True Self-Forgiveness (Live)
In this deeply relaxing, highly restorative Yoga Nidra-style meditation, we contemplate true self-forgiveness. Includes deep abdominal breathing and a body scan. This session was live-streamed on the 27th of October 2022.
Transcript
So making any final adjustments that you need to now,
Either to your body or to your nest.
And let's take a really deep,
Releasing breath together to mark this transition that we're making now.
From whatever's been going on today and all the noise in our head that goes with that.
So take a really low breath right down into your belly.
And then just let your body go.
And in your own time,
As the energies of your mind and body start to settle down naturally,
Let's just breathe together.
Going really slowly and really taking your time.
Exhaling right down into your belly and exhaling with a long,
Softening sigh.
Really be here with your breath.
Feeling the sensation in the inner passageways of your nostrils.
And feeling the sense of relief as you let your body exhale.
Exhaling like you have forever.
And exhaling right to the very end.
And see if just for now you can give your full,
Undivided attention to the simple feeling of your breath.
See if you can stay.
And any time you leave,
Just very gently unhook and keep coming back to right now.
To right here.
And as you take these slow and low breaths,
I invite you to call forward self-forgiveness.
What does that mean to you?
What would it mean right now?
To forgive yourself completely for any perceived lack or wrongdoing.
How does that land in your body?
Not coming back to your breath.
Not thinking about your breath.
But feeling it directly.
See sensation in the inner passageways of your nostrils.
Let that feeling of the breath come to you.
Right now just body breathing.
The gentle rise and fall of your body as it breathes.
That momentary pause between each breath.
And as we dive together into a space where there is a natural,
Inherent,
Effortless forgiveness.
Just drop anything and everything that gets in the way of that.
Dropping all of these stories of your day.
Dropping all of these stories of the world.
Dropping all of the commentary.
Dropping into that space that the amazing poet Rumi describes as the field beyond right and wrong.
Dropping all of the ideas that somehow we are lacking or wrong in some way.
Just letting all of that go.
Without forcing it to happen.
But just giving it all up.
Dive up the one that is seeking forgiveness.
And let yourself just be here.
Feel your whole body.
Whole body.
Feel the weight.
And let the weight of your whole body melt into the support beneath.
Feel where your head meets the pillow.
And let the weight of your whole head be held.
Be wide open to every sound.
Wide open to every sensation.
Every feeling that arises as we allow ourselves that forgiveness.
Whatever feelings arise,
Really be here for them.
Noticing the taste inside the mouth.
Just the natural taste.
The direct experience.
Let the hinges of your jaw loosen.
Should you try even less right now.
Even less effort.
The softening of the whole face.
The skin.
And the eyes softening right back.
And allow the whole area around and behind eyes to soften as you keep unhooking from the thinking mind.
Over and over again.
Allowing that space behind the eyes to expand and unravel.
Dropping the idea that this is where I am located.
And allowing the sensation that goes with that idea to come undone.
Brain coming to rest in that undoing.
Give up trying to figure any of it out.
Whole head alive with sensation.
Checking in and noticing if you might drop a little deeper.
If you might soften just a little more into the spaciousness of just being.
Shoulders sinking down.
The simple experience arms.
Giving up the weight.
And just being with the immediate feeling arms.
The simple experience hands.
Give that feeling time hands.
Give that feeling your full attention.
Hands.
Without referring to an image or a memory.
How do you know right now in this very moment that hands are there?
Not looking for anything special.
Just the current feeling hands.
Palms of hands.
Thumbs.
Second fingers.
Third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Both arms.
Light.
Pure sense of being.
The sensation.
The whole back of the body.
Right buttock.
Left buttock.
Just the feeling.
The whole front of the body.
Chest.
The gentle movement of your ribcage as the lungs expand and contract.
The heart.
And the pulsation as heart beats.
The space behind the heart.
The abdomen.
The gentle rise and fall of the belly as body breathes.
Right hip.
Left hip.
Both legs.
Right.
And left.
Just giving up the weight.
Thighs.
Knees.
Shins.
Calves.
Ankles.
Both feet.
Right.
And left.
Souls or feet.
The direct sensation in this moment.
No matter how subtle.
Just be with whatever's here right now.
Not looking for more.
Not looking for different.
Just the immediate feeling in this moment.
Whatever it might be.
Big toes.
Second.
Third toes.
Fourth.
Little toes.
The whole body.
The whole body.
The whole body.
Softening.
Perhaps just a little more.
Checking in with your body.
Are there any areas.
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Where there's resistance?
Holding on.
Clenching.
Gripping.
All the imprints in our bodies.
From identifying with that small self.
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That finds fault.
Wherever those knots might be in your body.
Allowing them to be seen and felt.
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In the light.
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Of your loving.
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Compassionate.
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Deepest being.
All the echoes.
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That get lodged in our bodies.
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From that critical voice in our heads.
Wherever those echoes live in your system.
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Let's invite them to dissolve.
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In the effortless forgiveness.
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Of our true.
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Spacious selves.
So right now,
Dear friends.
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Let's spend some time in silence together.
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Wide open.
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To the true forgiveness.
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Of our shared presence.
And any time you leave.
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Any time you get distracted.
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Any time you numb out.
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Any time you drop into.
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Unconscious sleep.
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Forgive yourself instantly.
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And just keep coming back.
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And let your body be washed clean.
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Of anything that's being held.
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Of anything that's being held.
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Of anything that's being held.
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Of anything that's being held.
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Just being.
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Resting as a wide open.
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Open bound.
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And completely free presence.
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Welcome the feeling of your whole body.
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Whole body.
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Feeling where your body makes contact with the support beneath.
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Feeling where your head meets the pillow.
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Welcoming the sensation in the palms.
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And feeling the aliveness that's here.
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And as we rest here quietly together.
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Let's take a few more of those slow and low breaths.
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Letting your breath go right down into your belly.
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And wide into your chest.
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And then just giving the exhalation away with a long and soft sigh.
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And as you take a few more of these really slow.
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Really low conscious breaths.
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In your own time.
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And at your own pace.
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Continue to hold.
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A compassionate space.
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For all the parts of your humanness.
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That are here.
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Every part is welcome.
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The one that feels wrong.
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The one that feels ashamed.
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The one that feels to blame.
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The one that didn't get it right.
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Can you allow all of these parts to be here.
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And how would it be to feel.
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These core emotions fully.
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The shame.
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Or whatever it might be.
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To allow each of these parts to be fully felt.
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To be given space.
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Not pushing any of them away.
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All the while knowing yourself.
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As this wider aspect that is completely innocent.
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As this space of just being.
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That is pristine.
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Aware of the in-breath.
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Aware of the out-breath.
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Might you receive an even deeper breath.
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Might you let go of the out-breath.
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Just a little more.
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Feel that breath in the inner passageways of your nostrils.
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And feel the sense of relief.
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As you really see that there's no one here to forgive.
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And let's call forward a prayer for our lives.
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Just checking in.
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And calling forward what it is that your heart longs for.
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And let's take a moment or two to ask for help.
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What do you need help with.
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Asking for that help.
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Whatever it might be.
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And trusting that it will come.
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And then calling forward what you're grateful for.
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Just allowing whatever that might be to come to you.
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What are you grateful for.
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And how is your life blessed.
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Keeping your breath low and low.
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Inhaling like you have all the time in the world.
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Exhaling as you just give up all that's false and all that's untrue.
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Knowingly or unknowingly.
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All that's false and all that's untrue.
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May it arise in the light of our awareness.
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So that we can live and love more freely.
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So that we can live without fear.
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All that's untrue and all that's false.
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Being seen.
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Just wide open to this whole moment.
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Whole moment.
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The presence of the body.
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The sounds that are coming and going near and far.
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The movement of emotions,
Emotional tones arising and dissolving.
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Movements of mind.
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Sometimes noisy,
Sometimes calm.
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And then that part of you that is aware but untouched.
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Always here.
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Wide open to it all.
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But without that middle man.
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Without getting involved.
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What does that space want you to know?
What does it want to reveal?
Just continuing to be wide open to whatever comes.
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May you be well.
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May your loved ones be well.
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Happy and at peace.
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Thank you so much for showing up and meditating with me.
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I'm grateful for each and every being that's here and who has contributed to our container of presence.
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So thank you.
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Check in with your body.
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Does movement want to come or does your body want to rest for a little longer.
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In the healing balm of just being?
Let movement come when it's ready so that there's no doing.
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And as your body moves.
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And as it all comes back.
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See if you can stay anchored.
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In your ground of being.
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In that field that Rumi speaks of that is beyond right and wrong.
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Where we meet.
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Where we truly meet.
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So thank you friends.
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I hope you sleep well tonight.
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Sending you loads of love.
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From my heart to yours.
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4.9 (65)
Recent Reviews
Katie
January 15, 2023
So soothing and lots of quiet moments. Such a kind and gentle voice. Thank you.
Nina
November 15, 2022
I really needed this !Gave me peace and quiet-thank you ❤️🙏❤️
Shuman
November 13, 2022
This live meditation is a true work of art. It is as though you became Rumi. I have meditated for over 30 years. Never have I come across a meditation as good as this even though I have meditated with so called 'spiritual masters' There is such a depth of spiritual intelligence and healing which accompanies the meditation. I don't have the words in English which can adequately express what a wonderful and divinely inspired teacher you are. But I am learning Sanskrit and it may be possible in Sanskrit! Anyone who is part of your True Rest community is so deeply blessed. Love Shuman