Welcome.
As meditation.
Is based on the person-centered approach.
And it invites us.
To meet ourselves with openness rather than judgement.
And to listen deeply to her experience.
And to trust our capacity for growth.
So take a moment to settle into a position that feels comfortable for you.
You may close your eyes.
Or simply allow your gaze to rest softly on a point in front of you.
There's nothing you need to achieve in this moment.
There's nothing you need to prove.
Nothing you need to become.
For these few minutes.
You're invited simply to be with yourself.
Notice the support beneath you.
Notice the air on your skin.
And gently become aware of your breathing.
There's no need to change your breath.
Let it come and go in its own natural rhythm.
Allow yourself to arrive here.
Just as you are.
Begin to notice.
What is happening within you.
Perhaps you feel calm.
Perhaps you feel restless,
Tired,
Worried or distracted.
Maybe there is a mixture of feelings.
Or perhaps it's difficult to identify what you feel at all.
So whatever you notice.
There is no need to make it different.
Simply.
I acknowledge what is here.
You might quietly say to yourself.
This is what I'm experiencing right now.
Notice the sensations in your body.
Perhaps there is a sense of ease somewhere.
Or tension in your shoulders,
Chest or stomach.
Notice any thoughts that come and go.
Notice any feelings that are present.
Do not have to follow every thought.
Or understand every feeling.
From now.
You are simply listening.
Allowing your experience to be heard.
You do not need to earn your worth.
Gently consider what it might be like.
To welcome yourself without any judgment.
So often we learn to evaluate ourselves.
We tell ourselves that we should be stronger,
Calmer,
More successful or more certain.
We may believe that some feelings are acceptable,
While others should be hidden away.
But for these moments,
Just now.
There is nothing you need to reject about your experience.
You can feel anxious and still be worthy of kindness.
You can feel uncertain and still be worthy of respect.
You can make mistakes and still deserve compassion.
Acceptance does not mean that everything is easy.
Or that every action is right.
It means that you can acknowledge what is true for you without reducing your worth to it.
If it feels comfortable.
Quietly offer yourself these words.
I can meet myself as I am.
I do not need to judge every feeling I have.
I can offer myself the kindness I need.
Let these words rest gently.
There's no need to force yourself to believe anything.
That does not yet feel true.
Now bring your attention to the relationship you have with yourself.
Is there something that you're feeling that you have been trying to push aside?
Perhaps you've been saying that you're fine when underneath you feel hurt.
Perhaps you've been trying to appear confident while feeling uncertain.
Or perhaps you genuinely do feel content,
Hopeful and peaceful.
Whatever is true,
Give yourself permission to acknowledge it.
You don't need to perform for anyone here.
You do not need to pretend.
Ask yourself quietly.
What am I honestly feeling right now?
And then wait.
There may be an answer.
In words,
Or a bodily sensation,
An image,
Or simply a sense of knowing.
Are there may be no clear answer at all.
That's okay.
Being genuine.
Begins with being willing to listen.
You can acknowledge your experience without needing to act on every feeling or explain it to anyone.
For this moment.
Allow yourself the freedom of being honest with yourself.
Imagine turning towards your inner experience.
With the same curiosity you might offer a person you deeply care about.
Rather than asking,
What's wrong with me?
Try asking.
What might I be going through?
Rather than asking,
Why can't I just get over this?
Try asking.
What might this feeling be telling me about what matters to me?
Perhaps your anxiety is connected to something important.
Perhaps your frustration points to a need that has not been heard.
Perhaps your sadness deserves space rather than an immediate solution.
You don't have to discover a complete explanation.
Simply allow yourself to listen with patience.
You might offer yourself these words.
May I be willing to understand myself.
Me,
I listen.
Without rushing to judgement.
May I treat my experience with compassion.
Now begin to notice your breathing again.
Feel the support beneath you.
And remember,
You don't have to resolve everything that you've noticed today.
Understanding can unfold gradually.
Growth does not always arrive through effort or force.
Sometimes it begins when we feel safe enough to acknowledge what is true.
So take a moment to recognise that you have given yourself this time to listen.
And you can return to this attitude of openness throughout the day.
A little more honesty.
A little more acceptance.
A little more willingness to understand.
And perhaps a little more trust in your own capacity to grow.
So,
When you're ready.
.
.
Gently move your fingers and toes.
Allow your eyes to open if they've been closed.
And return to your day.
Taking with you the possibility of meeting yourself.
With greater kindness.
There's nothing more.
You need to do right now.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
