four meditations of the series from nature's medicine and healing, the exploration around the elements and their healing properties. You can find the full podcast at CandiceWu.com/nature.

Hello, and welcome. You're listening to the Embody Podcast, a show about remembering and embodying your true nature, inner wisdom, embodied healing, and self-love.

My name is Candice Wu, and I'm a holistic healing facilitator, intuitive coach, and artist, sharing my personal journey of vulnerability, offering meditations and guided healing support, and having co-creative conversations with healers and wellness practitioners from all over the world.

This specific meditation is to help you balance whatever's happening in your body right now, temperature-wise, emotionally as well as energetically. We'll take some time to sense into what's happening at the moment as well as what elements of nature would be supportive for you and balancing right now. If this sort of practice is new to you, just be patient with yourself as it takes sometimes a little bit of practice to get used to as well as to be able to tune in and this way.

The way that this meditation works is that we tuned in with the tanmantras, the potential of our senses, and the ability to create any energy within us, because all of it is possible within us, every kind of healing we need can be found internally, although external support is always helpful as well. You can find that information in that conversation about tanmantras and visualizing in the full podcast itself. So, let's begin.

Find yourself a comfortable seated position, and feel free to prop yourself with pillows or anything underneath your hips that will support you. As you're ready, feel free to close her eyes or look down whichever is more comfortable, and let all of your senses tune inward.

As you release all of the past, everything that's happened up until this moment, and release all of the future, any to do lists, thoughts or worries about the future. Find yourself in alignment and sinking up with this present moment. This is where you can receive, where you're available and present.

And now, tune into yourself, sensing your emotional state, your energy, the state of your mind, your body, and any physical sensations, tension holding in the body.

Notice your temperature in the body in different places. Is there warmth or coolness? And also sense your breath, whether it's flowing smoothly, fluidly, deep or shallow, however your breath is, just sensing in.

As you scan your body from head to toes, slowly just notice where there's any space of resistance, any tension, discomfort or anything that feels like it needs balancing. Sense into what it is that you might need to support you in rebalancing, what nature can bring you.

And just going back to temperature in the body, if you're feeling a little extra warm, hot, emotional, angry, perhaps, imagine the opposite, something that would be cooling, calming, grounding, perhaps a still lake, cool water, rich soil, grass that's just been watered, and as you picture that, sense into what happens in your body, even just the tiniest bit of a change or shift.

If you're feeling cold, emotionally or physically lethargic or stuck, perhaps imagining heat and fire, maybe even smoke, depending on just how stuck you feel. Again, just sensing into however it feels as you imagine this.

And now, sense any tension or sensation in the body. Any aching, tingliness, holding or tightness, and let yourself picture whatever would support it and releasing or feeling soothed. My favorite is vinegar and baking soda just to sizzle away any tension or picturing going into the roots of a tree into the earth for grounding if there's any anxiety or restlessness or if I'm wanting to feel an expansiveness with all the tightness, just picturing the sky and feeling the air. Let yourself be free to create and add in anything that your body, your heart, your mind or spirit needs to balance, and this can come from nature, the elements fire, wind, space, earth, water or it can come from animals and plants or nature's materials, like baking soda, like elements, anything that you need.

And sense into your breath, feeling if it's a deep or shallow breath, and if it's a deep breath and you're feeling heavy or lethargic or weighted, perhaps feeling into the wind and sky or the opposite if you're feeling short of breath, like it's a shallow breath or an anxious breath or very high breath in your body, perhaps feeling into the earth, into the core of the earth, the depths of the ocean and even the flow of wind going down into a valley. Let your imagination be the limit to whatever it is that you need for your body, now.

And as you ask your body, your heart: what do I need right now? Use any image of whatever environment or element would support you now. If you're needing silence, perhaps, going all the way out into outer space or deep into the earth where it's quiet and a low vibration. If there's a tense spot in the body, perhaps, imagining a waterfall just spouting right at that spot.

Whatever could be the antidote or the remedy to bring you balance, peace or joy, calmness or groundedness, imagine that now, and feel into any small change in the body, any shift or feeling of soothing, calmness, peace, even if it's a small amount. And whatever it is that brought you the most healing or balance, whatever it is that you need the most, go back to that image and let yourself sit with it for a few more deep breaths, just noticing what happens as you stay with it and allow it to shift even more, and feel free to stay with it for as long as you'd like.

I'll give you some silence, now, followed by a little bit of music and you'll know that the guided portion of this meditation is over, and whenever you feel complete, start to move your body, shift as you need, and just slowly open the eyes.

Candice Wu 0:00

Hello, welcome. This is Candice Wu of the Embody Podcast and you’re listening to Episode 3 – Heart Love and Speaking From the Heart. Well in Chicago, this week, my Lyft driver, Marcus said to me, “I’ve been really learning to speak from my heart and not just speak from my mind.” Well, Marcus, if you’re out there, thank you so much for that juicy bit of wisdom, because it was such a poignant statement for me.

Candice Wu 0:25

Today, I’d like to share with you an exploration around speaking from the heart of Yogic and Qigong meditation to help you feel grounded and in your body, so that you can interact from a more wholehearted place, a Qigong meditation for heart balancing and a short meditation to release the external world and send deep love to yourself. So, this podcast is all about love. Let’s start with speaking from the heart.

Candice Wu 0:50

Marcus, I don’t think you’re alone in learning how to speak from your heart and not just from your mind. So often, we are just sharing what we’re thinking. Even when someone says, “How are you feeling?” We sometimes say I think, da-da-da-da. And often I find that when we’re asked, “How are you doing?” We just say some generic answer, like good or great. And yes, sometimes we’re using that as a greeting. But often, I find that it’s really just a waste of words and a waste of breath, at times. And if we can really get vulnerable with each other, we find a lot more connection.

Candice Wu 1:28

For me, it’s not always been easy to speak from the heart, especially when I felt like I had to be perfect. I had coupled or paired, not having emotions, and not showing them for that matter, with the idea of strength, perfection, competency, and professionalism. And I had this myth that if I didn’t have any emotions, except for the good ones, quote and quote, then I would be seen as good or competent or great. And I only allowed myself to express certain emotions or experiences like happiness, joy or sadness, which took a long time, sadness, tiredness, amusement, fascination, passion. But I’ve limited myself and it was exhausting. I would leave interactions with people so drained instead of connected and energized.

Candice Wu 2:21

Any emotions seemed like, they would make me look weak or unprofessional or not good enough somehow, such as anger, frustration, discouragement, embarrassment, theme, competition, fear, I could keep naming these emotions. But the fact was that no one around me really wanted to see me as this kind of perfect, it was so exhausting to them, and as well, and in fact, they could probably see right through me, and probably still do when I get into that mode. I realized I was disowning a lot of uncomfortable feelings and this made others around me uncomfortable in a way I projected my feelings outward because I didn’t want to feel them and it left other people to feel them.

Candice Wu 3:08

It was one of my previous roommates that really helped me with this. She would constantly ask me, “Don’t you feel anything about that?” or “Are you struggling with this?” And she challenged me with sharing how she felt with me, that she felt inadequate and frustrated, because that it seemed like I was portraying myself as too perfect or too good, or having it all together. It wasn’t really being human with her and she didn’t like it. And neither did I. This was hard to take, but I knew she was right. And it took me years to break that down, lots of healing work and therapy, and process groups. And it started with just being able to share my emotions with one person.

Candice Wu 3:51

Actually rewinding a bit. It started with even being able to have a range of emotions, to be able to even acknowledge that I’m feeling something. And slowly I let that reach out to my family and being able to share what I’m feeling with my family, some emotions easier than others. My friends seemed the hardest because I really wanted them to like me and felt afraid that expressing certain emotions to them, especially related to how I felt about them would endanger my likability.

Candice Wu 4:25

Eventually, I looked deeper at all of the beliefs that underlie this and work with those. I used a lot of forgiveness and feeling through the feelings and sensations that came with all of those beliefs, such as being not enough, feeling unlovable, feeling unworthy of love, and digesting all those feelings in the whole body, and not just mentally. I realized a very important aspect of all this, that I was giving so much power to the emotions, and the experiences I had, as if feeling these things, having the experiences of this defined me. It was as if I identified with them so much that they were me and I was them. And tied with the shame I felt of not being good enough, to begin with, having emotions on top of it meant more bad about me. These were all of the myth that I held. All the things that I named earlier, feeling not good enough, shameful, weak, unprofessional, incompetent, just a very deep level of shame, all of that.

Candice Wu 5:30

And even now, speaking, to what’s in my heart is not always easy. And especially with different people, it can be easier or harder I find. Last week, I had an uncomfortable conversation with one of my good friends about the disappointment that I felt that they weren’t supporting me in my healing work. I asked if it were true and why. And this allowed us to have a really honest and vulnerable conversation. When that went deeper than the surface level and played deeper than the fact that I avoided it for many years, we went to what our beliefs and perceptions were underneath this experience. And my friend was able to find out that she didn’t value her own message to the world, felt some judgment with what I charge for my healing work and this helped her see that she wanted to value herself more.

Candice Wu 6:26

For me, I realized that I’d been avoiding this conversation for years, acting like I wasn’t bothered at all. And it was out of fear of speaking to what’s truly there in my heart, because I identified with it so much. And was so ashamed of having certain feelings that it just paralyzed me. And luckily, this whole experience brought me and my friend closer. We had this thought, what if we could all go to the dark places, to the hard places within us, and also share that with others. They know that I often feel way more connection, a feeling that I’m also normal, and I’m a human being. I’m not the only one struggling with certain feelings. And I also have a lot more fun, I feel freer and less bound by my emotional state. Because there’s a bit of separation between me and my emotions, me and my experiences. But that did take some work. And I find that if there is this distance and separation, and if I’m honest and candid with people that I enjoy much more connection, to really know someone to really see someone and to let them know and see me.

Candice Wu 7:36

While this can be scary, sometimes, when I’ve taken that risk, it’s often paid off with a true and deep connection. And of course, this is not all so easy. On the first level, we need to be able to even notice our feelings before we can even feel them, let alone express them to others. So, we can practice being in our bodies, doing things like meditation, body scans, yoga, somatic experiencing, and other embodied and somatic therapies to get into our bodies and build the capacity to feel and notice what’s going on inside. For me, since I had layers of trauma, it made it terrifying at times to feel and even scarier to express what I felt to those who were close to me. So, be gentle with yourself as you explore and love your own heart and your process.

Candice Wu 8:30

So, let’s do a little exploration. Feel free to get a journal out or just sit and meditate with these questions and pause the audio at any time, if you’d like more time.

Candice Wu 8:45

My first question to you is, what emotions do you allow yourself to notice, to feel and to express to people? Which ones are harder to feel? To check in with happiness, joy, frustration, guilt, shame, embarrassment, sadness, grief, loss, despair, helplessness, hopelessness, worthiness, anger, anxiety. These are just some of the main emotions.

Candice Wu 9:28

And the next question, which emotions do you feel comfortable expressing to people? And which ones do you feel uncomfortable expressing? What are your fears about expressing certain feelings to certain people around you?

Candice Wu 9:47

And encourage you to explore these in your journaling or explore them with a friend, therapist, healer or coach. And also notice which emotions you may feel challenged with. Notice where that comes from for you. For me, a lot of the limitations on the range of my emotions seem to root in childhood and my ancestral system on the human level. And on the spiritual level, I believe that I’m not allowed to be human, to feel, to feel enough, to feel okay with being who I am, and the belief that my emotions reflect who I am negatively, all prohibited me from feeling free with them.

Candice Wu 10:26

We have the capacity for more challenging and unpleasant emotions, we also build our capacity to feel the pleasant ones — pleasure and joy. And in addition, when we have access to all these different sensations and emotions, we can use that wisdom from our bodies, we can listen truly, and then take the next step from a clearer place from the information that was given through those emotions.

Candice Wu 10:54

Now, I invite you to move into being in the body so that you can speak from a fuller place and from the heart.

Candice Wu 11:03

I’d like to introduce you to an alignment meditation from Yogic and Qigong practices. I learned this from my spiritual and yoga teacher, Jim Kulackoski, and it’s an energetic practice of bringing your awareness and attention downward, connecting that to the heart and to the throat so that you have access to more of yourself, so that you can align and integrate to your true self, the deepest part of you. This practice can also be used to ground, to feel centered and embodied. And it can bring spiritual growth and advance your transformation.

Candice Wu 11:37

So, we’ll be working with the three main chakras in the energetic system. There are many chakras, but three of the main ones, and the chakras are the energy centers that are the unseen blueprint to the physical body.

Candice Wu 11:53

Let’s begin. Stand with your feet about three feet apart and toes about a 45-degree angle in horse pose, the yoga pose, yogasana. Bend your knees so that your hips go down lower and have your knees over your ankles, your toes facing in the same direction or angle as your knees.

Candice Wu 12:17

You can bend as bend your knees as deep as you’d like, even up to a 90-degree angle, or just a little bit. If you’ve been deeper, you might need to put your feet farther apart. You can also do this practice sitting and if you do that, find a comfortable position, sitting up tall.

Candice Wu 12:41

Place your hands at your low belly as if you’re placing your hands right over your pelvis, and begin to notice your breathing. And just allow everything to wash away. Free thoughts, emotion, any stressors, and feel your hands at your low belly.

Candice Wu 13:14

If you feel balanced, feel free to close your eyes or look down. And now, notice her belly button. Just feel into the space of your belly button and begin to take your awareness two inches back from there.

Candice Wu 13:38

Imagine now an orb of light growing right inside that space, the size of a pea or a pearl, nice and bright, with every breath in and out that it glows even brighter, and allow it to grow to the size of a golf ball, and to the size of an orange, and to the size of a grapefruit.

Candice Wu 14:17

And from there, imagine a line drawing up to the center of the chest near the heart and imagine a second orb growing there. First, the size of a pea or a pearl, and then the size of a quarter, and the size of a golf ball. Feel these two orbs in alignment vertically.

Candice Wu 14:48

And now, draw a second line up from there, through the chest and neck, as a soft palette, the back of the roof of the mouth, imagine a pea-sized orb there.

Candice Wu 15:10

Now, feel all three of the orbs in line, blowing brightly and each glowing with a different quality, the lower one, full and broad, and the topmost one, sharp and piercing.

Candice Wu 15:32

Imagine that this is your whole physiology, your whole being, is to three energy centers. And let the rest of the body release and fall away.

Candice Wu 15:56

Notice this for several breaths, just feeling into the sensation, and picturing these three orbs in alignment.

Candice Wu 16:20

Imagine speaking while connected to this place with these three energetic centers. Feel that connection.

Candice Wu 16:40

Now, allow the top or both light to collapse down to the center of the chest connecting up with the middle orb. And then allow this orb at the center of the chest to collapse down towards the one at the belly. And from here again, imagine speaking with your attention centered here in the low belly.

Candice Wu 17:18

Though this is not your heart, it’s the foundation for your capacity to speak from your heart and from a deeper place of who you are.

Candice Wu 17:32

Now, allow this orb at the belly to shrink down to the size of an orange, then a golf ball, a quarter, and then the size of a pearl.

Candice Wu 17:53

And stay connected in the belly, then seeing whatever sensations are there, any emotions that you feel. And as you begin to notice your breathing. Particular little movement to your body while staying connected to the space in the belly.

Candice Wu 18:26

And as you open the eyes, keep your awareness internally, low in the belly.

Candice Wu 18:40

And as you speak to the next person you speak to or speak out loud, or if you sing. Imagine reaching into this space connecting up with it deep down in the low belly, and using your voice from there.

Candice Wu 19:02

The second meditation I’d like to share is also one from Jim and it’s a Qigong meditation that offers heart healing, balancing, and releasing of toxicity and excess stress. And it can support you in connecting and loving your heart. But let’s begin the heart balancing meditation as you arrive right here and now, let go of all of the day so far. Any stresses, anything weighing on you and let go of the future, any worries, or to do lists and plans. And let yourself arrive right here and right now.

Candice Wu 19:54

As you feel your body weighted into the ground, sense the earth below you with all of its rich nutrients and soil, steadiness and solidness.

Candice Wu 20:14

And now feel the sky above you, free, fluid and flexible.

Candice Wu 20:26

And now arrive in your body feeling the skin and beneath the skin. Sense any holding or tension in the body and let yourself arrive into the heart. As you sense the space around the heart, notice the front, the back of a heart, left side, the right side, the top of the heart and the bottom of the heart.

Candice Wu 21:11

Sense any holding or resistance, feel free to imagine if it has any color, or texture, or size. Just allowing it to be here and inviting any sensation you notice.

Candice Wu 21:33

Now, sense inside of the heart and notice any emotion or sensation. Feel free to place both hands on the heart to connect even deeper. And as you rest your hands down, begin to picture the color of rose quartz, the crystal, a light pink, beautiful color, and vibration of love.

Candice Wu 22:07

Imagine this rose quartz color completely surrounding your body like a blanket of loving energy.

Candice Wu 22:21

See it above and below you front to back and all the way around 360.

Candice Wu 22:32

And as it feels completely surrounding you, breathe it in as if you could breathe it in through the nose down the throat and into the heart, filling up the heart with his loving beautiful vibration. And as you exhale, imagine a black smoke coming out of the mouth making this sound like “haa” sound, but as quietly and subtly as your body let you. And feel free to release any emotion, toxicity or stress that’s ready to go.

Candice Wu 23:14

Take as many breaths as you need to breathe in this pink rose quartz color right into the heart and exhaling to release anything that’s ready to go.

Candice Wu 23:36

And let’s do it a second time imagining that rose quartz pink color surrounding your body, and breathing it in through the nose letting it land inside of the heart.

Candice Wu 23:56

Breathing out any extra stress and emotion or toxicity with a soft “haa” sound, a sound that’s connected with releasing from the heart.

Candice Wu 24:12

And when that feels complete, imagined a third time the rose quartz, pink-loving vibration surrounding your body like a blanket, breathing it in and filling up the heart and release any stress, emotion or toxicity like a cloud of black smoke coming out of the mouth.

Candice Wu 24:43

And when you feel that’s complete, see this beautiful vibration of love and compassion inside of the heart, rose quartz pink, and imagines sealing the heart with this color.

Candice Wu 25:01

Feel now your whole body smiling at your heart. And again, feel free to place your hands on your heart to connect even deeper.

Candice Wu 25:15

And as you come back to your normal and natural breath, sense any shifts in the body, anything that’s releasing or recalibrating, just allowing whatever is here to be sensed.

Candice Wu 25:31

Take your own time letting your body decide when it’s time to take a deeper breath. Give a little movement to the body. And softly opening the eyes and noticing your surroundings, and coming back into the present awareness.

Candice Wu 26:01

Now, we’ll move into the very last meditation for the podcast today to give some pure love to your heart.

Candice Wu 26:11

Whether this is a rough day for you or you’re feeling great, this is for you. This was inspired by a loved one through a message to me when I was experiencing some deep shame and grief, a time I really needed it the most. So, let’s begin.

Candice Wu 26:29

Find a comfortable seated position or lie on your back and feel free to close your eyes or gaze downward. And simply feel your breathing.

Candice Wu 26:49

Feel the weight of gravity and the earth below you.

Candice Wu 26:58

And now, imagine letting go of the external world around you. All of your todo lists, your plans, all of your relationships, community, society. Just leaving all of it and turning inward towards yourself with great power and strength.

Candice Wu 27:24

Imagine shining an inner love towards yourself. With every breath, let compassion nourish and wash through your heart, touching the deepest core of your being.

Candice Wu 27:47

And as you feel into any sensation or emotion or impulse in your body, remind yourself that all of your emotions, thoughts, and experiences are just stress being released. And they’re just that. Emotions, thoughts and experiences, they are not you and you are much more than all of that. It’s the awareness behind all of that.

Candice Wu 28:20

Feel into this love shining towards yourself right to your heart.

Candice Wu 28:33

If you’re not sure how to feel a sense of this love towards yourself, imagine what it would feel like if you could.

Candice Wu 28:48

And take as long as you’d like here. Feel free to even pause the meditation to give yourself more time and space.

Candice Wu 29:00

When you’re ready to complete the meditation, begin to take deeper breaths. Again filling your body with a pure love?

Candice Wu 29:17

While we give some movement to the body, any stretch that you’d like.

Candice Wu 29:29

And as you open the eyes, just keep your gaze downward, and slowly looking around as you adjust coming back to the outer world.

Candice Wu 29:41

As you complete these explorations and meditations today, I hope that you truly enjoyed sending love to your heart and finding new ways to speak from your heart. I hope that you get lots of good connection with yourself and with others as you try these out.

Candice Wu 29:57

I appreciate you listening in today to the Embody Podcast and as always I welcome your ideas, your feedback, and requests. You can email me at embody@candicewu.com and you can find more of these podcasts with healing tips, meditations, and explorations at CandiceWu.com/podcast. And you can also find workshops, retreats, other resources, and blog posts on my website. Take care of your heart and see you next time.