Welcome to this meditation of returning messages that aren't yours.
We hear a lot of different things in our life,
And we take them into our body.
We receive certain messages from other people and we internalize them,
And they become part of our emotional life,
And all emotional messages are stored physically in our cells in our body.
And yet we have the autonomy to take messages that aren't ours,
That aren't authentic to us,
And we can take them off,
Like you take off clothes.
You can never take off your authentic self,
But you can take off anything that's not authentic to you and return the message to the person who gave it to you.
If someone blames you,
That's their self-blame that they're sharing with you.
You don't need to accept that self-blame,
But you can still have compassion to the person.
If someone is angry,
That is their inner experience of anger that's already there,
That they're sharing with you.
You don't need to accept that anger.
You can have compassion for the person without accepting that anger.
And when we return a message that wasn't ours in the first place,
We feel something released inside.
Our body feels lighter.
We feel more free.
Beginning this practice by setting the intention,
I only accept words of respect.
I only accept words of love.
And if someone sends you a message that is outside of that,
That's not constructive,
That comes from a place of anger or blame or making you feel less than,
You can say,
You're sending me a message.
I return it to you.
It reflects your inner state,
Not my inner state.
I am cultivating an inner state of compassion,
Unconditional forgiveness,
Lightness,
Love,
Warmth,
Care for myself and others.
So let's do this first specific instance.
Closing your eyes for this meditation.
Take a deep breath in.
Take a deep breath out through the mouth.
And choose a moment,
Maybe a recent moment,
When someone sent you a message of blame or anger or a message that does not feel authentic to you.
Go back to that moment.
View it in your body.
Feel where it is in your body.
Notice the message that was there.
What was the message that was sent that's stored in your body now as discomfort or pain?
What was the message behind it?
It can be a message like,
You're not good enough.
You can't do this or that.
You are to blame.
You are at fault.
Whatever that message is,
Think about what that message is that they sent you.
And now say to this person,
You sent me this message.
It is yours.
This package is yours.
It is not mine.
I return it to you.
It reflects your inner state.
I don't need to carry it inside.
I return it to you.
And imagining this person saying to this person,
I forgive you.
I forgive you for sending me this message.
I accept that whatever you sent me is part of you.
But I return it to you.
We are different people living different lives.
We have different authentic selves.
I thank you for existing.
I thank you for being part of my life.
But I return to you any of that message,
Any of that energy.
And yet I accept you just as you are.
But inside,
I only want to carry lightness,
Compassion,
Courage,
Love,
Forgiveness.
And I take full responsibility for what lives inside me.
I take full responsibility for what is in my heart,
What is in my life.
And anything that is not mine,
I return it.
I return it like a package that was sent to the wrong address.
And now go back to this place in your body that is holding the blame or the anger or whatever it may be.
And decide what you want there instead.
What is it that you would like to place there instead?
Breathing light and breathing warmth into that area.
Breathing energy into that area.
Now that you've taken off this message like a piece of clothes that never fit,
Fill this place in your body with the love and warmth of your breath for a few moments.
Ending with the words,
What is yours is yours.
What is mine is mine.
I receive only words of love.
I hear only words of love.
I send only words of love.
And I wish happiness,
Kindness to all beings.
Ending with the wish,
May I be happy.
And may all beings be happy.
May I always be my authentic self in this world.
And create an environment of love around me.
Create an environment of joy and lightness around me.
Taking a deep breath in.
Taking a deep breath out through the mouth.
And thanking yourself for having done this deep meditation practice.
