All right,
So let's start by finding a comfortable posture,
One in which your spine is straight,
The soft belly.
Invite you to take three deep cleansing breaths,
Breathing in,
Pushing the belly out,
Breathing out,
Pushing the belly towards the spine.
Do a short body scan,
Starting with our toes,
Our feet,
Ankles,
Calves.
Noticing sensations there,
Noticing any aches,
Stiffness.
And on the out breath,
Release,
Let it go,
Bring our attention to the thighs,
The hips,
The hip flexors,
Again,
Looking for any tightness there,
Any soreness,
Just a gentle noticing.
On the out breath,
Release,
Let it go,
Bring our attention to the belly,
Noticing any congestion there,
Any sensations at all,
Good or bad,
Just noticing.
And on the out breath,
Release,
Relax,
Bring our attention to the fingers,
The hands,
The elbows,
The arms,
The shoulders.
Again,
Noticing sensations,
Numbness,
Tingling,
Soreness,
Just sensations.
Notice how they change and move.
And on the out breath,
Release,
Relax,
Soften,
Let the shoulders drop,
Bring our attention to the chest,
Noticing sensations there.
And on the out breath,
Let it go,
Bring our attention to the neck,
The jaw,
The ears,
The eyes,
The nose,
The head,
Paying attention to sensations there,
Soreness,
Aches,
Congestion,
And on the out breath,
Release,
Relax,
Soften the whole body.
Let's just take a moment to really just be with a relaxed body,
An open heart and mind,
Being with things just as they are.
Now I will guide you in a meditation on forgiveness of self.
Planning your life,
Bring to mind some aspect of yourself,
Some behavior,
Past or present,
That has felt unforgivable or unacceptable.
I would like to encourage you to pick something not too deep,
But something that feels workable.
Let yourself sense the ways you have hurt or harmed yourself.
Feel the sorrow you carry.
As you sense what is unacceptable,
You might just really let yourself lean in.
And sense,
Well,
What's so bad about this behavior or emotion or way of thinking?
Let yourself feel the aversion that's there.
What's the worst part about this?
Now let your attention explore more deeply.
What is driving this part of you that's acting in an unacceptable way?
Just sense the behavior.
Sense what's driving it.
What needs are you trying to satisfy?
What fears are you trying to soothe?
If you wounded another person,
Were you acting from hurt,
From insecurity,
Out of the need to feel in control and safe?
As you become aware of the underlying wants and fears,
Allow yourself to feel them directly in your body,
Your heart,
And your mind.
Even though you dislike the behaviors,
Try to hold the underlying vulnerability with your own self-fulfillment.
You might sense a message of self-forgiveness that would be most healing.
You may say,
I see I've caused my self-suffering and I forgive myself now.
Or you might simply offer yourself the words,
Forgiven.
If you get stuck,
You can remind yourself,
It's my intention to forgive myself when I am able.
It's my intention to forgive myself when I am able.
I invite you to sense one particular way that you've betrayed yourself,
Caused yourself harm,
Something that you can release and forgive or even begin to forgive.
Touch this burden with mercy and tenderness.
Extend forgiveness to yourself.
For this way and other ways,
I've hurt and harmed myself through action or inaction,
Out of pain,
Fear,
Confusion.
I now offer myself forgiveness.
I hold myself with tenderness and mercy.
I forgive myself.
I forgive myself.
I forgive myself.
For the next two minutes,
Let's just rest in this kindness and tenderness.
Let's just rest in this kindness and tenderness.
Let's just rest in this kindness and tenderness.
Let's rest in this kindness and tenderness.
Let's rest in this kindness and tenderness.
