Hello and welcome to this short practice,
Taking in the Good.
It's intended to help you generate positive thoughts,
Beliefs,
Feelings and body sensations,
Which is always helpful,
But can be especially important if you struggle with your mental health or persistent low self-esteem,
A lack of confidence or self-worth.
You might have a powerful inner critic who tells you what a failure you are,
Or that you're not good enough in a multitude of ways,
Hour by hour,
Day by day,
Month by month,
Year by year throughout your life.
This practice is like an antidote to all that negative,
Hurtful stuff this critical inner voice tells you over and over.
Of course,
As I explain in other practices focused on the inner critic,
This part of you is not what it appears.
It's like the wizard in Wizard of Oz,
All sound and fury,
But actually a small,
Frightened person who's desperately trying to change your behaviour,
Usually to motivate or protect you in some way.
But although the critic's intention is usually good,
The way it tries to affect your behaviour can be stressful,
Upsetting and downright destructive if we don't do something about it.
So you need to work hard to build up a store of positive energy in your mind and body,
To balance out all the negative energy you've been accumulating for years.
So,
Let's begin.
Let's begin.
Start by finding a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
If you're sitting,
Use a meditation cushion or straight back chair so you can adopt an upright but relaxed posture.
Gently roll your shoulders back and let them drop.
Imagine a golden thread coming from the top of your head,
Gently pulling you upright.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply,
In through your nose and out through your mouth.
Let the breaths be deep,
Even,
Smooth and steady.
And let your stomach rise and fall with each breath.
Keep breathing.
Now I want you to imagine you're sitting in a beautiful garden somewhere warm and sunny.
It could be in Greece,
Italy,
The south of France or Spain,
Or further afield,
Perhaps Thailand or Mexico.
This could be a real garden that you visited on holiday,
Or an imaginary one.
Wherever you find yourself,
Try to make this place as vivid and real as possible.
Really be there,
In your mind's eye.
Look around and see the beautiful trees and flowers.
There might be fruit trees,
Laden with ripe,
Tasty-looking fruit.
Your garden may have cacti and succulents in huge terracotta pots,
Great swathes of bougainvillea,
Lush grass.
Hear the birdsong and gentle chirping of crickets in the grass.
Smell the flowers,
Herbs,
Fruits and warm earth.
Spend some time taking in the sights,
Sounds and smells of this calm,
Relaxing place.
As you sit there,
Marvelling at this lovely garden,
The next step of this practice is to imagine beliefs,
Feelings and qualities you'd like to possess.
For example,
You might want to take in a belief like,
I'm enough,
Just as I am.
Or,
I'm lovable.
It's most effective if these beliefs are the opposite of negative beliefs you struggle with in your life.
So,
I'm a failure,
Becomes,
I don't have to be perfect to be a good person,
I just have to do my best.
I'm weak,
Becomes,
I'm human,
With strengths and weaknesses like everybody else.
If you could believe anything about yourself,
Choose one belief you'd like to take in.
How about feelings?
Again,
Try to find the antidote to negative feelings you have too much of,
Like feeling hurt,
Anxious,
Lonely,
Guilty or sad.
Feelings you might like to take in could include being calm,
Happy,
Peaceful,
Confident,
Grateful or optimistic.
Choose one positive feeling to take in.
Finally,
Which qualities would you like more of?
These could be things like feeling valued,
Liked or loved,
Self-worth,
Competence,
Resilience,
Strength,
Being focused or energized.
Choose one positive quality to take in.
Now,
You should have one belief,
One feeling and one quality that you'd like to take in.
If so,
In your mind's eye,
Tilt your head up towards the blue sky and feel the warm,
Soft sun.
Feel the warm,
Soft sunshine bathing your face,
Arms and body.
As you feel that nourishing,
Life-giving sunlight streaming down,
Imagine that your belief,
Feeling and quality are beaming down in the rays of sunshine and bathing your whole being.
As you bask in the warmth,
Feel those positive thoughts and feelings beaming down,
Warming your skin and soaking into your body.
You could visualize words or images beaming down.
They might be spoken words or come in some other way.
Just take them in however that feels most natural for you.
Really feel these wonderful gifts soaking into your body.
Imagine them being absorbed into your skin,
Muscles,
Bones,
Organs and every cell of your body.
Just enjoy that for a while.
Spend as long as you want enjoying your newfound ways of thinking and feeling about yourself.
By all means continue after the practice ends if that feels good for you.
But just for now,
Open your eyes in the garden,
Take one last look at the gorgeous plants and trees,
Then let this image start to fade away.
It's fading,
Fading and it's gone.
Then take a deep breath and slowly open your eyes.
Now re-engage with your day,
Reminding yourself from time to time about these powerful new ways of thinking and feeling you've cultivated.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
Sending you love and warm thoughts and I hope you have a wonderful day.
