When our three kidlets were little, hubby and I started doing a “Safe Place” ritual at bedtime. A friend gave me a similar meditation to help them feel protected from some weird juju that was manifesting at the time. In the early days of doing it, we’d hold their hands, and once they’d imagined their Safe Place, they’d give a quick squeeze (we were going for a mellow, quiet bedtime vibe). The eldest always squeezed almost immediately, with the youngest being not far behind, and then we’d all try to wait patiently while the boy (in his typical, methodical fashion), got his visualized.
Over the years, it morphed into this version. The youngest asked me to email it to her back in 2008, so we’d always know the exact wording. Therefore, it seemed appropriate to use a picture of her for this graphic.
If you have any favorite bedtime rituals, feel free to shout out in the comment section below.
Safe Place Bubble – Picture that you’re in your safe place. Look all around and feel the feelings your safe place makes you feel. Look around and know that you feel warm and safe and happy and protected. As your standing there, it begins to rain – a magical rain that washes through you, taking away all the little bits of negativity, all the anger and sadness, washes through your body and out into the ground, where it sinks deep into the ground and disappears forever. Then, from under your feet, a golden bubble forms. It comes out over your ankles, up to your knees, up to your waist, all the way up to your shoulders, and to the very top of your head, until you are completely surrounded by a golden bubble. Then you say, “Nothing but good can come to me now” and the bubble fills with a warm soft golden light, and you feel warm and safe and happy and protected. Then in the distance, you see thousands of black arrows heading towards you – black arrows of negativity that want to break through your bubble and poison you with their anger and sadness. But before they can reach you, you say, “I return you to sender and Universe, with love”. And the arrows reach the bubble, but instead of breaking through, they bounce off the bubble and go back in the direction that they came, and disappear forever. And you feel warm, and safe, and happy and protected. So mote it be.
This is a way cool ritual. Thanks for giving us a glimpse into what you did with your kids — and that it meant so much to them!
Thanks, Lori. We tried a bunch of different bedtime routines – this is the one they continued for many years, and we really mostly stumbled upon it. I’m hoping that by sharing it here, someone else might stumble upon it, and it might be just what they need. Kind of paying it forward. 😀
That sounds like a lovely way to go to sleep!
I know I always felt more peaceful and relaxed after doing it with them. Hey, maybe when hubby and I are older, we’ll have them do it for us! *grin*
PS I replied to your comment on my post and included a couple more links for your daughter’s trip.
Thanks! I sent them to her – greatly appreciated!
This is a very very cool ritual. I’m passing along a link to your post to a friend who is having bedtime woes right now. Maybe this will do the trick.
Wicked awesome – thanks, Mel! Crossing my fingers on their behalf!
This is great. I used to do something very similar with my son. I’m so grateful you reminded me of doing a ritual like this. Thank you!
You’re very welcome, illustr8d. I can’t wait (but again, I’m in no hurry) to do this with grandkidlets some day.
Very cool!
Thanks, Jamie!
What a lovely ritual – can’t say I have any, other than the typical bedtime, sharing of the day and storytime ritual. My son recently told me that they did “chime time” in class. I think it had something to do with calming the kids down for a lesson. I will have to find out more.
Hmmm, chime time sounds interesting – almost like a mediation thing. Be sure to shout out if you find out more about it – I’d love to know what it is. And thanks, deathstar!