Hello my friend,
Welcome to this meditation from self-judgment to self-embrace.
This practice guides us toward acceptance and love for who we are using the power of words and havening touch.
It's so important to grow the habit of releasing the weight of self-judgment,
Isn't it?
We often carry that and it's important to shift that to open our hearts to the warmth of self-embrace.
Havening touch is a simple soothing self-applied technique that uses gentle repetitive strokes on specific areas of the body to promote relaxation and emotional well-being.
It involves softly touching your arms,
Hands and face in a particular way that actually triggers calming signals in your brain,
Helping to reduce stress and anxiety and difficult emotions.
There are three types of touch and in this practice I'll guide you through all three but you can choose to do two or even one if that feels better to you.
The touches are first of all gently rubbing your palms together and moving them slowly from side to side as if you were running your hands under warm water.
The second one is crossing your arms across your body and stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows.
And thirdly,
Just lightly touching your forehead and your cheeks anywhere on your face in sweeping motions gently.
So these simple movements are thought to create a sense of safety and comfort allowing your mind and body to relax,
Release tension and process emotions at a deep subconscious level.
So let's begin.
Getting comfortable wherever you are and feeling yourself settle into the safe,
Stable surface underneath you that's supporting you right now.
Begin to tune to your breathing just feeling the air moving in and out of your body.
Moving in and out of your body.
The simple rise and fall of your belly and your chest.
And bringing awareness now to your heart.
That place where love and wisdom and compassion are thriving and breathe in and out of your heart.
And if it feels okay to you,
You might bring something up that you find hard to accept about yourself.
Perhaps you often find yourself criticizing yourself for it or even apologizing for this to others.
Just compassionately letting that be present.
And then begin rubbing your palms together moving your arms from side to side.
As you do so.
And ask yourself the following questions.
You don't have to repeat these questions but do let them be heard by your being.
What if it's okay to feel this way right now?
What if everyone struggles like this sometimes?
What if I'm not broken?
I wonder what it would be like if I could judge myself less?
Now crossing your arms over your body and stroking down from your shoulders to your elbows.
What would it be like to have compassion for where I am in life?
What if I can love myself through my mistakes and embrace my imperfections?
What if I can soften my heart towards the places within me that feel scared,
Vulnerable,
Confused or unlovable?
Now softly stroking anywhere on your face.
What if I could look at myself through a more loving lens?
What would it feel like to believe in myself more and more?
What if I can increase my self-care when things are rough?
Now rubbing your palms together moving your arms slowly side to side.
What if instead of judging myself I can learn to give myself the benefit of the doubt?
What if I can stop apologizing for being me?
What if instead of abandoning myself I can learn to turn towards my own tender heart?
Now stroking down your arms.
What would it be like to have my own back?
What if I am enough?
What if I am more than enough?
Now stroking anywhere on your face.
I'm ready to change my relationship with myself.
I'm choosing to learn a new way.
I'm open to the possibility of loving myself more and more every day.
Stroking your palms together and breathing and finishing the following sentence now.
I'm open to the possibility of loving myself more and more every day because.
More and more I choose to accept and honor myself.
More and more I choose me.
More and more I choose me.
And now breathing and finishing the following sentence.
How it feels to know that is.
You can continue havening touch for a little longer.
Letting the havening really sink in.
And just noticing how you feel in your body right now.
And there's nothing to get right or wrong.
Just noticing how you feel and taking several breaths that are deep.
Really receive that feeling deeper and deeper into your body.
The feeling of what it would be like to embrace yourself.
Letting that feeling just sink into your bones.
And when you're ready you can finish the havening touch.
Gently bring yourself back to your original position.
Gently bring yourself back into the space where you are.
Becoming conscious of your breath in your body.
The space where you are as you gently open your eyes.
The feeling perhaps of the clothes touching your body or your hair on your neck.
Welcoming yourself back.
And you can return to this practice any time you feel the weight of your self-judgment.
And the more we practice havening the more it settles in and we notice real changes inside ourselves.
So that's very well done.
Thank yourself for practicing and being here and I thank you.
And until next time,
Bye for now.
