30| Embracing a Summer of Possibilities: Guided Meditation for Self-Discovery and Growth

Imagine a summer where you focus on what you "could" do instead of what you "should" do. How would that transform your life? Join us in Episode 30 of the Black Woman in Bloom podcast for a guided meditation that will help you tap into this mindset and visualize the endless possibilities and opportunities that lie ahead for you. Inspired by Janelle Monae's artistic evolution and a recent Vibe Check podcast episode, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and growth together, encouraging self-care, mindfulness, and living life on your own terms.

In this uplifting and empowering episode, we'll guide you through a meditation that helps you connect with your inner strength and bring your goals and dreams to life.

Remember to follow the link in the show notes to sign up for your free download of the guided meditation and journal prompts.

Click HERE to download the FREE guided meditation and journal prompts for this episode.

Click HERE to join the email list and receive your FREE Expanding Your Vision guide

Episode Transcript

TaReon Jael (00:02):
Welcome to the Black Woman in Bloom podcast, a
semi-monthly podcast designed touplift, encourage and empower
Black women by exploringwellness topics that promote
self-care and mindfulness.
I'm your host, TaReon Jael, acertified health educator and
medical lab scientist.

(00:22):
For more information, pleasevisit blackwomaninbloomcom.
While I hope you enjoylistening to and learning from
the podcast, please rememberthat it is not a substitute for
a relationship with a licensedhealth care provider.
Hello and welcome to Episode 30.

(00:49):
I had a completely differenttopic planned for today's
episode, but the content isn'tcoming together quite like I
would like it to, so I'm goingto keep working on it and
hopefully release it nextepisode.
So today I'm bringing youanother guided meditation.

(01:09):
I promise I'll get back tobringing you my usual podcast
material and, if everything goesaccording to plan, i'll have a
guest interview to share withyou sometime in July.
It'll be the first interviewI've conducted in a while.
I'm considering conducting moreinterviews, but I haven't

(01:31):
decided on that just yet, sowe'll see how it goes.
So today I'm sharing a guidedmeditation inspired by one of my
new favorite podcasts.
It's called the Vibe Check.
It's a weekly podcast hosted bySam Sanders, Saeed Jones and

(01:52):
Zack Stafford.
During each episode, theydiscuss various news and
cultural topics.
This is not a sponsored episode, by the way.
I genuinely enjoy thediscussions these three have
each week.
So in a recent episode thethree discuss Janelle Monae's

(02:14):
album, the Age of Pleasure andher evolution as an artist.
If you're familiar with JanelleMonae, then you know she's
reached a point in her careerwhere she is allowing herself to
show up in a way that isauthentic to her.
At one point during theconversation, sam Sanders says

(02:37):
and I'm paraphrasing here thatas an artist, janelle Monae is
making no more should statements.
She's now saying could.
She's no longer defined by whather record label or society
thinks she should do.

(02:58):
She's showing what she could doAnd that's expressing herself,
her identity and her sexualityon her terms.
Let this be a summer of could,not a summer of should.
What is the possibility of you,your freedom, your body?

(03:21):
I'm inspired by Sam Sanders'take on Janelle Monae's
evolution.
I want us to envision a summerof could for ourselves, whatever
that looks like.
What could you do?
What do you have the ability,resources and freedom to do this

(03:43):
summer?
So to help us reflect on thatquestion, i've designed a short
guided meditation, but before weget into it, i want to remind
you to follow the link in theshow notes to sign up for your
free download of the guidedmeditation and the journal

(04:04):
prompts.
Find a comfortable position,either seated or lying down.
Bring your eyes to a soft focus, take a few moments to sit in

(04:42):
stillness and become aware ofyour breath.
Begin with some deep bellybreaths, breathing in through

(05:03):
the nose and out through themouth.
Continue these deep bellybreaths for a few more cycles On

(05:30):
the last exhale, gently allowthe eyes to close and allow your
breathing to return to normal.
As thoughts and distractionsarise, simply acknowledge them

(06:06):
and let them go.
Returning your focus to yourbreath, visualize yourself
standing firmly rooted on theearth and wrapped in the warmth

(06:28):
of the sun.
The air is filled with thesweet scent and energetic sounds
of the summer.
As you stand there, envisionall of the opportunities and
possibilities that lie ahead foryou.

(06:51):
See yourself accomplishing yourgoals and achieving your dreams
.
Allow yourself to feel theexcitement and joy that comes

(07:25):
with the anticipation of allthat is to come.
Embrace the endlesspossibilities that this season
holds for you.
Take a deep breath in andexhale slowly.

(08:10):
When you're ready, open youreyes and carry this feeling of

(08:38):
hope and possibility with you.