Welcome to Beneath the Scars with Zoe. Today, I want to invite you on a very different kind of journey, one that doesn’t ask you to be stronger, do more or find all the answers. Instead, I want you to give yourself permission to slow down, turn inward and reconnect with the little girl or little boy you once were.

Have you ever wondered what it might feel like to sit across from your younger self and have a conversation with that child? What would you say to them? What would you want them to understand? Would you ask them what they needed, what frightened them, what made them happy or what they wished somebody had noticed? And perhaps, somewhere in that conversation, you might discover that the child you remember is still a part of you today, not as somebody you need to fix, but as a part of your story that deserves kindness, understanding and love.

In this guided meditation, I’ll gently lead you through a process of settling your breathing, relaxing your body and imagining yourself in a peaceful forest. From there, we’ll explore the possibility of meeting your younger self, listening without judgement and offering the reassurance, tenderness and compassion that every child deserves. We’ll make space for the feelings that arise, whether that’s sadness, happiness, uncertainty or simply quiet reflection. You won’t be asked to relive painful memories, and you never have to force yourself to feel something that isn’t there.

Before we settle in, I want to offer a gentle reminder. If you experience difficulties with your breathing or have a respiratory condition such as COPD or bronchopulmonary dysplasia, or an anxiety or panic disorder that may be affected by breath-focused exercises, please check with your healthcare professional to make sure this meditation is suitable for you. Gentle breathing can be helpful for some people, but everybody’s needs are different. Please don’t force your breath or hold it if it feels uncomfortable. If you feel dizzy, breathless or more anxious, return to your natural breathing, open your eyes if you wish and stop whenever you need to. You are always in control of your experience, and your comfort comes first.

We’ll also spend time practising something so many of us find difficult: giving ourselves a hug, allowing ourselves to rest and speaking to ourselves with the same kindness we might offer someone we love. Because sometimes, the person we’ve been waiting to hear those words from is the person we can begin learning to care for ourselves.

You don’t need any experience with meditation. All you need is somewhere comfortable to sit or lie down, a soft blanket if you have one, and a little time for yourself. You can keep your eyes open whenever you need to, move around or stop at any point. This is your experience, and you are always in control.

So, take a little time for yourself. Put down what you can, let the outside world wait for a while, and give yourself permission to simply be here. You don’t have to forgive anybody today. You don’t have to understand everything that happened in your life. You don’t have to emerge from this meditation as a completely different person.

Perhaps all you need to do is listen. Perhaps all you need to do is remember. And perhaps, for a few moments, you can offer yourself the love and tenderness you may have spent years searching for elsewhere.

This is Beneath the Scars with Zoe. Let’s begin our journey inward, meet the child we once were, and remember that healing can begin with something as simple and beautiful as learning to hold ourselves with love.