Self Critic Focusing Meditation Practice

This meditation is for anyone who is noticing a part of themselves being critical (we might call this an inner or self critic). Inspired by the practice of Focusing by Eugene Gendlin, the practice will invite you to connect with the part of you that is sharing these critical messages - recognising that this part is likely trying to support / protect you in some way. We may find that by letting this part be seen and heard, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves, as well as allowing this part to soften and know that we don't need protecting in this way. You may find that the part doesn't show up in this meditation, and that's fine - hopefully it can still support you to access some compassion for yourself, as you are doing the best you can navigating the challenges you are in. This practice may also support you to recognise where in your body this 'part' shows up, so that if you notice these critical thoughts coming up again, you can connect to that part and allow it to soften.

Transcript

Welcome to this self-critic focusing meditation.

This meditation,

This practice is designed to support you if you're noticing that there's some critical voice showing up for you inside and the intention is that we're going to get a little bit closer to that try to understand what might be underneath and within this practice it's totally within your control you decide how close you want to get and if it feels uncomfortable you can stop at any time if you'd like to join me for the practice then we'll just start with taking a moment to settle finding a comfortable position just allowing yourself to land in the space that you're in allowing your attention to come inwards you might notice the sounds in the space around you you might notice the air in the space around you making contact with your skin you might allow your attention to come into the points of contact with the surface beneath you just being curious,

Are some of these stronger than others?

And noticing the shape that your body is making in the space that you're in and if it feels comfortable you might allow your attention to come into the breath moving in your body just noticing that expansion out as you breathe in and subsiding back as you breathe out you might allow the out breath to be an invitation to just soften down a little more into those points of contact each time breathing out just allowing yourself to soften down a little more just resting in this space and now the invitation is to open up a little bit of space you might imagine an open glade in a forest just an opening,

A space for possibility and we'll invite into that space this feeling of self-criticism this part that is being critical we'll just see if it wants to show up and just being curious whether you notice it showing up somewhere in your body we're not trying to do anything right now we're just trying to observe and notice we might imagine that this part,

This feeling,

This something in you is a bit like a wild animal,

A deer something timid that just we want to open the space to allow it to show up and just observe allow it to settle and if you have noticed this part showing up you might just allow your attention to rest in that part and if you're not sure it hasn't shown up you might just choose to place your hands somewhere in your body that feels supportive might be your chest,

Your belly,

Just allowing that connection to your body and then we might take a moment to let that part of you that's coming up with these criticisms let that part know that it's welcome that it's welcome here and being curious about whether you notice anything change or whether things are staying the same the sensations,

The feelings or thoughts around this part again not judging,

We're just noticing and being curious and you might take a moment and see if there is something that this part wants to tell you and this might be in words or you might just have a sense or some kind of inner understanding or there might not be a message,

There's no right or wrong just being curious and noticing what's there and then you might take a moment to let that part know that you've heard it if it had a message or that it's seen even if there wasn't one and again just being curious seeing if you notice any shifts or changes and then you might take a moment to thank this part knowing that whatever it's doing it's trying to protect you just thanking it for trying to protect you again noticing any shifts or changes and then you might let that part know that you'll come back again and then just allowing ourselves to step back from the glade allowing that part to fade bringing your attention back into the points of contact with the surface beneath you and noticing the movement of your breath and your body you might start to notice the sounds in the space around you and gently allowing yourself to come out of the practice taking a moment to land back into the space that you're in allowing yourself a moment to just sit with any reflections or noticings that came up in the practice and then carrying on with your day thank you for joining me for this practice