Let's begin our meditation practice by moving into a comfortable position suited for your body in this moment.
Whether seated or laying down,
Give yourself permission to be here,
To soften,
To be still and body in search for stillness in the mind.
We are here to move away from external distractions,
To set aside that which occupies most of our day,
To move away from the thoughts and ways of thinking which are not serving us,
To let them fade,
Even if for just a short while.
If seated with intention,
Straighten up through the spine,
Grounding down through your sit bones and extending out through the crown of the head,
Tall yet relaxed.
If laying down,
Surrender the weight of your body to what supports you.
Take notice of your breath and begin to slow it down and balance it out,
Searching for an equal and smooth cadence through the nose,
Becoming aware of every sensation it creates in the body.
Now,
Bring both hands over top of one another to the space of the heart.
Feel the rise and fall of your chest through the touch of your hands.
Remember the power you have beneath these hands through the duration of this practice.
You may release the hands to wherever feels comfortable at any time.
Forgiveness is often a difficult journey to embrace,
But know that forgiveness is not a weakness.
It is a choice to rise above the temptation to go down the pit of misery so that you can experience true emotional and mental freedom from that pain.
As Alexander Pope said,
To err is human,
To forgive divine.
Forgiveness in positive psychology is most often viewed as a character strength and a virtue worth pursuing for everyone who desires a greater sense of well-being.
Forgiveness can be a gift to yourself or to others.
It may be something you receive,
But it can also be a quality where one must be capable of self-forgiveness in order to forgive others.
Forgiveness of ourselves and others leads to increased feelings of self-worth and decreased psychological stress.
This allows you to live a more satisfied and fulfilling life because you are moving beyond the negative feelings that hold you down,
Control your thinking and behavior.
Human situation is varied and encompassing all levels of forgiveness in a single meditation would be impossible.
So for now we will move forward with an act of self-forgiveness.
Wherever you are,
Listen and repeat after me internally and in the silence that follows,
Remain present with your thoughts as they come and go without any judgment.
I approach myself with patience and understanding.
To err is human,
I forgive myself for my imperfections.
I release negative,
Damaging patterns of thoughts and behavior.
I exchange my shame and anger for self-love and self-compassion.
I treat myself with respect and compassion.
I treat myself with respect and kindness from today forward.
As I forgive myself,
It becomes easier to forgive others.
I am capable of loving all of who I am.
I am capable of loving all of who I am.
I am capable of loving all of who I am.
Self-forgiveness is a choice.
It is a gift of freedom that I give myself.
Self-forgiveness is a choice.
It is a gift of freedom that I give myself.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
I am free.
Everyone is given the chance to design their own life.
When we blame others for our pain and cling onto the past,
We are unable to live in the present.
We need to take responsibility for how we react to the perceived wrongs people or ourselves have committed,
And choose to rise above and release that negative energy.
To close the practice,
We bring the hands together at the heart,
And then raise them up,
Bringing the backs of the thumbs to the area of the third eye.
Take a small moment of gratitude for this practice and for yourself.
I know I am grateful to you for sharing your time with me.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.
Namaste.
