Listen To Your Body | A Selfgentleness Meditation

28:00

28:00

Listen To Your Body | A Selfgentleness Meditation

by Dr. Femke E. Bakker

Rated

5

Type

guided

Activity

Meditation

Suitable for

Everyone

Plays

5

In this meditation, we turn toward the part of your body you find hardest to accept, not to fix it, but to listen to what it's been trying to tell you. After a grounding practice using all five senses, I guide you through a visualization where you speak directly to that body part and ask what it needs from you. We close with a gratitude practice that helps you build genuine gentleness toward your body, starting from wherever you are right now. This video is an excerpt from Femke's Self-gentleness Hour, a live session on Insight Timer every second Friday of the month at 3 p.m. EDT.

Body Awareness Sensory Awareness Visualization Self Compassion Gratitude Heart Centering Emotional Release Body Scan Visualization Technique Gratitude Practice

Meet your Teacher

Dr. Femke E. Bakker

Leiden, Netherlands

Meet your Teacher

Dr. Femke E. Bakker

Leiden, Netherlands

Transcript

So if you can lie down, Lie down. If you cannot lie down or you don't want to lie down and just lean against wherever you're sitting really make it easy I put today my my yoga my yoga sweater and really comfy pants because I knew I wanted to feel as comfy as possible. So high. How does it feel when you Allow yourself to just really, Really relax. Even let your head relax. With your feet on the ground. And really let your arms rest in your lap or if you have something else to rest it on. Feel the weight of your arms resting. I always notice when I consciously rest my body that. . . It relaxes. It immediately responds to my allowance of that relaxing. Gently close your eyes. And let's first tune in to our senses to get even more into our bodies in the here and now. So. Bring your attention to whatever you are hearing. You hear my voice, Of course. So that is clear, But I will shut up for a moment so you can listen to the sounds in your environment. Just the most. Prominent sounds. Yeah and now try to listen for the sounds that are really really far away You can hear them. They're in the distance. See if you can find the sound that is the furthest away. Yeah, Nice. Now bring your attention to the most subtle sound in your environment. Maybe you hear your belly making a noise? Or your own breath. Well done. Now bring your attention to your eyes. You have your eyes closed, So try to see with your eyes closed. You might just see. Dark? Dark blue or black Or maybe you see some light through your eyelids. Some people see with eyes closed they see patterns of colors or dots And whatever it is you don't have to change. Just observe whatever you are seeing with your eyes closed. Well done. Now bring your attention to whatever you are tasting. You always have some kind of taste in your mouth, Something you just ate or drank. Or maybe it's a taste of a dry mouth. What do you taste? Now bring your attention to your sense of smell. What are you smelling? First probe for them. You know the. . . The prominent aromas around you. Maybe you have flowers in your room. Maybe you smell your own perfume or aftershave. Or the smell of the detergent that you washed your clothes with. Can you also smell more subtle smells? Something you cooked in the morning Quality of the air. Well done! Now bring your attention to your sense of touch. So you feel your buttocks on the seat. If you're lying, You feel your back against the mattress. Or the math. When you're sitting up against the sofa, Your chair, You feel your back against that. So can you feel some more subtle? So how you're. . . Sweater or shirt or dresses. Sitting on your skin Are your socks around your ankles? If you have a beard, Maybe you feel the. . . Hairs of your beard on your cheeks. Or if you have longer hair, The hair in the back of your neck. Can you feel the air on your skin? Oh, Well done! All right now I want to take you on a little visualization journey. With this visualization journey, I'm going to use. . . The language of image. But it doesn't mean that you have to see images if this is not the way that you fantasize. You know how you fantasize. Some people use images, Other people just know or feel it or see words. Whatever way you fantasize that is the way that you will process my language of images. Alright. I want you to imagine that you are in a place that you just love so much. Maybe it's your garden, Maybe it's on top of a mountain, Maybe it's your favorite holiday destination. Maybe it's your own comfortable bed. Whatever the place is, Just imagine this place around you. Imagine that you are actually there. So get a feel for it or see it in whatever way you fantasize. So this place I want you to find a place where you can In your fantasy, Sit or lie down really comfortable. So if it is the middle of a meadow then the grass is so soft that you can sit or lay on it. If it is your own bedroom, Then use your bed. And if you are somewhere else where you think I don't have a comfy place, Then just fantasize that there is this really comfortable chair that you can. . . Sit in so nicely All right, Now. Really take a moment to fantasize. That you are sitting here comfortable. That the awareness of your body that we just established you brought with you. And you feel that your body is already a little bit more relaxed than it was before. And it feels good. It feels really, Really good to be so relaxed. So while you're sitting here, I want you to bring your attention now to the. . . Heart space, Your chest, The middle of your chest. If it helps you can put your hands there. Just bring your attention to your heart space. And if it helps, You can imagine that there is a little light there. That shines really lovely and bright. With the most beautiful color, Your favorite color. All right, Now. I want you. To now imagine. That you see yourself a little screen in front of you. It can be like a TV screen or if you like it big, You make it a movie theater screen. But you see yourself there. And I want you to look at yourself. As you are right now. And I want you to. . . Pick that part, That element, That functioning of your body. That you have high expectations of. And that you would want it to deliver, But it doesn't. Remember the question that we just had? In my case, I'm looking at my shoulder. What is it for you? And really use the fantasy in the way that you like it, Right? So now you focus. On that body part or that body functioning and really, Really see it. And become aware of your dissatisfaction. Become aware of your high expectations that are not fulfilled and i do not know if how that feels for you but i know that i feel some resistance now i feel some friction now I feel even some angriness for a moment and that is okay. It is okay. It is okay to feel whatever you're feeling. If it's overwhelming you, Then just open your eyes and just take a look at me or stop the meditation. Just let it be for a moment. It is okay. It is okay to feel this. It is okay to feel this. Let's just tell that part or that element or that function of your body what you want it to be, Which it isn't. So in my case, I'm telling my shoulder. I want you to function as before without giving me any pain. That is what I want. So you can say it out loud or you can say it mentally. Just tell your body what it is that you would like it to be, To function. All right, Now. . . Take a moment, Go back to your heart space. That little light in the middle of your chest. Just keep your attention there. It might be that you still feel some. . . Unpleasant emotions, That's okay. Just be with it for a moment. It's okay. It's all part of the process. And if your emotion is strong, You can even. . . Tell that body part. So. I would tell my shoulder. Listen, It's really frustrating me. It's really frustrating me that you do not live up to my expectations. I really would love you to just. . . Fix yourself. Make it over. I'm frustrated. I'm a little bit angry at you even. So whatever it is that you want to tell that body part just tell it out loud mentally it's okay you're doing it really really well Now solely focus. On this part or this functioning of your body. And let it grow. Bigger, Bigger on the screen while you watch it. And I want you to ask it now. What do you want to tell me? I know that you are hurting for a reason. Can you tell me why? What do you want to tell me that I didn't hear before? And listen to the answer. All right. Can you hear it then, Sir? It might be that it's not work. It might be that this is an image or a song or token And if you don't understand, Then that is okay. It will come at the later moments. But if you do understand, Can you ask them this body part or body functioning? Is there anything I can do for you right now? And then listen to the answer. Is there anything? I can do for you right now. And I don't know about you but. . Hearing this answer, My shoulder is telling me that it wants ease. It wants my gentleness. It wants me to love it. Anyway. . . Because it has done already so. Much for me. And it touches me. It moves me. It relaxes me, Actually, To be honest. I don't know how this is for you. But whatever you feel, I hope there's a sense of relief because now You know there is something that you can do. Maybe not to fix it. But to relate to it. Maybe not to heal it. But to feel a little bit better about the fact that this is how it is. Excuse me. All right, Now. I want you to bring your attention to your heart space again. And I know if it's hard for you, That's okay. That's okay. If it's too much, Then just stop. Open your eyes. See me sitting here, Silly. With my hands on my chest. It's okay. You're doing it so well. All right, Now bring your attention to your heart space. Really put your hands there. Feel that. Warm, Beautiful light that is there. Now imagine. . . That's from your heart, This beautiful line. There shines, It shines out like a big fat laser beam. And you know where it's shining, Elm. It's shining on that part or that functioning of your body right now. And you send it all your love. Just imagine that light from your heart pouring. Beaming. Towards the bloody part. And that body part or that body functioning really lights up. It relaxes. It receives your love. And if you find it hard to. . . Imagine that you have enough love within you to send and then just put your feet on the ground. Feel your feet on Mother Earth and let the energy of Mother Earth flow through your feet into your knees. Into your hips into your belly into your heart and from your heart you send that love from mother earth to that body part And if that is still not enough, Then just. Imagine the sun is above you, Shining on the crown of your head and through the crown of your head, All the beautiful sunlight trickles down through your head, Into your neck, In your throat. In your heart and also this now go through the laser beam to that body part of you. So now it's not just you. It's also Mother Earth. And it's also our sun. It's also Everything that is. All the people right now that are in this meditation are sharing this moment where we connect. And just send love to that part of your body. That just deserves some extra love from you. And see how it receives. How it softens. How it relaxes, How it starts to feel better. And notice how good it feels for you. To send yourself this. Now you can let go of the laser beam. You put your hands on your heart and just tune in with yourself for a moment. And just check if you feel anything different towards. That part of your body. It might be the same, That's ok. You will just need to repeat this meditation a few times before you start to feel it. But if you feel something, Can you realize then that there is a little bit of relief? A little bit more gentleness, A little bit more love. And try to remember how this feels so next time When you catch yourself. Having such a critical thought about that part or about your body, About the functioning of your body. Remember them. Telling you something And it just needs you to put it in the spotlight. And to just love it. Unconditionally So ask yourself, Really ask yourself for a moment. How do I feel right now? And listen to the answer. And then ask yourself, What do I need? Right now. And listen to the answer. And whatever comes up, Give it to yourself. Maybe you want to caress your own cheek. Put your arms around yourself. Rock yourself. Maybe you want to go to sleep. Maybe you just want to sit in peace. Maybe you feel like calling your best friend. All okay, Whatever it is It's okay. You're doing such important work right now. All right, Before we close off, I want you to. . . Bring your attention for a moment to your feet feel your feet feel how they're standing on the ground feel how they connect with the ground not every touch point has the same pressure on the ground it's just connecting feel that connection with the ground. With the floor. Can you sense how much support is there? From the ground. From Mother Earth. And from your feet. Your feet making that connection. Now bring your attention for a moment to your bum. Bomb of a Goddess. Feel how it is seated. Or lying down, Supporting you with these lovely soft cushions so that your bones of your pelvis will not hurt when you're sitting. Everything has a beautiful function. Now bring your tension for a moment to your belly. Where all these beautiful organs in your body are functioning. Digesting your food making sure that all the nutritions will get into your body and Everything that you do not need will be. Will be taken away. So beautiful how it functions and mind you you don't have to control it you don't have to manage it it just works right That's really, Really beautiful that it just works. You don't have to think, Oh, Now I have to do this and now, Oh, Now I have to put some extra acid. Oh, Now I have to pull out the nutrition. You don't have to do that. Your body does it. Wow, What an amazing vehicle. Ooh, To your heart again, But now the. . . The heart that beats for you. Non-stop. Beautiful. Just beating. Making sure that the blood will bring all the good stuff to the cells and that it will clean out and bring back everything that is not good anymore. How beautiful this heart is and besides this functioning this is the place where we have our love, Where we have our intuition, Where we can feel things even before they happen. Our hearts are amazing. I am so grateful for my heart. Now again, Sorry, The hands, The opposable thumbs. I love just thinking about my hands. It makes me feel so grateful that I have my hands. That I can grab things, That I can hold things, That I can lift things, That I can eat. That I can love and caress myself and others. Oh, They're so beautiful, My hands. I so love my hands. I hope you feel the same about yours. And now I want you to pick. Any body parts. Or body function that you know you just love. And you just express your gratitude. By yourself. To this part. Go ahead. Take a moment to feel how this feeling of gratitude feels in your body. It is pretty easy to cultivate gratitude. You know, Probably you know this. Gratitude practices. I've given all the many lives about this. We know from a lot of research that when we start to focus on gratitude, We really start to feel better. At least our perception of well-being significantly increases. So when you connect that knowledge with gratitude for your body, And even when there is just one little part of your body that you like, If you send all your gratitude there and you start building from there. You really start to build. Sustainable Self-gentleness towards your body. Which over time, Step by step, Incrementally can grow into more body love. All right, Now. Let's really be back into our body. You can wiggle your fingers and toes a little bit. And stretch your spine. And then you just take your time to open your eyes. Don't open them too quickly because you've been with closed eyes in the meditation for quite some time. So really, Really take your time. My loves, Love your body. Be gentle with it. Appreciate your hands, Your shoulders, Everything. And don't forget, You have the body of a goddess, Whether you're a man or a woman, You have. Never forget that. Sending you so much love. Have a beautiful weekend. Bye bye.