Loving kindness for my small self.
Please find a comfortable position either lying down or sitting.
Someplace where you feel comfortable and safe.
So either lying on a couch or sitting on a chair,
Sitting on cushions on the floor.
And if you're comfortable closing your eyes,
Go ahead and close your eyes.
Or if not,
You can keep them at half-mast.
Just have a downward gaze.
And now allowing yourself to settle into your body and come to this present moment.
And now noticing any sensations that you're feeling in your body right now.
Maybe places of tightness or tension.
And notice the places where your body comes in contact with the floor or the cushions you're sitting on.
And notice what those points of contact feel like.
Is there a tightness there?
Or a hardness?
Or maybe the floor feels cold?
Or maybe there's a warmth where your body touches the couch or chair that you're sitting on.
Notice those physical sensations.
And if you find these areas of stress or tension,
Letting go of them,
Letting go of the frustration,
Of the stress,
Of the tightness.
And maybe also noticing any emotions that may be present.
Remembering that every human body bears stress and worry throughout the day.
So letting go of anything that's here.
And now if you'd like,
Putting your hand on your heart or maybe another soothing touch gesture as a reminder to be kind to yourself while doing this meditation.
And now calling to mind an image of yourself as a child.
Perhaps recalling a time when your small child self experienced sadness or hurt,
Maybe frustration or anger.
And choosing a time of moderate difficulty,
Not the most difficult.
Maybe a time when you fell off your bicycle or got into a fight with your brother or sister,
Or maybe got angry at something that happened in school.
And as you're recalling this event,
Noticing any feelings in your body as you experience seeing yourself as a child,
Young and vulnerable.
And knowing that this child too would like to be happy,
Would like to feel safe and feel loved.
So asking yourself,
What words would this child like to hear?
What words does this child need to hear?
And now repeat these words to yourself in silence,
In a gentle and loving tone to your child self.
And if no words or phrases have come to you,
You can always use the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you feel loved.
May you begin to accept yourself just as you are.
And now silently repeating these phrases or your own personal phrases for your child self.
And now widening your circle of kindness to include yourself as you are today.
Creating an image of yourself in the presence of your child self.
So both of you are there together.
And now repeating the phrases for both of you,
Your child self and yourself as you are today.
Either your phrases or the following phrases.
May we be happy.
May we feel loved.
May we begin to accept ourselves just as we are.
May we feel happy.
May we feel loved.
And may we begin to accept ourselves just as we are.
Now letting go of the image of your child self and letting the full focus of your attention rest directly on yourself as you are right now.
Putting your hand over your heart and feeling the warmth and gentle pressure of your hand.
May I be happy.
May I feel loved.
And may I begin to accept myself just as I am.
Happy,
Loved,
Accept myself just as I am.
And letting go of these kind words and coming back to the sensations in your body,
Physical sensations.
And gently opening your eyes.
