Welcome to Pursuing Peace Meditations.
Today we're going to be focusing on combating internal shame and trying to develop a deeper sense of self compassion.
So take a seat to make sure you have a cushion maybe propped up under you.
We want to be in a position where we're relaxed but still alert so we don't fall asleep.
Take a few breaths.
In through the nose.
And out.
In through the nose.
And out.
Do this a few times,
Maybe over the next minute or so.
Or however long you need to feel comfortable but present at the same time.
If your mind wanders at all that's okay.
Just bring it back to the breath.
In through the nose.
And out.
Do this again for maybe another 25 seconds or so.
Now think of a time when you were younger.
When you were a child.
Maybe 5,
6,
7 or 8 years old.
And think about when you made a mistake as a child and maybe you had a parent,
A friend or a sibling get upset with you.
Think about how that felt.
Did we feel embarrassed?
Mind of ourselves?
The one thing we know is that it felt bad.
And chances are it probably didn't help us with our behavior or the mistake that we made.
But it did make us feel bad about ourselves.
Now if you were to see a child today being yelled at or shamed by their parents or by an adult,
You probably wouldn't think that that was a very good parent.
If it was socially acceptable you'd probably try to stop them.
Now I want you to think back to your present self today and think about when you make a mistake now.
Think about a mistake in the last month you've made,
Last year,
Last 5 years.
And how do you feel when you think about that mistake?
Probably very similar.
You feel embarrassed,
You feel ashamed.
And so we have to remember when we make a mistake we still have the same feelings as when we were that child,
Even though we're adults now.
So you have to treat yourself with the same compassion and the same kindness that you would treat yourself as a child or another child whenever making a mistake.
When you make a mistake and you criticize yourself,
You're not just the one critiquing yourself,
But you're also the one who feels the criticism.
If instead we can change the dialogue to how can we do this better next time,
Or that's okay everyone makes mistakes,
Or even though you made a mistake I'm still here for you.
If you say your first name,
My name is James,
James even though you made a mistake I'm still here for you.
And we have to get out of the practice of abandoning ourselves whenever we feel like we're not worthy or that we've done something wrong.
Because we still have the same feelings as when we were a child.
Okay,
Take a few breaths in.
Open your eyes.
And congratulations,
You are done with your meditation for today.
