Body Appreciation

This meditation is dedicated to the miracle that is the human body. It is a gentle reminder of how incredibly complex, beautiful and intricate our bodies are. Only when we submerge ourselves in gratitude and appreciation of how hard our bodies work for us, can we shift our perspective from criticism to love and respect towards our physical form. Accompanied by soothing vibrations of a steel tongue meditation drum, this meditation is designed to ease stress, heighten self-awareness and cultivate

Transcript

Hello my dear,

I am so happy that you are here.

Making time to meditate is a gift we give ourselves as well as our loved ones.

And I thank you for showing up and for your contribution towards creating a kinder and gentler world.

This meditation is dedicated to the incredibly fascinating wonder we get to call our body.

Please find your way to a comfortable seat.

Your seat should be supportive.

So much so that you can completely let go of all control.

If laying down is an available option for you,

My friend,

You are welcome to take it.

As you settle,

Take a deep breath in and let it out through the mouth.

Close your eyes my friend if you wish and bring your attention to your breath.

Notice the rise and fall of your chest.

That beautiful movement that gives us life.

Know that in this moment you are exactly where you are supposed to be.

You have nowhere to go,

Nothing to do,

And nothing to fix.

Just breathe and relax.

Take another deep breath in and let it out completely.

So often we take our bodies for granted.

Instead of loving,

We criticize and judge them.

We pay close attention to the shapes of others and relentlessly compare them to our own.

What we forget most days is how incredibly complex and intricate our bodies are,

The way they are ingeniously designed to support and rejuvenate themselves.

We seem to forget that every single piece of our body's tissue has a purpose,

And that it is designed to recover,

To heal,

To persevere.

When we are reminded of just how miraculous our bodies are,

We can begin to shift our perception from criticism to appreciation.

And then perhaps in these moments of gratitude,

We can acquire a newfound respect for all the ways our bodies serve us,

Not just on the outside but deep down into our very core.

Maybe then we can change our outlook and create a healthy,

Long-term understanding of how hard our bodies work for us each day,

Each hour,

And every minute.

Take a deep breath in and let it out on a sigh.

And now I'd like you to bring your attention to your toes.

Those little guys and gals who willingly and fearlessly test the temperature of the water for us without hesitation.

These are the same toes that hold us up at night as we sneak a peek at our sleeping children.

They are the same toes that dig deep into warm sand as we unwind on a summer day.

These toes are not only adorable,

They are essential to maintaining our balance.

Thank you,

Toes.

We appreciate you.

Now I'd like you to bring your attention to your feet.

Think of all the strong and powerful muscles that live there.

Their strength and resilience is so often overlooked.

Our feet give us the gift of walking upon this beautiful earth.

They let us stroll through magnificent man-made cities.

They take us on hikes through nature's beautiful paths.

Our feet allow us to dance,

To run,

To feel the softness of fresh spring grass.

Thank you,

Feet,

For working so hard for us each and every day.

We appreciate you.

Next,

Let's focus on our legs.

These powerful limbs that give us the flexibility to play our favorite sports,

To dance to our favorite songs,

To jump when we were overjoyed with excitement.

We are forever grateful to the knees that allow us to sit when there is no more energy to stand.

We're grateful to the thighs that give cushion to our little ones when they are in need of a safe place to rest.

Thank you,

Our beautiful legs,

For your strength,

For your resilience,

For your continuous effort to support our need to work and our endless desire to play.

Take another deep breath in and let it out through the mouth.

Take two more breaths just like that.

My friend,

I ask you to now bring your attention to the hips.

Notice what they feel like in this moment.

Without judgment,

Without labeling,

Just observe.

These powerful and complex joints are responsible for our stability,

Our mobility,

As well as flexibility.

What an important job.

Many believe the hips carry the weight of our emotions.

They say the tension of the mind and of the heart rests heavily upon our hips.

Without tender love and care for our hip flexors,

We can become stagnant,

Fragile,

And brittle.

So please be kind to your hips.

Give them the support and the gentle movement they desperately deserve.

Thank you,

Hips,

For all you do for us.

We appreciate you.

Next I'd like you to bring your focus to your incredible belly,

The one that works tirelessly to break down food and extract all those healing nutrients.

This area of the body may be the most judged,

The most ridiculed of them all.

It is under extreme scrutiny because our modern society has painted a picture of what the ideal belly is supposed to look like.

How silly.

How could one size ever fit us all?

Our beautiful bellies come in different shapes,

Different colors.

Some are soft.

Some are firm.

Though they may be different on the outside,

They all strive to help us survive on the inside.

Thank you,

Dear bellies,

For letting us know when it is time to eat.

Thank you for being patient when we are too busy to nourish ourselves.

And thank you for that extra effort when we eat a little bit too much.

And now I'd like to bring attention to the spine,

This incredible gathering of muscle and bone that gives us the power to be upright while still giving us the space to bend and twist.

Thank you,

Dear spine,

For helping us stand tall.

Thank you for protecting the spinal cord,

Which is imperative to our survival.

Thank you for being our rock and for carrying the weight of our own little worlds despite the push and pull of mighty gravity.

And take another deep breath in and let it out completely.

This breath I dedicate to the heart,

That beautiful engine that keeps us running through all of the days and all of the nights.

The heart is a sacred place that not only fuels life but holds space for love and affection.

And with all of your might,

My friend,

For you are your heart's greatest ally.

Next I'd like you to bring your attention to the shoulders,

The arms,

The wrists,

And the hands.

These powerful muscles allow us to do whatever it is we wish to do,

Like playing an instrument or picking up a paintbrush.

Every creative idea calls for the use of our versatile hands.

They empower us to uplift a loved one or carry the weight of someone in need.

Our hands are vessels of compassion.

They have the power to display affection,

To dry a tear,

To care for a wound,

And to embrace the face of the one we love.

Thank you,

Arms.

Thank you,

Hands.

We are forever grateful for all you do.

This time bring your focus to your head.

Trust the muscles in the forehead,

The cheekbones,

The mouth,

And the jaw.

Allow the tension to slip away as you come into complete and total relaxation of the face.

This part of the body almost never rests.

It is perpetually performing the theatrics of our emotions.

It displays joy and hurt.

It shows our pain,

Love,

Appreciation,

And kindness.

What an incredibly useful tool.

We thank the eyes for allowing us to see the beauty of this world.

We thank the nose for allowing us to smell the sweet scent of the one we love.

And praise the lips for allowing us to kiss the forehead of our youngest child.

We thank the mouth for giving us the gift of tasting the sweetness of a fruit.

And last but not least,

We thank the brain for allowing us to think,

To feel,

To sense,

To exist.

You see my friend,

This body you are in is an incredible gift.

It is a miracle,

A wondrous work of art.

Every moment,

Every breath,

Every thought,

And every dance is organized cooperations of countless organs working together to fill our life with color,

To fill our world with joy.

So next time you find yourself criticizing this or criticizing that,

Remember just how special your body is,

How precious it is,

And how hard it works for you in your every waking and sleeping moment.

With this in mind,

My friends,

Please be kind to your body.

Love it unconditionally,

Support it wholeheartedly.

Work as hard for it as it does for you.

Thank you for meditating with me.

And you so much love,

Peace,

And good vibrations.

Namaste.

Reviews

thank you for sharing this kind, beautiful reminder 💚

GREAT meditation for
EVERY
BODY
on this planet
Thank you

A great way to remind yourself of the wonder and beauty of your body, something we all need to do from time to time

A lovely little meditation on appreciating our bodies🙏

A lovely meditation, with a gentle and soothing rhythm and perfectly balanced drums ❤ Thank you for your kind guidance 😊 Namaste 🙏🏻