Loving Kindness of Aging Self

This contemplative practice encourages you to visualize various versions of your selves from age 50-100. As you conjure up images of each decade you are then encouraged to offer this self 3 blessings.

Transcript

This meditation is a loving kindness of my aging self.

There are many versions of this meditation.

This one has been adapted to reflect the aging process.

Close your eyes and take a few slow,

Deep breaths.

For the next several moments,

There is nothing for you to do.

Simply be and feel.

Feel your breath.

Inhale.

Exhale.

There is nowhere you need to go.

You are safe right here in this moment.

All you need is here with you now.

Let go of any thoughts and feelings that exist outside of this moment.

Inhale.

Exhale.

There is absolutely nothing to accomplish in this moment.

All you are doing is being rather than doing.

This is a time simply to be with yourself.

Your breath and your feelings as they wash in like a rising tide.

Stay for a moment on the shore,

Whatever the length of time they may stay.

And then your feelings roll back out to sea again.

As you breathe in,

Imagine yourself sitting in a room.

The idea is to not necessarily cling to one particular feeling or a particular thought.

Rather allow them to come as they may.

As you breathe in,

Imagine yourself sitting in a room.

Let the image come to you however it comes and allow the image to fully emerge.

All of your sensations,

All of your room's attributes.

Allow them to come into clear,

Sharp focus.

Focus yourself in a chair or on a cushion,

Simply acknowledging your breath.

As you settle into the image of you,

You hear someone open the door to the room.

Walk in and sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it as your 50-year-old self sitting there in front of you.

In an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And when you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 50-year-old self's sorrows in your heart,

Simply allow the radiating loving kindness to your 50-year-old self that is sitting in front of you.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 50-year-old self.

Let this flow happen for several minutes if you can.

Here's a little tip.

If you have a difficult time imagining yourself sitting in front of you,

You can place a mirror or a picture of yourself at 50 in front of you and then continue with the practice.

When you feel ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade.

Allow your 50-year-old self to walk out the door.

As you return to the image of the room,

You notice yourself seated in a chair or on a cushion or perhaps you are laying on your back,

On your side,

Or in some other comfortable position and you're simply acknowledging your breath.

As you settle into the image of yourself,

You hear someone open the door to the room,

Walk in and sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it as your 60-year-old self sitting there in front of you.

In an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all the moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And then you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 60-year-old self's sorrows in your heart,

Allow your heart to simply radiate loving kindness to your 60-year-old self that is sitting in front of you.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 60-year-old self.

Allow this flow to happen for several moments if you can.

If you find it challenging to imagine your 60-year-old self,

You can place an image of your 60-year-old self in front of you and continue with the practice.

When you feel ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your 60-year-old self to walk out the door.

Enter into the image of you seated in a room,

Comfortably acknowledging your breath.

As you settle into all of the subtleties of the image of you,

You hear someone open the door to the room.

Walk in and sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it as your 70-year-old self sitting there in front of you.

In an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all of the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all the moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And then you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 70-year-old self's sorrows in your heart.

Allow your heart to simply radiate loving kindness to your 70-year-old self that is sitting in front of you.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 70-year-old self.

Let this flow happen for several moments if you can.

And when you're ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your 70-year-old self to walk out the door.

Settle into the image of your present self seated in a room.

Simply acknowledge your breath.

You then hear someone open the door to the room,

Walk in and sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it as your 80-year-old self sitting there in front of you.

And in an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all the moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And then you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 80-year-old self sorrows in your heart.

Simply allow your heart to radiate loving kindness to your 80-year-old self that is sitting in front of you now.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 80-year-old self.

Let this flow happen for several moments if you can.

When you are ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your 80-year-old self to walk out the door.

Settling into the image of your present self in this room,

Simply acknowledging your breath.

You then hear someone open the door to the room,

Walk in,

And sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it is your 90-year-old self sitting there in front of you.

In an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all the moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And then you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 90-year-old self,

Sorrow is in your heart.

Allow your heart to simply radiate loving kindness to your 90-year-old self that is seated in front of you.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 90-year-old self.

Let this flow happen for several moments if you can.

When you are ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your 90-year-old self to walk out the door.

Returning to the image of your present self,

Comfortably seated or laying in a room,

Simply acknowledging your breath.

As you settle into this image,

You hear someone open the door to the room,

Walk in and sit in front of you.

You open your eyes and you see it is your 100-year-old self.

In an instant,

The entire story of this person is known to you.

You know all the ways this person has suffered,

Has been betrayed,

Has betrayed others.

You know all the moments of despair and loneliness.

You know all the places of shame and neglect,

Loss and death.

And then you say to yourself,

This self knows suffering.

In this moment,

Facing your 100-year-old self's sorrows in your heart,

Allow your heart to simply radiate loving kindness to your 100-year-old self that is sitting in front of you.

Distracting thoughts may naturally arise.

I invite you to come back to your breath and heart and extend your compassion to your 100-year-old self.

Let this flow happen for several moments.

And when you are ready,

Offer the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your 100-year-old self to walk out the door.

As you gently return to the image of your present self,

Simply acknowledging your breath,

Know that your present self is worthy of your compassion.

Offer this self the three blessings.

May you be happy.

May you be free of suffering.

May you be at peace.

And now,

Let this image fade and allow your present self to walk out the door.

Reviews

Interesting. Gives me a lot to think about.

Very powerful... many thanks

Helpful to contemplate the aging self with compassion.

I just read some of the other reviews. I am in my 60's now. I did not find this meditation sad or depressiong ar all! I think we are all scared of the aging process, but yet it is something we must accept and embrace with compassion. I appreciate this meditation Adrienne and will listen to it again. Thank you.

Interesting, nice. I am already my 66 year old self. Thank you.

Adrienne has an in-depth understanding of aging. She has a supportive approach focusing on health and well-being. I love her mindfulness focus.

Awesome, meditation, thank you
I am now 65, I realize most of my life is past, & unsure now what is left. My parents, aunts & uncles have died. I’ve had health problems for the past 5 years, and many struggles & sorrows in each decade of my past.
This meditation has made me acknowledge all that.....and much more. All the joys, happiness & blessings that were included. To give myself understanding, love, compassion. To understand my sorrows, betrayals, shame, & failures —along with my achievements, accomplishments, & failures.
This wish for love, freedom from sorrows, & peace was felt not only for myself, but for those whom I’ve known, people I’ve loved, people I’ve had struggles with, and those who I was acquainted with for a short time. It made me reflect & desire love, freedom from suffering & peace for all souls, alive or past.
This is a powerful meditation. I will return to do it often, and take the lessons “to heart”.
Thank you.

This exploration of self through the circle of life, including the three blessings, will be one that I’ll return to. Thank you

An interesting practice. Your thinking brain has to completely let go and just enjoy this experience. We realise we not our ages, just beings and in this moment we can realise a beautiful moment of peace and acknowledgement of our true selves.

Really made me think,beautifully presented, calming voice and soo true. Makes you realise we are all the same underneath,with the same thoughts and memories. I liked the idea of sitting facing yourself, though it made me emotional.

Wow I liked this one. Provoked thought, tears, memories, very little sadness. Interesting to reflect on changes in decades I’ve lived and impossible to imagine the future. But imagining the future physical me always provoked a smile. Thanks!

Nice to meet these selves and know in an instant