So I've called this practice the Island of Attenuation.
Practice for.
Improving and transforming your body image and feelings of self-worth.
Take a sheet of paper and something to write with.
Settle somewhere comfortable where you can write and later read.
Your words aloud.
You can pause the recording whenever you need more time.
And let's take,
Let's give you a few moments together.
Those two implement sheet of paper.
And something to ride with.
When you're ready you can return to the meditation.
We're going to enter into a magical landscape through your imagination.
Sound.
And deep listening.
You will take what has been hurting you and give it a voice.
And creates a powerful reminder of your worth,
Of your value.
So let's begin with the letter.
Write your name at the very top.
Then write to yourself about the way that you see your body.
Try to put into words the things you dislike about your appearance.
The judgments you make about yourself.
And the feelings that gather around them.
Include what you have been carrying about your self-image.
How you believe you look.
How you imagine the others see you.
And how those thoughts affect the way that you live.
The way that you feel.
The way that you act.
The way that you behave.
And write plainly,
Let the page hold what you have been keeping inside all this time.
Write about any comparisons,
The comments that you can remember.
The photographs you avoid.
The moments when your inner critic becomes loud.
And the words it uses against you.
Let each judgment appear as something that you have been thinking and feeling.
You are bringing these thoughts into view.
You are giving them a place outside the endless repetition within your mind.
So,
Like I said already.
Pause this recording while you do that.
Give yourself as long as you need.
Try not to take too long.
But at the same time obviously relax into it.
And give yourself the space that you need to do this.
Start wherever the feeling is strongest,
Perhaps.
When I look at myself,
I feel.
What I find difficult to accept is.
.
.
What I wish someone understood is,
And so on.
Follow the sentence that opens the door.
Let the letter include everything you came here to say.
Keep writing until the words that matter are on the page.
They don't need to be graceful.
Give them the honesty of your own voice.
Now bring the letter to a close with one final sentence.
What I need from myself now is.
.
.
Finish that sentence in your own words.
Now put down the pen.
Place the letter within easy reach.
The journey begins with what you have written.
Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Feel the surface supporting you and let your natural breathing settle into its own rhythm.
Bring the letter into your imagination once again.
See the shape of the page and the marks of your handwriting.
Your words are there exactly as you wrote them.
Notice how a fine silvery light appears along the edges of your paper.
Watch it travel around the page,
Illuminating each corner.
The light enters the spaces between the lines.
Threads of gold and green.
Begin to weave through the paper carrying your words with them.
The letter grows.
And widens before you.
Unfolding into a strong,
Supple carpet.
Its edges are woven with patterns of leaves,
Flowing water and bright threads of light.
Your handwriting remains within the weave,
Held securely within the fabric.
This is your magic carpet.
Made from the letter that you have written.
The words that you have brought here become the means of traveling onwards in our journey.
Sit upon it now in your mind.
Settle into its center and feel it support you completely.
The weave is warm and comfortable beneath you.
Its surface adjusts to give you comfort and room.
Around you now,
Visualize four luminous syllables that appear.
Door.
And Ma.
They are the four sounds that guide this journey.
As you sound them.
Direct your attention towards each of them.
Your mind will follow the direction you give it.
So the four directions.
You are facing north in this inner landscape.
North is in front of you and above you.
East is to your right,
South is downwards and behind you.
West.
Is to your left.
Your body remains comfortably seated as your imagination moves.
In front of you and above you.
The syllable she.
Shines with a clear steady light.
Bring your attention towards it.
She.
North.
Forwards and upwards.
Sound it with me,
Allowing it to flow on an easy out breath.
You can also let the sound move inwardly as you listen.
The carpet rises,
Feel the gentle lift as it carries you forwards and upwards.
The space ahead opens into a wide sky and a fresh current of air moves across your face.
Let your mind travel into that open space.
Now turn your attention to the right,
The syllable door.
Shines in the East.
East.
To the right.
Carpet,
Notice how it follows the sound moving in a broad smooth arc to the right.
A pale horizon stretches before you.
Beneath it lies a sea,
Its surface marked by long paths of light.
You are moving with the sound and the direction of your attention.
Now bring your awareness downwards and behind you.
The syllable Na shines in the South.
South.
Down and behind.
Carpet descends in a gentle supported sweep,
Carrying you around towards the space behind you.
His movement is steady.
You remain held at its centre as the landscape turns beneath you.
Let your awareness reach into that southern space.
Now your attention to the left,
The syllable ma shines in the west.
West to the left.
The carpet glides to the left,
Completing the passage through the four directions.
The sounds settle into its corners where their light continues to shine and pulse.
Let us sound them once more,
Opening each direction clearly in your mind.
SHINNUTH DO'EESH NAVSAV West.
The four currents come together beneath you.
Feel the carpet gather itself into a smooth purposeful movement.
Across the water,
An island emerges from the mist.
Direct your attention towards it.
Let your mind take you there.
So these are the aspects of the practice.
Giving form and organizing.
Your self image,
Your body image.
Your value,
Your self-worth.
All of those feelings and thoughts that you have organized onto the page written understood turning the page into a vehicle.
The sounds allow you a sense of movement.
They are the fuel for the vehicle.
That drives you.
We're now?
Going to be visualizing.
A magical space and place that you can return to.
So you have the means of traveling there in your mind,
In your imagination,
Whenever you wish.
So welcome to the island of attenuation.
The island drawing closer.
Its shore curves around a sheltered bay.
Trees rise beyond the sand and a path leads between them.
Towards the heart of the island.
You have reached.
On your carpet.
The island of attenuation.
In this instance,
Attenuation is the softening of intensity.
Hear the harsh noise of your judgments.
Begin to lose volume.
The islands here.
Our magical constructs.
Gives you the space to hear what lies underneath those judgments,
Beneath them.
And to discover a different way of seeing yourself.
That's the purpose.
See how your carpet now lowers towards the shoreline.
It settles on the ground with the gentleness of a leaf coming to rest.
Stand upon the island in your mind and feel the firmness beneath you.
The path is open and easy to travel.
The air carries the scent of rain on warm stone and flowers.
Listen.
Listen how the water moves along the shoreline.
A bird calls from somewhere amongst the trees from the interior of the island.
Each sound has its place and the space between them is clear and calm.
Take that sense of spaciousness with you now.
As we move towards the clearing ahead.
At the centre of the clearing stands an ancient stone.
Its surface is dark and smooth.
Crossed by fine veins of silver.
Moss gathers around its base.
Light rests upon its upper edge.
This is the Listening Stone.
Approach the stone with reverence.
Find your place beside it and settle for a little while there.
Your carpet is resting nearby.
From its weave,
A small page rises and flies into your hands,
Your letter,
Carrying with it every word you wrote.
Within this magical place,
Within this magical island,
It can be both the carpets that brought you here and the page that you have come to read.
Feel the stillness of the stone before you.
It has time for every sentence that you've written.
It has room for the feelings behind the words.
Bring your actual letter into your hands now.
Open your eyes.
To read it whilst keeping the clearing and the listening stone firmly in your imagination.
So now,
Remember you can pause at any time,
Read the letter aloud to yourself.
And visualize and imagine,
Allowing the stone to hear what you see when you look at yourself.
Let it hear the judgments,
The disappointments,
The anger,
The sadness,
The jealousy,
Whatever it might be.
Tell it how those things feel from inside your own life.
Use your real voice.
Let the words be heard.
As each sentence leaves your mouth,
Imagine it travelling into the stone.
The silver veins receive its sound.
The stone listens to the words themselves and to the feeling carried in your voice.
Let it hear what hurts you.
Let it hear what you have longed for.
Give it the whole letter at your own pace.
Read it now.
Remember,
Pause the recording whenever you need some more time.
When you have finished.
Place the letter now beside you,
Close your eyes once again or soften your gaze and return your attention fully to the clearing.
The listening stone has heard you.
Your words rest within its deep,
Quiet presence.
Feel that sense of space in the clearing between you and the stone.
Between the branches of the trees around you and overhead.
Let your breath move freely.
For a moment.
There is nothing more to explain.
Notice Hell.
Deep within the listening stone.
A note is beginning to sound.
Low and resonant.
Rising through the silver veins,
The stone's surface starting to glow as the note grows clearer.
Filling the clearing with a gentle vibration.
Try humming one comfortable,
Sustained note.
If you can hear it,
Visualize and imagine what it is,
And let it sound for a couple of seconds.
Doesn't matter what pitch,
What volume,
How long you hold the note for.
If you feel like holding it for longer than a couple of seconds,
Do so.
But the point here is listen to the song of the stone.
It heard your letter and now it sings in answer to you.
The note unfolding into a melody.
Listen to that melody.
Imagine it.
Feel it.
Sense it.
And as you begin to listen to this cascade of.
.
.
Notes within this melody.
Slowly emerging now is a word of power.
Your word.
Personal sound.
For transforming the way that you see yourself,
The medicine.
To the negative judgments of your self-worth values.
And body image.
Listen for as long as you need to let your imagination give the song its own word.
Whatever that is.
Allow it to take shape.
Hear the sound taking shape in your mind inwardly.
Receive that first word or syllable that forms and know it to be yours.
Take your time.
Allow the sounds of form.
You will know when you have received it.
Trust it.
Hold it and repeat it until you have memorized this.
If you need to pause the recording,
Write it down,
So you don't forget it.
Hold the word clearly in your mind.
Now that you've received it here,
It's beginning,
It's movement,
And it's ending.
Let the stones sing it once again.
To help you remember.
Give it the meaning you are ready to claim.
Dignity,
Beauty,
Belonging.
The strength to meet yourself with kindness and respect.
Keep listening for as long as you need to.
Until you can sense and feel that that sound settles,
Rests,
Is absorbed into you,
Into the very fabric of your being.
As the stone song comes to an end,
Its silver veins brighten.
And a beam of clear light rises from its centre and reaches across the island in its chosen direction.
Here in this visualization.
Perhaps we can see it passing between some trees and coming to rest on a particular place further inland.
So the light,
Visualize that light showing you where to go now.
Follow the beam.
Arise and turn towards the place the beam has illuminated,
So walk towards it in your mind,
In your imagination,
Carrying your word of power with you.
The path winds between trees,
Ferns unfold beside it,
The earth is firm beneath your feet,
And the beam of light continues to remain visible ahead of you.
Listen as you walk,
Hear the leaves close to you and the water further away on the shores.
Let your attention meet the island,
One sound,
One movement at a time.
You can pass now beneath a low arch of branches and enter a small quiet grove.
At its centre lies a smooth flat stone covered with soft,
Beautiful,
Relaxing green moss.
Notice how the beam is resting here.
Illuminating something clear and bright.
Move a little closer so you can see what that is.
Alas,
It is a crystal lying upon the moss.
You feel instinctively.
That this crystal is meant for you,
It's been left there for you.
Pick it up.
Notice how it fits comfortably in your hand.
Smooth edges.
Centre,
Perfectly clear,
Light moving through it and breaking into small colours across the palm of your hand.
Feel its weight.
Look into its clear interior.
Bring the word of power to mind.
The word the Listening Stone sang for you.
Bring it to the crystal now.
The sound enters the crystal,
A small light appearing at its center,
Brightening with the resonance of your voice.
Speak the word again,
Give it the steadiness of your own voice.
With the light expanding.
See how an image begins to form.
Look into the crystal.
Clear like water.
The most magnificent mirror.
There you are.
You're beautiful.
Real Self.
Fully present in all your magnificent glory.
Keep allowing the image to become ever clearer.
Recognize your face,
Your body,
Your presence.
This is you,
Here and now seen with a depth of attention that reveals your true beauty and your dignity.
See the life force glow in your expression.
See the individuality and beauty of your features,
All of them magnificent.
Shining.
Beautiful.
Radiant.
Healthy.
See the body that belongs to your story,
Carrying the marks and the changes of that story.
Your whole presence is welcome in this vision.
Keep looking steadily and firmly.
Give yourself time to recognize the beauty that you are witnessing,
That you are seeing.
The crystal holds a fuller picture of you.
Your expression carries feeling,
Your eyes have their own light.
Your presence has a character that belongs to you alone.
See your warmth,
Your depth,
Your capacity to love and care,
To be loved and to be cared.
See the strength that has taken for you to arrive at this moment and the sensitivity that has kept you open to life.
Let these qualities become visible.
Let them enter the way you see your face in your body.
Let the beauty of your whole being belong to the image before you.
Bring your attention to the place where the critic usually erupts.
Hold your word of power for a few moments and speak it now.
Speak it inwardly and keep looking with respect and honor.
You have the authority to choose the quality of attention you bring to yourself.
Use your word of power.
Now look into the eyes of your reflection,
Meet yourself directly in the mirror.
Instantaneously,
Spontaneously.
Let recognition pass between you and the image in the crystal.
You can say inwardly.
Or out loud,
I see you.
Repeats with me.
I see you.
You belong here.
Your body.
Deserves respect.
Your beauty is yours.
Feel the meaning of those words enter the vision.
Give them the weight of a promise you intend to practice and keep.
Let the light from the crystal fall across your hands,
Your face and the ground all around you.
Sit with the image of yourself held in that light.
Receive the dignity of your own presence.
Speak your word of power one final time into the crystal now.
The vision gathers into its centre.
Your beautiful real self becomes embedded in the clear light held there as a lasting image within your imagination,
Within your mind,
Within your heart.
Turn the crystal gently in your hand.
Notice how the light remains within it.
The vision belongs to you and you can remember it from wherever you are.
Now close your hand around the crystal.
Feel its shape,
Its steadiness,
The simple certainty of holding something so precious.
Something so beautiful.
This is the reminder that you will be bringing back now from the island of attenuation.
Place it into an imagined pocket.
Wear it close to your heart or keep it in the palm of your inner hand.
Give it a place where you know you can always return to it and find it.
You can also use your word of power to conjure,
If you like,
Your crystal.
You can summon this crystal into your pocket to be carried upon your person whenever you like,
Always.
Going forwards when your body image wavers,
You can pause,
Feel the ground beneath you.
Bring the crystal into your imagination and hold it in your hand.
Remember,
You can look into it,
Gaze into it,
Speak your word of power.
Remember the vision of your true self that you saw with beauty,
Kindness,
Unconditional love and compassion and respect.
Let that remembrance be able to shape the ways in which you respond to your body image,
Your self-worth.
Remember to speak to yourself with dignity.
Give your body care.
Step away from the comparisons that diminish you.
Return your attention to the life you are here to live.
The crystal gives your intention a form that you can return to.
Every time you remember it,
Practice the way of seeing that you discovered here.
Take a final look around the grove.
See the moss,
The branches and the clear path that brought you here.
Give your thanks to the Listening Stone for hearing your letter and singing to you your word of power.
Let your gratitude move through the island like a warm breeze.
Gorgeous current of air.
Your carpet is waiting nearby.
So sit upon it now once more,
Carrying your crystal with you.
Once again,
The four corners of the carpet begin to shine.
Shi.
The sounds gather beneath you and the carpet rises gently above the grove.
See how the trees fall away beneath you,
The shoreline opens and the sea stretches towards the horizon.
Carry the island's spaciousness with you as the carpet brings you back home.
The landscape softening.
The carpet settles once again.
It's light folding back into the familiar shape of a page.
Your letter rests nearby in the room.
Where we began the practice.
So feel yourself returning fully back into your physical body now.
Notice the position of your hands,
The movement of your breathing,
The temperature of the air.
Listen for a sound close to you than a sound further away.
Let the room become clear all around you.
Move your hands,
Your feet.
Or make some other kind of comfortable movement.
And once you are ready.
.
.
You may now open your eyes.
And rest.
Welcome back.
Take up your pen.
And add one line at the end of your letter,
One final line.
Something along the lines of.
.
.
I have heard you.
From this moment,
I practice seeing you with kindness and treating you with respect.
And sign your name at the bottom of the page.
Fold the letter and set it down.
Keep the word of power clear in your memory.
Know where your crystal rests within your mind and how you can summon it.
Let the inner critic's next appearance become a cue to remember this practice and this experience.
Hold the crystal.
See the image.
Choose the next words you speak to yourself.
You can say quietly,
I am here.
I belong in my life.
My body deserves my love and care.
I carry my worth with me wherever I go.
Take your word.
Your crystal.
And whatever promise that this practice has brought into the rest of your day,
The rest of your week.
The rest of your life.
Thank you for listening.
