Come Home to Yourself

Come and listen to our Host, Gia-Raquel Rose, for our "Victory Over Fear" Podcast Mini-Series.

This powerful series explores what it truly means to move forward despite uncertainty, self-doubt, and life's challenges. Through authentic conversations, personal stories, and practical wisdom, we uncover how courage is built one step at a time. Fear may be loud, but it doesn't have to have the final say.

Together, we'll discover how healing, faith, resilience, and action can help us overcome the barriers that keep us stuck. Whether you're facing a major life transition, stepping into a new opportunity, or simply learning to trust yourself again, these conversations will encourage you to embrace bravery and move confidently toward your purpose.

Join us as we celebrate the strength found in vulnerability, the growth that comes from taking risks, and the victories that happen when we choose courage over fear.

Gia-Raquel Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, LLC and a real estate sales associate in Tewksbury, New Jersey has had a love for horses stemming from early childhood. Growing up in “horse country” afforded her the privilege of beginning to ride from the tender age of four. It was a childhood illness, which brought her riding aspirations to an abrupt halt. It took twenty years before she was able to reunite with her long lost passion for horses and their ability to heal. In that time, she received a Bachelor of Arts in Corporate Communication from Arcadia University and became a twice two hundred hour certified yoga instructor in both Hatha and Vinyasa. It was the loss of her mother, Rose, to breast cancer, which ultimately shifted her trajectory from the corporate world to the internal work for which yoga, as a practice, is renowned.

I guide a live style meditation built around one goal: creating a safe inner home you can return to when fear, anxiety or uncertainty kicks up. We use breath, grounding and a vivid doorway visualization to strengthen self trust and leave the session feeling lighter and more anchored.

• the month’s theme of working with fears and the fear of the unknown
• why a strong sense of self becomes a “port in the storm”
• how to create an inner refuge without escaping reality
• practical meditation setup options for comfort and safety
• grounding basics to support nervous system regulation
• a guided visualisation of a door and a protected inner home
• leaving doubt and shame outside the threshold
• gratitude practice and “committing to memory” the feeling of peace
• closing the meditation and returning to the body with grounding
• aftercare tips like water and a small snack

I ask that you please feel free to share the same with your loved ones. For more goodness, follow me on all the socials at Above the Ground Podcast and visit my website, airsaboveyoga.com.

For more Divas That Care Network Episodes visit www.divasthatcare.com

Transcript

Welcome To Divas That Care

SPEAKER_00 0:00

It's Divus the Care Radio. Stories, strategies, and ideas to inspire positive change. Welcome to Divas the Care, a network of women committed to making our world a better place for everyone. This is a global movement for women, by women, engaged in a collaborative effort to create a better world for future generations. To find out more about the movement, visit divas that care.com after the show. Right now, though, stay tuned for another jolt of inspiration.

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Thomas Day, and welcome to the Divas That Care Network. I'm your host, Jira Cole Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, and you are listening to Above the Ground Podcast.

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If this is your first time tuning in, our network is going into its 16th year and is listened to in over 30 countries.

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I would like to personally thank you for giving me the gift of your time. As always, it is my honor to hold space with and for you. And today we're doing something a little bit different. I'm actually

Why Meditation Feels Like A Channel

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trying an Instagram live. At the same time, I will be posting the recording for everyone as well. But I wanted to invite people to meditate with me in live because meditation is definitely one of my favorite things that I do. And I am super excited to share it with people. It feels like a very clear channel for me when I'm able to kind of I'll say filter the messages that I receive and bring them to others. And our theme for this entire month is working with um and overcoming, I should say, our own fears. And with that in mind, um the yoga episode that I did last week, which fell on Mother's Day, was a little bit more of a nod to dealing with, you know, the tough times in life. Um, for those of you who are familiar with the tarot, know that I love to dabble in it. Um, and uh it's like after the tower card moment and the star, and how do we kind of star is also a card and tarot, so I encourage you to look up what that means because uh it's it's after the fall comes the healing, essentially, in no uncertain terms. And with that in mind, the idea that with this new moon that we're experiencing over this weekend um and all of the positive implications that come with the new moon with intention setting, um, I think that all of us as a human experience have fears to overcome. And I think that one of the best ways to do that is to have a very strong and true sense of self. So when we talked about the asanas last week, it was really less about going through like fancy poses or structural, you know, integrity of poses, which is what I typically focus on. It was more about, you know, when things come falling down around you, when you don't know which direction to turn, you don't know where to go next. What do you do? What is what is the path? What is the sense of self? And what is the place that you go to? And at the end of the day, while it may sound lonely in air quotes, um you always and ultimately are responsible to and for yourself, you ultimately are are with yourself throughout your entire existence, through the ups, the downs, the good, and the bad. So really cultivating that strong, deep inner compass, that strong, deep sense of self. And ultimately the title of today's episode, Coming Home to Yourself.

New Moon Intentions And Fear

SPEAKER_02 3:20

And it was funny because I actually just had worked with a private yoga client of mine, and we, you know, we do a meditation at the beginning of every uh private session. And this kind of came through to me as my intention, which I don't generally share, but it was important for me to share that with you today. That essentially this is the idea of cultivating a deep sense of self that is always available to you so that you are your own port in the storm, right? Life is going to throw challenges at you. You know, there's gonna be good days, bad days, things that you overcome, things that you know feel like they knock you down, and the ability to get back up and the ability to trust yourself and to again cultivate and develop that very, very deep sense of communion with yourself, your higher self, and moving forward in a place of integrity, your own, like I mentioned, moral compass, having the truth for yourself be you in existence and how you interact with the world around you and with others. So having that in mind for you and in heart, I should say, even more so, like the connection between the heart and the mind plays a huge, huge role in our ability to form that sense of true self. And what does it mean to come home to yourself? Well, it means that when you walk into your front door, you come home, whatever that looks like for you, that that you have a place of refuge. And that if you, let's say, are in a place that is uncomfortable physically, your physical surroundings around you are not comfortable, that you still have the possibility through meditation, which is one good way to do it, to cultivate an inner world, right? An inner existence for yourself. And that is not to mean or to say that you are going to remove yourself from reality. That's not what this is. This is cultivating the experience with yourself to truly be at your heart who you are in the moment, and to know that no matter what is going on in the world around you, you have the capacity to sit in stillness and be with yourself. Last week's episode was titled Stand in Stillness. This is coming home to yourself and creating a home within you. One could even call it a safe space, like your meditation space. Whenever we're talking about breaking down a meditation, we talk about having a safe space to go to to

Coming Home To Yourself

SPEAKER_02 5:55

enter that different phase within the mind, enter that space that is your kind of what I like to say, jumping off point into deeper meditations. Um, so you have that kind of tether, always have a tether when you're going into deep meditations. Um, make sure that you are grounded, make sure that you are in a safe space in the physical world around you when you are going into deeper meditations. This particular meditation is about cultivating that space within you that is always there for you so that you can access it when you are able to safely, not let's say when you're driving behind the wheel of a car, but when you are able to, and knowing that if you've had a crap day or if you're worried about what tomorrow's going to bring and you're coming from a place of fear of the unknown, because let's face it, nine times out of ten, fear is based on the unknown. Um, and our minds are very, very good at coming up with all sorts of you know, imaginary monsters and dragons that are gonna come out and do horrible things to us, and our lives are gonna be over for good, bad, or ugly. So the idea of that, I am not a neuroplasticity coach, though. I do very much enjoy all of the affirmation, manifestation, positive, not toxic positivity, but positive thinking. I'm I'm super a hundred percent supportive and into all of those things. I practice a lot of them myself. This is more about skilling as opposed to retraining your brain. And meditation in and of itself is a training of the brain. But with that in mind, the idea that we can cultivate an inner stillness where that imaginary dragon is put to sleep. We're gonna shut a big rock in front of the cave where that dragon lives, and we're gonna cultivate a home within ourselves that is always accessible to us, that we can come to, that we can feel at peace, that we can quiet the storm around us and know that in this moment, which is the reality of all we have, is in this moment we don't know what tomorrow is going to bring. The fears are general projections, and we have a very many of us, I will venture to say, a very intimate relationship with our fears and the projections that they can that they can inflict upon our psyche, which then we can then internalize and unfortunately create. So a lot of times when they say, you know, you're your own worst enemy, or you create the reality that you're actually trying to avoid, this is a way to start to say, okay, I know that I'm safe. I've created this space for me that I know is safe. And kind of coming home to yourself, especially after having dealt with pain, loss, trauma, grief, fear, anxiety, name, pick, pick an avoidance, pick a poison, pick an emotion. That is where that is where our brain starts to work against us. And the idea of this meditation is to meet your brain where it is and cultivate this deep sense of calm, peace, awareness, love within yourself.

How To Set Up To Meditate

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So, with that all being said, we're gonna start to get into the meditation. And for anyone who is unfamiliar with how I run my meditation episodes, as this will be posted later for those of you that are not engaging with the live. So, and if you're not in a place where you can comfortably set yourself up to meditate, then that's okay, not a problem. Um, you can come back to it at a later time. But eventually, we want to get ourselves in a comfortable position. So whether that is sitting down, traditionally speaking, for example, um with your knees slightly lower than your hips, sitting on a meditation pillow, for example, you can sit in a chair as long as your feet are grounded, and you can be in that position for, you know, 15 to 20 minutes, give or take, um, and and not have dis-ease, air quotes for those of you that are that are listening, not have discomfort or uncomfort in the body take you out of the mental state of the mind. So this idea that we are able to sit and be with ourselves in a comfortable position and allow our minds to quiet still and be come from active and proactive to a place of receptivity. So, with that idea in mind, while many traditional individuals will go for the seated meditation, I've always been a very, very big fan of meditating, laying down. Um, you can still have a sensation of grounding by putting your feet with bent, putting your feet on the mat with knees bent, rested on each other, yoga mat for those of you who partake in yoga, um, or even on your bed, on a rug on the floor, anything that's comfortable for you. Another way is to take your legs up the wall. I will say the counteraction for legs up the wall when it comes to meditation is that sensation of groundedness. So I always recommend taking some sort of pillow, um, maybe a gentle, you know, weighted block, anything that can have a sensation of grounding at the bottoms of the feet, even if they're upright against a wall. And so I always preface this kind of these different ways of supporting yourself and getting yourself into position so that it gives you time to set yourself up to then partake in the meditation. If in fact these none of these are options for you, or none of these are comfortable for you, then I do the the main rules of thumb is physical comfort being paramount, supported, gentle, restful. And second to the physical aspect of it is the idea of being in as still a place as you can possibly be in. Again, never while you're driving, never while you're never while you're operating heavy machinery, but making sure that you're in a place where you can hopefully remain undisturbed for again 15, 20, some odd minutes, give or take. So, with all of that in mind, taking a few more moments to set yourself up. If you do choose to go legs up the wall, which is a personal favorite of mine and has um gentle but restorative yogic health benefits involved with it, please do make sure that the uh both sit bones are flush up against the wall. I like to kind of roll up in fetal position on my right side and then spiral. So my hips are against the wall. And then sometimes you have to climb the wall with your legs and kind of shimmy your backside flush against the wall to get yourself in a comfortable place where your feet will balance naturally on your hips, and you will then be able to hold that position relatively comfortably, depending on the tension in your hamstrings for the duration of the meditation.

Begin With Breath And Grounding

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So once you have yourself set up, then I invite you to gently begin to lower your gaze or close your eyes, and very simply begin by connecting your body and your mind together with your breath.

SPEAKER_03 13:09

So deep breath in, deep breath out. And as is true of any meditation, as you begin to still and quiet the mind and drop into your body, bear in mind that it is essential to feel a sensation of groundedness. So as you're breathing, whether through visualization, through feeling, or through intention, begin to send that breath or feel that breath flow into all the points of contact between yourself and the earth beneath you. And truly begin to ground down through all the points of contact between your body and the ground. Begin to sink into that feeling coming into this meditation with the certainty that you are safe. That this meditative space is protected, and that there is no truer home for the idea of you than within yourself. As you continue to focus on your breath, whether through the physical sensations of the inhales and the exhales, whether through the rhythm of the breath, however, you're able to release the shatter of the mind and focus on the sensations of the body.

Visualise The Door To Safety

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What are the sensations that you feel? What is it that you see? The color of the door, the shape of the door. Can you smell flowers? Do you hear birds chirping? As you breathe into the space of safety, allow it to unfold for you. However, it comes through naturally. Do you feel a sense of warmth as if you're standing in the sun? Or do you feel a gentle breeze cooling your skin? What experiences physically signify joy and peace to you and your body? Allow those feelings to come over you now as you hold the image of this door in your mind. As you reach your hand out. And as you do, notice for yourself. And this is an important distinction. If you need a key for this particular door, as you begin to reach out through your mind's eye, is your hand holding a key? Or are you able to simply grasp the door handle and begin to open it? Do not judge this distinction. Simply allow it. No matter what, this is your home. And you will gain entrance. Allow it to be organic for you.

Step Inside Your Inner Home

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You look inside. This is your home. This is where you meet your heart, your mind, your soul. All of the love that you have ever given. All of the love that you have ever received. In this home. Fear is not welcome here. Doubt, uncertainty, shame. Emotions that take you away from your path are left or checked at this door. Let the sensation of trust, of truth, and above all of safety come over you now. Whether you felt warm, whether you felt or saw light, whether you smelled freshly baking cookies, whether you saw a loved one, whether you see a reflection of yourself. There is no right and more importantly, no wrong answer. This space belongs entirely to you. Now that the door is open, walk in and pause for a moment to look around. As you belong to it as you belong in it. Know that this place is always available to you. Maybe not in that exact moment, but the feeling of it you will take with you for every moment that you find doubt, fear, or uncertainty. So begin again to notice what you see with your mind's eye, the sensations you feel any smells, any sounds. Waiting to embrace you. Breathe into this feeling in your chest. A feeling of complete relaxation. A feeling of complete trust in the space surrounding you. A complete release of tension. Feel this space in and around you. Breathe in and truly experience not just in this moment, but to commit to memory this sensation of pure adoration of pure peace. How do you feel? Take note of everything that you see with your mind's eye. Allow anything that comes through for you specifically and commit it to memory now.

Gratitude Memory And Leaving Lighter

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And for a moment think or say out loud thank you. With your hands on your heart. Thank you for bringing me here. Thank you for always being here for me. Thank you for loving me unconditionally. No matter what occurs beyond this door this threshold. I am so grateful to be here with you in this moment. Memorize this feeling in your chest. Hold it and breathe with it. You can leave your hands where you are, or you can release them if it's more comfortable. And take one last look around. Your home. Always accessible. Untouched by anyone except you. And gently begin to make your way through the very same door that you enter. The only door and the only access point to this space within you. And the same way that you came in is the way that you will now leave. But this time you'll be leaving with the sensation that you developed with yourself in this beautiful space that belongs to you and you to it. Now take a moment to ensure the door closes behind you. Feel the handle click. Hear the latch. Lock the door now. Notice that the frame space you occupied as you entered the door is not the same space you are now in. All of that debris that carried and dragged you down was left outside this door. And as you exit this place, that baggage had to remain outside. So that when you leave, it's your choice if you choose to take it with you. You can also remain in this refreshed and rejuvenated place. Breathing in the light. Standing tall in your truth. Knowing this home is yours. No matter what was on the outside of the threshold.

Return To The Body And Ground

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And gently begin to deepen your breathing. If your hands are still on your chest, remove them now. And begin to bring your awareness back to the contact between yourself and the earth beneath you. Gently pressing into the floor beneath you. And when you feel ready, take a few extra moments with the intention now of grounding yourself with the sensation of refreshment, peace, and wholeness back into your body and into the present moment. And taking as much time as you need before gently opening your eyes. Always remember when you meditate, the most important thing at the end is to ground yourself back into your body by movement through contact with the earth or the chair or the wall, the physical sensation of grounding. And as you begin to come back into this present moment, carry the sensations that you were able to fulfill for yourself with you throughout the rest of the day for as long as you can carry that.

Aftercare Tips And How To Practise

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For example, for me, even though I haven't played since I was a child, there's a piano in my face. I don't know why, it just happened to be there.

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So as you start to play with the idea of visualization, don't try to force, try to receive and allow whatever shows up in your mind's eye to be right, true, and real for you.

SPEAKER_01 38:19

And allow the sights, the smells, the context, like allow everything and anything that is safe in that protected space to show up and begin to make it a complete sensory experience for you within yourself, that you know that you can always come to with the stipulation that you must ground yourself back into your body and the present moment when you open your eyes and when you come out of the meditation.

SPEAKER_02 38:55

Also to note drinking water, huge, eating chocolate if you're not allergic to chocolate, um, eating anything really, having something to eat after you meditate, grounding your body, grounding yourself, coming out of that space and back into where you truly are in this moment is of paramount importance.

SPEAKER_03 39:14

So I hope that you enjoyed this meditation and it will be um posted live as well, posted to evergreen for you as well.

Share Follow And Where To Listen

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Um I just want to say, as always, I thank you and appreciate each and every one of you for sharing this space with me. And so I ask that you please feel free to share the same with your loved ones. For more goodness, follow me on all the socials at Above the Ground Podcast and visit my website, airsaboveyoga.com. As always, don't forget to check out my other episodes and all of my amazing sisters at the DivaSet Care Network.

SPEAKER_03 39:50

You can find us on Spotify, Odyssey, Apple, Amazon, iHeartRadio, or anywhere else that you might feel good, including YouTube.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

Again, my name is Jared Hill Rose, owner of Airs Above Yoga, and you are listening to Above the Ground Podcast for Every Day is a good one.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

On Facebook, on Instagram, and of course, on David. Um you can subscribe to our new clear.