Find a comfortable posture with your back straight but relaxed,
Dignified and alert.
Close your eyes if that is comfortable for you,
If you are tired or you prefer to keep them open.
Find a spot on the floor to focus on.
Feel your body,
Notice your posture and the contact between your body and the surface supporting you.
Connect to your breathing.
Take three deep and slow relaxing breaths.
With each inhalation,
Feel the body opening and creating space.
And with each exhalation,
Feel how the body relaxes.
Allow your breath to return to the natural rhythm.
Visualize,
Feel or imagine the air coming through your nose,
Going through your throat,
Going through your chest and reaching your belly.
Pay attention to the small pause happening before exhaling.
Stay with your breath and rest in it.
Sometimes we forget we are humans and as such we are imperfect.
In our imperfection we make mistakes and end up hurting ourselves and others.
This is generally due to lack of knowledge or lack of skills in those situations.
If we knew better,
Surely we will do better.
So now bring to your mind a situation where you did something that you regret and although you want to let go,
This memory always comes to you with guilt and perhaps other negative emotions.
You can start selecting a memory that is not very emotionally demanding and eventually when you get more familiar with this exercise you will be able to work on more difficult situations.
If several situations come to mind,
Just select one.
With the situation in mind,
Notice how it feels in your body.
Typically when we are reminded of these types of situations,
Our body gets tense,
Our thinking gets limited and our spirit shrinks due to the discomfort and the pain.
So notice how this situation is expressed in your body.
Where do you feel it?
Does it feel heavy or you feel tense?
Being aware of all these sensations,
Allow them to be there without judgment or mean remarks.
Pay attention to your body and try to relax it.
Relax your face,
Lower your tongue and open your chest.
Keep connected to your breathing but start breathing in a serene way.
Slowly,
Softly and deeply make a conscious pause before taking the next breath.
Continue breathing in this way while you allow yourself to reflect for a moment that mistakes are common when we are humans.
But sometimes we tend to have unrealistic expectations about ourselves.
We tend to be very strict with ourselves and get stuck on what we did wrong or we said wrong or what we didn't do.
And this attitude makes that the guilt and all the pain stick around.
Consider if it is possible that this is your case.
Now,
From this point of reflection,
Offer yourself some compassionate wishes to support your intention to heal and forgive.
Try to synchronize your wishes with the inhalation and the exhalation.
I will give you some examples but you can use your own words as you see fit.
Slowly and deeply breathe in.
May my heart and mind be filled with peace.
Visualize peace coming to you.
Breathing out,
May I let go of the past.
Breathing in,
May I honor my mistakes and learn from them.
Visualize yourself being centered and courageous.
Breathing out,
May I forgive myself.
Breathing in,
May I treat myself with love,
Fairness,
And respect.
Visualize how you offer love to yourself.
Breathing out,
May I be free.
Visualize or feel you being lighter and more open.
Now,
Let go of all the experience and continue breathing normally.
Pay attention to your body,
Notice the surroundings,
The sounds,
And whenever you are ready,
At your own time,
Open your eyes.
