In this meditation we will be exploring our shadow self and how that can be accessed through our memories our body and our feelings So to start find yourself in a comfortable position When you're ready breathe in deeply hold and exhale You can do this by breathing in four counts holding for another two and then exhaling for another five counts So let me demonstrate breathe in one two three four and hold one two and exhale one two three four five five We'll do that three more times breathe in And hold and exhale Then breathe in Hold and exhale Breathing in Hold and exhale Now take a moment to just breathe naturally Breathing in Allow your attention to be at your breath breathing in breathing out Now allow your attention to move to your body Scan to see if there is any tension Notice if you feel any tightness your feet Your legs Chest Shoulder Or your head Just notice When you find a place of tension or discomfort take a moment and breathe into it Just feeling it You Explore if there is any emotions associated with this tightness You could ask yourself What is this trying to tell you Is it trying to protect you in some way Is this tension or pain trying to remind you of anything?
Just explore how your emotions connect to these sensations in your body If any emotions came up try to concentrate on them focus in on the discomfort or the feelings And try and travel back in time where you first felt the sensation Try to focus on the feeling Try to focus on the feeling Try to focus on the feeling And try and travel back in time we first felt this sensation Look back into your teenage years your childhood When was the moment you first recognized this feeling When has it come up through your body as a sensation A memory might surface a word or situation A word or situation With that in mind you could ask yourself how old were you then?
What was happening at that time What were you learning?
Take a few breaths and go deeper into those questions Now take a moment to watch your younger self in that situation Allow yourself to feel whatever happened Feel the sensations of that moment Now imagine your older self coming into view next to your younger self Take a moment and embrace your younger self Telling yourself it's okay It's okay to be imperfect It's okay to be learned It's okay to be imperfect It's okay to be learning Remind yourself that you are not alone Give your younger self love and empathy Now did your younger self push anything away to deal with this pain?
With those sensations?
Did you learn anything?
Or gain any behaviors to deal with this?
Take a moment and reflect If you've taken on any negative patterns or behaviors,
Can you accept those parts of yourself?
Can you accept any shame or guilt?
And recognize that it came from a place of protection You don't have to change it Just accept it In this way you are accepting your shadow You're allowing yourself to see maybe for the first time Where a pattern has come from Where some behavior that you just don't want to accept comes from And by embracing it,
You are bringing that shadow closer to light to your consciousness Now feel yourself coming back Coming back to the current time and space Feel yourself back in your body Back to your breath You can start by moving around,
Opening your eyes Moving your head,
Just coming back to the present This activity is one that you can do as often as you would like to explore your shadow You might notice that every time you do this meditation something new comes up Some new experience,
Some new sensation If you have time,
I invite you to write down your experience and what you have learned
