Welcome.
I'm Ashley Bentley,
And I'm so glad that you're here.
Today's meditation is inspired by loving-kindness,
Or meta-meditation,
As it's also known.
Today we will journey within,
With powerful visualizations and affirmations to cultivate love and acceptance deep within yourself.
So just take a moment to get yourself nice and comfortable,
Adjusting your body in any way that it needs right now to feel warm and cozy and fully supported.
And when you feel ready,
You can gently close your eyes,
And as you begin to notice a calm and relaxation in your body,
Mind,
And soul,
I'm going to take you on a journey of love.
Loving-kindness or meta-meditation is a really beautiful meditation,
And can be quite a powerful practice to incorporate into your life.
So now,
Notice your breathing,
The gentle rise and fall that happens,
All by itself.
And bringing your awareness now to the center of your chest,
Your heart chakra.
The heart space is directly in the center of your chest,
And this is a very sacred place,
Your heart space.
You will see the heart space glowing in many different religious paintings and sculptures from all around the world,
All types of religions.
And as you are breathing lightly in and out,
I want you to now,
Just imagine,
Only imagine now that you are actually breathing in and out of your heart space,
Your heart center.
It's a sacred space,
Your own heart.
So imagine breathing directly in and out of your heart space,
Drawing the air in and out of your heart center.
And now,
Can you imagine a golden light entering,
Breathing in warm,
Calming,
Soothing golden light.
You can think of the beautiful golden light which happens at sunset.
That magical golden light,
Streaming into your heart center,
Warming it up,
Opening you up emotionally.
When we place our attention here,
We are in direct connection with our emotional center.
So you might start feeling some emotions here as we do this.
Just honor those feelings,
And let them continue to warm your heart center.
And then,
As if speaking from our heart center,
We say phrases.
I will say them aloud,
And you will say them silently inside,
Speaking directly from your heart space.
The first phrase is,
May I be happy.
Speaking it silently from inside,
As if you are saying it from your heart center,
And really let that feeling get drawn down into your heart space.
May I be happy.
Just let those words resonate,
A wish for your own happiness.
May I be well.
May I be safe and protected.
May my heart and mind awaken and be free.
May I be happy.
May I be well.
May I be safe and protected.
May my heart and mind awaken and be free.
And just continue saying these phrases to yourself.
And remember,
It's not really the phrasing that's important,
But rather it's the intent and the sincerity of love towards oneself that matters.
So whatever phrasing arouses that feeling of self-love is fine to use.
I'm going to leave you for a moment to continue these phrases,
And when the mind wanders,
Just allow your awareness to drop back down into the heart center and continue on.
Now,
I want you to imagine standing in front of a mirror.
See yourself fully as you are today,
And as you've been cultivating this love radiating from your heart center,
You're going to speak these phrases again to yourself.
Looking deep into your eyes,
We're going to speak directly to your reflection these phrases.
From your heart center,
Beaming this golden light that you've cultivated,
Feeling this deep love.
May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe and protected.
May your heart and mind awaken and be free.
And really feel that love connecting with yourself.
Wishing yourself all of these beautiful blessings.
May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe and protected.
May your heart and mind awaken and be free.
I'm going to be silent now for a few moments while you continue,
And now it's time to begin sending a number of affirmations to yourself.
As you continue to look at yourself in this mirror,
Really feel that deep well of love within you,
And allow these words to sink into your heart,
And you don't need to force yourself to believe them.
Just let them float in the open field of your awareness,
Like gentle ripples on a calm lake.
I am worthy of love and kindness,
Exactly as I am.
I honor this body as a vessel of life,
Strength,
And resilience.
I am learning to embrace myself with gentle,
Loving awareness.
My body is not a problem to be solved,
But a wonder to be cherished.
Really feel these affirmations settle into your being.
There's no need to hold on to any words,
Just let them arise and dissolve like a soft breeze.
And now,
As you continue to look lovingly at yourself in this mirror,
Gently shift your awareness to any part of your body that feels tender,
Tense,
Or uncomfortable.
Just take a gentle breath into this area,
Offering it the warmth of your presence.
Just simply notice.
There's no need to judge or change it,
Just observe with curiosity and kindness.
I honor my body as it is in this moment,
Without needing it to change.
I release self-criticism and embrace self-compassion.
My body is deserving of care,
Gentleness,
And love.
I give myself permission to feel at home in my body.
Let these words sink deeply,
Like rain nourishing the soil.
Imagine them spreading throughout your body,
Bringing acceptance,
Ease,
And gentleness to each cell,
And bringing your awareness now back to the heart space,
Resting it there.
And if it feels right,
Gently place your hands over your heart.
In the quiet of your heart,
Allow yourself to feel a sense of warmth,
As if wrapped in a soft blanket of love,
And remind yourself that self-love is not something you have to earn,
It's your natural state,
Your birthright.
I am a beautiful expression of life,
Worthy of love,
Exactly as I am.
I am grateful for my body,
Which serves me in countless ways.
I choose to see myself through the eyes of kindness and love.
I am whole and complete in this moment,
Exactly as I am.
My body is a sacred home,
And I honor it with compassion.
I release the need for perfection,
I am enough.
Each part of me is worthy of love and respect.
I celebrate my unique beauty and the journey my body has traveled.
I embrace the wisdom within my body,
Trusting in its guidance.
My heart holds boundless love,
And I extend it to myself fully.
I offer forgiveness to my body for any past judgments.
We are at peace.
I cherish the strength and resilience my body has shown me.
I am gentle with myself,
Allowing space for growth and healing.
My body is deserving of rest,
Nourishment,
And care.
I choose to see my body with gratitude,
Honoring all that it does for me.
I am free to love myself without conditions or expectations.
I am a living,
Breathing miracle,
And I honor that truth.
My worth is not defined by my appearance.
I am valuable as I am.
I send love to every cell of my body,
Welcoming peace and harmony.
I honor the journey of my body,
Embracing every change with acceptance.
I trust my body's wisdom and listen with an open heart.
My body is my ally,
And I am grateful for its support.
I radiate love from within,
And it fills every corner of my being.
I am kind to myself,
And I hold myself with tenderness.
I am grateful for this moment to connect with myself in love.
I am free to express myself authentically,
With confidence and joy.
I welcome the fullness of life,
Knowing I am worthy of happiness.
My heart opens to self-love,
Allowing it to flow effortlessly.
I honor my journey,
Knowing that each step is perfect in its own way.
I am worthy of peace,
Joy,
And a deep sense of belonging.
My inner light shines brightly,
Reminding me of my beauty within.
I am present with myself,
Embracing all that I am.
Love flows to me,
Through me,
And from me,
Creating harmony within.
I am enough just as I am.
I love myself unconditionally through every step of my journey.
My self-love grows stronger with every passing moment.
I forgive myself for past judgments and embrace my full humanity.
I celebrate my uniqueness and honor my individuality.
I am proud of how far I have come,
And I honor the steps I have taken.
I love myself for the person I am and the person I am becoming.
I honor my boundaries and trust my inner wisdom.
I see beauty in every part of myself,
Mind,
Body,
And soul.
I release the need for perfection and embrace my wholeness.
I am gentle with myself as I grow and heal.
I show myself the love I so freely give to others.
My journey is uniquely mine,
And I honor its unfolding,
And really feel these affirmations resonating deeply within.
These beautiful blessings.
Being as gentle and kind to yourself as possible,
And only once your beautiful mind is ready and willing to accept all of these beautiful blessings for yourself.
