We tend to be our worst critic, and repetitive thoughts of self-deprecation create a pattern in the mind that are detrimental to self-worth and self-love. This brief meditation can help you bring love to yourself, letting go of past mistakes or harmful beliefs about the self.
Our meditations are best practiced by listening, so we've included that for you here:
If you'd like to familiarize yourself with the meditation first, here you go!
Allow yourself to be in the present moment, taking this time for you. You are the number one priority at this moment. There is nowhere else you need to be, and no one else you need to care for right now.
Take a deep breath in through the nose if you can, and feel the air as it moves down into your body. Release your tension as you release the breath.
Briefly notice your body and any areas you may be holding tension or stress and focus on allowing the breath to calm those areas, taking a few more breaths in silence.
Continue the same relaxing breathing, for the next minute, bringing your awareness and self to the present moment. If at any time during this meditation, you feel overwhelmed or you have too much emotion rising within you, please allow yourself to stop and try again another time.
This body of yours, with whatever judgements or feelings you have about it, is here for you. It is supporting you without you having to ask, and offers you breath, experience, thought, sensations…send love and appreciation to your body, acknowledging the miracle and beauty of the life it provides you.
I would like you to now imagine that you are in a room that is softly lit. There is a chair, and an open window, with a curtain blowing softly in the breeze. It is very comforting in this room. The temperature feels just right to you, and you feel a smile come across your face. As you are breathing, you are filled with a sense of contentment. It feels so nice to just take this moment for yourself and enjoy your surroundings. As you sit in this room, wrapped in comfort, bring to mind a part of yourself that you are holding with judgment. It could be a decision you have made, a behavior you displayed, or something you said in the past that you wish you could take back. Whatever it is, look at it. Hold it up in front of you as if you were just an observer of the situation. Notice your feelings of judgment that arise. Notice also if you can discern the facts from the actual experience. Are there stories that you have told yourself about this experience? Are there feelings that you have been holding onto? Imagine that those stories, judgements, feelings, are all tangible things you are holding in your hand. Looking down at your hands while you sit in this room of comfort, you see that you were doing the best that you could at that time. You can accept yourself at that time, the knowledge you had, the state of your mind. You can also offer yourself forgiveness. You see that no matter how tightly you are holding those things, you suddenly realize that you can let go. You can loosen your fingers, open your palm, and just gently release all of those things.
Imagine what it might feel like to also offer yourself unconditional love. What would it feel like to be able to be completely you, and still love yourself? What would it be like to feel worthy of love from everyone? Those feelings make you smile and feel that sense of warmth and comfort. You realize you ARE able to be you. You ARE worthy of love, unconditional love. You feel so at peace in this moment, knowing that you are enough.
When we judge parts of ourselves, we are holding those parts separately, away from the true self. And if we are doing that, we cannot feel whole. It is possible to allow the dark and the light parts of ourselves to exist as part of the whole. We all have both of those things in us, and if we can accept those pieces of the whole, we can begin to be our true self.
Repeat to yourself the following affirmations:
I am grateful for my body.
I am worthy of love.
I am loved.
I accept all parts of me, my dark and my light.
I respect myself.
I love myself, unconditionally.
I am enough.
Continue to reflect in the comfort and warmth of the room.
Slowly bring your awareness back to your present environment, bringing with you the feelings of love and comfort you just experienced.
Take a deep cleansing breath…in for 1-2-3-4 and out for 1-2-3-4-5-6-7
You can open your eyes or refocus your gaze. This meditation can bring up some heavy emotions, and that’s ok. Allow yourself to work through those emotions, repeating the affirmations as many times as needed. I recommend a few moments of silence and solitude before you return to your prior activities.
This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit AirwaveMedia.com to listen and subscribe to other great shows like The Daily Meditation Podcast, Everything Everywhere and Movie Therapy. We’d deeply appreciate your support at patreon.com/amindfulmoment. Our podcast is now available to view on our YouTube Channel, so be sure to follow us there and on Instagram @amindfulmomentpodcast.
A Mindful Moment is written and hosted by Teresa McKee and/or Melissa Sims. The Spanish version is translated and hosted by Paola Theil. Intro music, Retreat, by Jason Farnham. Outro music, Morning Stroll by Josh Kirsch, Media Right Productions. Thank you for tuning in! This podcast is produced by Work2Live Productions.