Welcome to The Daily Insight.
My name is Fleur Chambers and it is my pleasure to guide you in this practice.
Today we shall gladden our minds,
Bodies and hearts.
I love the metaphor of our mind as a garden.
To have a resilient,
Vibrant and healthy mind we need to attend to it much like we would attend to a garden.
We need to pull weeds and plant seeds.
And so in today's practice we shall pull the weeds of self-criticism from our minds and plant the seeds of self-compassion.
When our inner critic has too much space in the garden of our minds it can lead to us living as a smaller,
Less confident,
Less courageous version of ourselves.
Intentionally cultivating self-compassion is a powerful way to overcome our self-critical thoughts.
Self-compassion allows us to feel more resilient,
Open,
Confident and capable.
Self-compassion allows us to forgive ourselves when we make mistakes,
To be kind to ourselves when life feels hard.
When we practice self-compassion we are more able to bounce back from life's challenges with a sense of perspective and optimism.
Where our attention goes,
Energy flows.
So together let's direct our attention away from self-criticism and towards self-compassion creating a space for more peace,
Contentment and ease within our minds,
Bodies and hearts.
So settling into a comfortable position and as an initial act of self-compassion just seeing if you could be 10% more comfortable.
Making any little adjustments you need.
Wonderful.
And closing down your eyes.
Taking a moment to allow your awareness to shift from the external world to your inner world.
Allowing your awareness to fall onto your breath.
No need to change your breath in any way.
Simply noticing.
If thoughts come,
Offer them a smile and return to the natural ebb and flow of your breath.
Noticing any sense of arriving.
Arriving into your body.
Arriving into your heart.
Arriving into your practice.
As your awareness sinks a little deeper,
Softening across your eyes,
Your jaw,
The inner landscape of your mouth.
Allowing your entire face to feel soft and at ease.
Letting go of any mask you may wear in the external world.
Feeling safe just to be exactly as you are today.
Shoulders dropping,
Melting even like ice to water.
Chest open and soft.
Taking a deep breath all the way into your stomach.
Softening on the exhale.
Hips and pelvis heavy.
And now from this place of ease,
Directing your gentle attention to some of the self-critical thoughts that live within the garden of your mind.
Maybe they relate to your physical appearance.
Your personality.
Or your relationships.
No need to grab onto these thoughts,
Just allowing them to move in and out of your awareness like clouds on a summer's day.
Do you set high expectations for yourself?
And are you self-critical when you don't meet these expectations?
Do you worry you aren't good enough at one of the many roles you play in life?
Is there a quiet rumbling inside that you need to be more or to do more?
Breathing into these thoughts.
With each breath some space is created.
Space to interact with these thoughts in different and liberating ways.
How do these self-critical thoughts make you feel in your body?
How do they make you feel in your heart?
Do these thoughts help you be the person you want to be deep down inside?
Are these thoughts even true?
Taking a deep breath in and as you exhale letting these thoughts go.
With each exhale you take letting these thoughts go.
How does this letting go feel for you?
Perhaps you notice a sense of lightness,
Of space or relief.
Drawing your awareness once more to your breath and directing your breath into your heart.
Imagining that each breath is moving down your throat into your chest and arriving at your heart.
With each breath waking your heart a little more.
Breathing in to your heart.
Breathing out of your heart.
Noticing any sense of warmth,
Relaxation or peace wash over you.
Repeating these phrases silently in your mind.
May I be peaceful.
May I be courageous.
May I be compassionate.
May I be happy.
Really allowing these well wishes to feel true for you in this moment.
Breathing these well wishes deep into your heart.
Repeating these phrases once more.
May I be peaceful.
May I be courageous.
May I be compassionate.
May I be happy.
If your heart could speak what message would it have for you today?
Being open to any words,
Emotions or sensations that may arise.
Being open to receive the wisdom of your own heart,
Of your own compassion.
Our thoughts shape our reality.
So can you offer yourself an intention now for how you would like to move away from self criticism and towards self compassion?
Sealing this intention with one deep breath.
Allowing the energy of this intention to shape your reality.
Rubbing your hands together now.
Really creating a sense of warmth within your hands.
And placing them somewhere on your body.
Perhaps on your arms,
Chest,
Your face or your tummy.
Feeling your own warmth.
And when you are ready,
Opening your eyes to the space you are in.
And as you reconnect to the external world,
I offer you this poem by Nehmer.
It's called Being Human.
I wonder if the soil thinks she is too dark.
If butterflies cover up their marks.
If rocks are self conscious of their weight.
If mountains are insecure of their strength.
And so my friend,
I offer you the warm hearted invitation to quieten your inner critic and welcome the voice of compassion.
As a way of allowing more peace,
Love and connection into your daily life.
It has been my pleasure to guide you today.
Thank you for watching.
