Stop Judging Yourself

An inspiring practice to help you let go of critical thoughts and move deeper into your present experience. By accessing the innate wisdom of your body, you open the door for greater levels of awakening. This meditation includes aspects of a body scan & loving-kindness. In the beginning, Lou shares the inspiration for the practice.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

Thank you for being here.

My name is Lou Redmond and I'm going to start by sharing the inspiration for today's practice.

Recently I went to my first daybreaker in New York City.

For those of you that don't know what daybreaker is,

Basically it is a morning dance party.

You get there at about 6am,

It's a Wednesday in New York City,

And you do an hour yoga class.

Then it's basically like you're at a club at 3am and just dance music and everyone's moving and dancing.

It's really,

Really fun and really powerful in so many ways.

And for especially someone who in a previous life used to go to raves and festivals and do drugs like Ecstasy and Mali and drink and party and do that whole scene.

It's a really wonderful opportunity to do that without having to do the drugs and the drinking.

It is a sober and a conscious event while you're there.

I hope it would be at 6am in the morning.

It's really the intention of being conscious and learning how to let go without that need of a stimulant or a drug or a drink.

And as we were moving throughout the experience and dancing,

There was something that the MC was saying that really,

Really connected with me and was a beautiful reminder.

And what the MC would say,

He would get on the mic and say,

Let go.

Stop judging yourself.

Let go.

Stop judging yourself.

And I just love that.

I almost thought it was like a meditation teacher giving me a cue of,

Oh yeah,

There I am again,

Right?

In my body,

But wondering,

Am I moving all weird or I wonder if they're looking at me and what they think of me.

And I probably look like an idiot and I can't dance.

And it's so funny to think about that probably 90% of the people are thinking that other people are judging them when in reality they're there judging themselves.

And the one thing I was going to say positive,

But the one effect is a better word of drugs and alcohol is that it loosens our inhibitions.

So we're not so in our heads in our anxiety judging ourselves.

We're allowed to be in our body and just feel and move in a way that's a little bit more inhibited.

So without that,

We lose that really innate sense that we are all given to get into our bodies.

And in a way that is conscious is a really powerful,

Powerful tool to experience greater levels of realization.

And so that's what meditation really helps us to do in some sense is to get out of our minds,

Get into our bodies.

And as we get into our bodies and into our hearts,

We open up energies,

We open up channels where we feel like we were on drugs.

And I am the first to say that I've through meditation,

Through my practice,

I've felt higher than any ecstasy or drug that I have ever taken in my life.

And I am currently,

I don't do any drugs or I don't drink and I've been sober for years.

So this practice of moving into our body is what I want to share and just becoming grateful and learning how to let go and appreciate just our body,

Let go of our judgment,

Connect to our bodies.

So that's what we're going to work on here today.

So go ahead.

And when you're ready,

I thank you for listening to my little talk and inspiration.

So please go ahead and close your eyes when you feel ready and begin to settle into your body.

Your body right here and right now.

Maybe with the inspiration of this dancing,

Maybe there is movement to get you settled down.

Maybe there are some shoulder rolls that move forward and back just to ease up any tightness or stiffness in your neck.

And then when once you've gotten any of those kinks out,

Once you've found your resting space,

Really allow the weight of your body to release to the floor,

But still keep that elongated upper torso.

It's a constant moving between relaxing,

Releasing and keeping a firm and attentive posture.

And begin to invite the awareness into your breathing.

And like a dance,

Our breath is a constant rhythm.

This background rhythm that really in one way runs our lives,

Allows our life to be lived.

So see if you can tap in with your unique rhythm.

Each breath in taking in brand new air.

Although it might seem like it's the same,

This air,

This oxygen has never been in anyone's body but yours.

So see if for a moment connecting to that rhythm,

You can tap into the uniqueness of each breath.

Our breath allows us to tap into another word that you hear often in our practice is that flow.

Connecting to the flow of life,

Connecting to the flow of our breath.

It's that easeful energy that allows us to live from our center and not trapped in our judgments,

Our anxieties,

Our fears,

Our doubts.

So I'm going to offer just another minute or so of just gentle breathing,

Connecting with your rhythm,

Connecting with your flow.

And if there are thoughts that creep in,

The judgments,

The planning,

Seeing them as part of the process,

This natural process,

They're almost like if we use the analogy of a drum,

Right?

They're kind of like these offbeat cymbals,

Right?

As we're trying to keep our rhythm,

It's like someone wants to come in and starts tapping in these cymbals that take us away from the rhythm.

But they're part of the music,

If you get what I'm saying.

Still a part of our system,

Of our drum kit.

So just seeing that as allowing you to play your beautiful music through your breath.

So a few breaths here.

And if those cymbals start to crash with judgments,

With thoughts,

Maybe just notice,

Maybe note them.

And just see them as part of the music.

And come back to that base foundational rhythm.

And let's find a breath in,

Consciously filling up.

Letting go.

Sinking deeper into your space,

Deeper into yourself,

Into your body.

And our body supports us and we often call it the vessel,

The vessel for our spirit,

Our soul,

Our higher self,

Whatever word fits with you.

But not only is the body a vessel,

It could also be a pathway.

It could be a pathway towards greater self-realization,

Greater awareness,

Greater understanding of who we are and what we're meant to become.

So let's go through a little body scan.

Finding gratitude and connection with each part of your body.

And noticing as we go through it if there's specific parts of your body that have a little twinge of judgment or a lot of twinge of judgment.

And seeing that coming up and seeing if you can let that go as we connect throughout with our rhythm of our breath.

And beginning at the top of your head,

The crown.

Moving down into the sides of your head.

And if you'd like you can feel as each inhale maybe it creates a little bit more space in that part of your body.

As each exhale maybe releases and lets go of a little tension in that part.

And seeing if with this release you can find the gratitude for this part of your body,

For your head,

Maybe even for your mind.

And trying to not think.

Thoughts are very,

Very useful.

So appreciating the mind,

Appreciating the physical body.

As you soften through the forehead.

As you move your muscles around the eyelids.

Moving down into your jaw,

Your cheeks.

Relaxing the lower jaw from the upper jaw.

Moving to the back of your neck.

Finding that rhythm of breathing.

Finding gratitude and connection to this part of your body.

And letting go,

Both physical tension and any emotional judgment that comes up or any other thoughts that come up as you move through.

Moving down into the tops of your shoulders.

Feeling that light massage feeling,

Even though there might not be someone behind you massaging and relaxing.

Maybe imagine as if there is this energy that's softening.

As each rhythm of breath allows you to let go.

Finding the thanks,

Finding the connection.

Moving to the back and the front of your shoulders.

Starting to come down into your arms and the biceps.

Appreciating for the strength that it gives you to pick up things.

To move things.

And if you don't have use of your arms,

Appreciating the fact that you are working deeply with what you have.

And you are supported in doing that.

Moving down to your elbows.

Your forearms.

Your hands.

And again,

Noticing if there is any judgment coming up.

They are too big,

They are too small,

I have arthritis,

They are dirty.

And just letting go.

Each breath.

Softening your hands,

Softening each fingertip.

And then begin to come back up through your arms.

And relaxing down your back.

So upper part of your back,

Your shoulder blades.

And your torso.

Appreciating this back that holds you up,

The spine.

Holding up so much more than just your physical body.

And then coming back into your tailbone.

And then see if you can come all the way back up the body through the upper chest.

Down through your chest.

Letting go of any judgments if they arise.

Front of your body,

Into your belly.

Each breath,

Let go,

Stop judging yourself.

Let go.

Down into your hips.

Your thighs.

Letting go,

Finding any thanks for the support.

Down into your knees.

Calves.

Shins.

Feeling the weight of your lower body get even heavier.

Going into your heels,

Ankles,

Bottom of your feet,

Top of your feet.

Your toes.

Letting go.

Each breath.

Creating space.

Releasing judgment,

Finding thanks.

And then bring your whole body into your awareness.

Connecting with the whole body at once.

And go ahead and bring one hand on your heart and one hand on your navel or both hands on your heart or both hands on your navel.

Whatever way feels most comfortable for you.

And feel what is in here.

Feel your heartbeat.

And feel your breath.

And often our mind gets in the way of the connection to right here.

And as we let go,

We find there's so much wisdom.

So much energy.

So much power.

Right below what's under your hands.

You must remember this intention of letting go and connecting to what's truly in here.

So take a moment to breathe and to connect with your center.

To connect with your body.

And any thanks you want to give for this heart to be.

Let go.

Stop judging yourself.

And maybe thinking of somewhere else in your life that you're judging yourself.

Your job,

Your career,

How far you are along,

Where you should be.

And with the power of what's under your hands.

The power of your heart.

See if you can let go.

And connect with what's true.

And feel what is in here.

And feel your breath.

And one other beautiful thing about being at this Daybreaker event was the community.

The connection.

The support as a community.

And I think that's what we do here,

Especially if you're listening to this on Insight Timer.

We all support each other in our practice.

The simple,

Thanks for meditating with me.

Or just seeing others that are meditating to other practices and just the groups in here that support each other.

So feeling that community of support.

And you're welcome to release your hands.

Or you can keep them there if it feels okay.

And thinking of all of these people in your community,

Whether it be online or whether it be your community in your neighborhood or your spiritual community.

Bringing all of us together,

All of them together into your awareness.

And sharing a few words.

May we all feel safe.

May we all feel seen.

May we all receive love.

May we all be love.

May we all be love.

And then bringing someone specifically in your community,

In your life.

And you want to share this with these words of intentions,

These feelings.

Bringing them into your awareness,

Someone that might need it.

And sharing them.

May you feel safe.

May you feel seen.

May you be loved.

May you be loved.

And then letting that go and coming back into your own body.

I welcome you to again bring hands over your heart or one hand over your heart,

One hand over your navel.

You can improve what is perfect.

You can only see it and come to realize your own perfection.

So with this tenderness towards ourselves,

Sharing these words to ourself.

May I feel safe.

May I feel seen.

May I be loved.

May I be loved.

And then switching it to I am.

I am safe.

I am seen.

I am loved.

I am love.

And then release your hands if you still have them down.

Gently begin to start coming back into your body.

This time we're going to start coming back into your room as well by opening your eyes.

Offering yourself any movement that feels natural.

It could be something completely wacky.

Maybe you offer yourself just this moment whether this is something at the beginning of your day or end of your day.

Just this moment to move in your body.

No one's around you.

No one's looking.

What does your body mean right now?

Is there any sort of dancing,

Especially if you've always judged yourself for dancing.

Just maybe moving your arms,

Moving your shoulders in a way that's just expressive to you without the judgment.

And allowing that to be a little playful as you come back into your day.

Whether you're going into your work day or whether you're going to sleep,

Whatever it is.

Offering that playfulness to yourself.

As we let go,

As we stop judging,

We really just connect with that truth,

That inner presence of who we are.

And a big part of what our practice is.

So as always,

I thank you for being here on this journey with me.

And if you want to go dance in the morning somewhere,

I know Daybreaker is literally all over the world.

So look one up in your area and have fun.

Let me know how it goes.

Sending you much love,

Much peace,

Much freedom,

Much play.

Namaste.

Reviews

This was intellectually just what my mind needed to hear! Ahhhh💕

Your meditations resonate with me, sometimes tears , sometimes smiles and sometimes both. Thanks for all you do to make the world a better place. 🙏🏻

Great combo of body scan and love and kindness. Just know there is about a 5 min talk before the meditation starts

Just wonderful! I can so relate to this. You are loved, Lou.

Thanks for this beautiful moment of help with not judging myself and whatever is going on with my body. I so LOVE all of your meditations!

Nice body scan to help releasing tensions and judgements, and ends with quite classic affirmations. Thanks Lou! Will definitely look up daybreakers :)

Loving your work!

Thank you for sharing your story. I also am clean and sober - 7 yrs 🌟

Lou Redmond you’ve done it again! I was wound up so tight when I started this meditation and was able to let go and become truly relaxed. Thank you so much. I particularly appreciate the talk about being self conscious to the point of being unable to dance due to thoughts of the opinions of others. Maybe you didn’t exactly say that but what you said spoke to my experience in that situation. 🙏🥰👏🦋🍃🕊✨

Excellent job, Lou! Thank you!

Thanks for sharing this beautiful and fun morning meditation !
Namaste

Lou!!! This blessed me SO much. 😭 I hope you don’t compare yourself to other teachers because your uniqueness is what makes your meditations so powerful. This was truly healing and I can’t wait to do it again. Also, “the positive effect of drugs...” 😂

This is generous and restorative practice that brought me much peace and release. As always with Lou’s sessions, I am grateful and aware. Namaste 🙏🏻

Nice. Gotta dance now. 🤓

As always, Lou knows how to use the right words in order to make each meditation effective and deep. Thank you for this perfect way to start my day!!!

Wonderful meditation, thank you for these gentle reminders dear Lou. Much love to you 💜 x

May you be loved and love!
How wondrous this journey is! Blessed to be sharing it with you and this community. Thank you.🕉👃

The simplest things are often the hardest but the most rewarding. Thanks Lou. (Loved the bodyscan btw)🙏🏻🌺

This resonated with me in so many ways. Thanks you 💞

That was extremely hard for me, but I will keep trying. Thank you! 😭🧘‍♀️