Welcome to this meditation.
Find a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down,
Allowing your hands to rest easily.
Then when you're ready,
Join me in taking a long deep breath in through the nose,
And a long slow exhale through the mouth.
Then close your eyes,
Or take a soft gaze if you prefer,
And just start to let the outside world fade away.
Now gently scan through your body from your head down to your feet.
Notice your head and face.
Invite them to soften.
Release any tightness around the jaw.
Let your shoulders drop,
And your arms grow heavy,
Hanging like heavy curtains by your side.
Feel your chest rise and fall with your breath.
Soften through your tummy,
The hips.
With each exhale let go of rolls,
Names and labels.
For this moment,
You're not defined by your job,
Your age,
Or your history.
You're simply here,
Breathing.
Begin to reflect gently on this question,
Who am I?
Who am I to you?
You're not your name that was given to you.
You're not only your body,
It is yours,
But it's not all of you.
So who are you really?
Allow the question to rest in your mind without needing an immediate answer.
Imagine peeling back layers,
Like removing coats one after the other.
Beneath each one,
You find more of your true self,
A self that is aware,
A self that notices,
A self that has always been there.
This awareness,
The one listening now,
The deepest part of who you are.
Bring your attention first to your body.
Notice sensations,
The rise and fall of the breath,
The feeling of being supported where you rest.
Now turn to your mind,
Thoughts may come and go,
Some helpful,
Some distracting,
Let them drift by like clouds across a vast sky.
And then notice the quiet presence beneath it all,
The steady awareness that never changes,
Even when your body or mind does.
This presence is you,
Whole,
Complete.
From childhood,
We are shaped by others' words and beliefs.
These can weigh heavy,
Even when untrue.
Now imagine that you're wearing a thick,
Heavy coat.
Across it are written the labels of old beliefs,
You're not good enough,
Too little,
Too much,
Will never succeed.
Feel the weight of this coat,
Notice how it pulls on your shoulders,
How it restricts your movement.
And now,
With a gentle breath,
Begin to slip it off,
Slide it from your shoulders,
Down your arms,
Lay it on the ground beside you.
Take a step forward without it,
Notice the lightness,
The freedom,
The relief.
With each breath,
You're free to choose who you wish to become.
Now imagine yourself as who you truly wish to become.
See yourself walking in the morning with energy and calm.
Notice the way you move,
Upright,
Steady,
Grounded.
Notice the way you speak,
Confident,
Kind,
Assured.
Notice how you feel inside,
Joyful,
At ease,
Enough.
See yourself meeting others,
Watch how they respond to your presence.
See yourself facing challenges,
And notice how calmly you overcome them.
Let this vision be vivid,
Imagine the colours,
The light,
The feeling of it,
The taste of it,
The smell of it,
Breathe it all in and let it become reality.
Now affirm to yourself silently,
I am so happy now that I see myself as calm,
I am so happy now that I see myself as strong,
I am so happy now that I see myself as enough.
Repeat these words slowly,
Or add your own words,
And allow them to settle like seeds in the rich soil of your mind.
And if you saw yourself today the way the world has always known,
You'd find a light within your chest,
A truth that's waiting to be shown.
You're not the doubts you've heard,
Or the fears that held you small,
You are the voice that whispers back,
You were enough through it all.
Let the words of this poem linger in your heart,
Allow them to strengthen the image you hold of yourself,
Radiant,
Capable,
Whole.
Hold this new image of yourself in your heart as though it were a steady flame,
It glows warmly,
Illuminating every part of you.
Breathe this image into every cell of your body,
With each inhale imagine it filling you with light,
With each exhale imagine it radiating out into your life.
Offer gratitude to yourself for the courage to imagine and to become.
Acknowledge the truth,
Your thoughts shape your feelings,
Your feelings shape your actions,
And your actions shape your life.
Join me in taking one long last deep breath in through the nose,
And one long slow release through the mouth.
Gently bring your awareness back to your body,
To the ground or chair supporting you.
Notice the space around you,
And as you do remember your self-image is not fixed,
Each day is a chance to choose again.
So affirm to yourself softly now,
I am more than my body,
I am more than my thoughts,
I am awareness,
Potential and peace,
I am whole.
Let's do that one more time.
I am more than my body,
I am more than my thoughts,
I am awareness,
Potential and peace,
I am whole.
When you are ready gently start to open your eyes and carry this vision of yourself into the rest of your day.
Namaste.
