This week's episode, Childhood Dream, is about the aspects of our childhood that we grieve. This episode is not about darkness or sadness, it focuses on creating the beauty, joy and innocence that we wish for all children. guidedharmonies.com
This week's episode, Childhood Dream, is about the aspects of our childhood that we grieve. This episode is not about darkness or sadness, it focuses on creating the beauty, joy and innocence that we wish for all children. guidedharmonies.com
I dedicate this episode to the indigenous children who were thrust into residential schools in Canada against their families’ wills. These children did not get to be joyful & innocent children. They were molested, abused, shamed and humiliated for being who they were. I wish for nothing but healing for an entire people and reclaiming the beauty of who they are. In know way do I believe my words and music can help or change what happened, but I will let my sadness and grief guide me to create the healing opportunities that I know of.
Childhood Dream
Welcome to Guided Harmonies, the podcast where I put words to my therapeutic music. My name is Margaret Dahlberg and today’s episode, Childhood Dream, is about the aspects of our childhood that we grieve. This episode is not about darkness or sadness, it focuses on reclaiming the beauty and joy and innocence that we wish for all children.
Let’s get started
Find a quiet place and sit back or lie down. Close your eyes and let the Guided Harmonies bring you to a place of beauty.
As the music surrounds you, check in with your body. First tune into your breathing and see how smooth and deep it is. Gradually, invite your torso to welcome in the air as smoothly and as deeply as you can without any added effort.
Now check in with your body and see how heavily it rests. Check in with areas that you know you tend to hold tension. Is there anything you can let go over to become even more relaxed? As you focus on those areas, simply breath into them with a gentle ease.
Have you ever woken up from a dream so wonderful that you’ve awoken feeling filled with joy and happiness? Or have you ever had a daydream in which you have everything you’ve ever wanted and even for a fleeting moment, felt the joy and beauty that would accompany that feeling? What did it feel like?
Imagine you dreaming that you are a small child, lying on a hill and looking up at the blue sky. You see clouds in different shapes, lazily floating along. You smell grass and clover and other flowers. You hear birds chirping in the trees. You hear other children playing joyfully in the distance. You are young enough to be entirely carefree. You don’t even mind the insects buzzing above your head. You are entirely free. No matter what your actual child experience was, this is your dream. You feel safe. Feel the beauty of this innocent joy. And continue to breathe, no matter what comes up.
As this dream continues there is a new vision and you are now surrounded by your family in a celebration. It is your birthday. Everyone surrounds you with warm smiles. No matter what your real story of your may be, this is your own personal dream. Allow yourself to escape into the beauty of a perfect family and a perfect childhood. They are so glad you were born and brought into their world. Everything you ever wanted from your family is right in front of you: love, acceptance, approval, pride. . . anything you ever wanted. Picture their faces, one by one, filled with that love. You are protected and cared for. Breathe in this sense of acceptance and allow yourself to surrender to anything you may feel.
The dream shifts to your life outside of your family home and to your school and extracurricular activities, your friends and your elders. Everything you experience builds you up and brings you a sense of love and support for who you truly are. There is no shaming, no humiliation, no judgment. Just acceptance. You are safe. You feel whole and complete just as you are. Breathe kindly & deeply and let yourself go, no matter what you may be feeling.
Now in this dream, you grow big. And adult you hasn’t made any big mistakes. You’ve had no trauma to heal. No addictions. No issues with self love and acceptance. You are confident. You are loved and loving. You have done everything just right. You have the life you always wished for. Imagine. Breathe it in.
Drink in this feeling of the perfect life. We know enough to know that in reality, for us to feel this good we’ve had to experience & overcome the struggles in our lives. Still there is nothing wrong with a little submersion into the dream of feeling wholly loved and accepted. Allow yourself to bask in the warmth and the beauty of your perfect childhood. For it is never too late to recapture these feelings. Even if for just a few moments.
Take as much time as you need to come back into the present. Begin to notice the sounds around you. Check in with your breathing and invite your breaths to become more animated in preparation.
Thank you for joining me today.