Hello beautiful,
I'm so glad you're here meditating with me today.
Close your eyes and invite your body to relax a little,
Lowering your shoulders,
Softening your face,
And slowly finding the rhythm of your breath,
In and out,
In and out,
Letting it slow down your mind,
And slow down your body.
There are parts of your body you may have learned to hide,
Wrinkles traced across your skin,
The soft curves of your belly,
The lines carved by years of living.
Perhaps you've called them flaws,
Perhaps you've judged them harshly,
Perhaps you've carried shame for the body that has carried you,
But this shame is not yours,
It was handed to you by culture that worships you,
That tells stories of fading,
That does not understand the beauty of your becoming.
So place a hand on your heart and breathe deeply,
Feeling the miracle of your chest expanding with oxygen,
Feel the body that you are in,
The body that has held your joy,
Your heartbreak,
Your children,
Your laughter and your tears.
Gently whisper to yourself,
This body has been your home since the day you were born.
Every line,
Every curve,
Every scar,
A sacred map of your life,
The shame or discomfort you felt cannot survive in the light of this truth,
Because your body is holy.
So breathe in reverence,
Breathe out tension,
Let shame fall away like an old garment you no longer need to wear.
Feel your shoulders soften,
And your breath deepen,
And feel your body sigh with relief at being seen,
Being loved,
And being honored.
This is your temple,
Your vessel,
And your companion.
Something to cherish,
Something to bless.
Say to your body now,
I honor you,
I thank you,
I love you.
Notice how these words land,
And notice how your body responds when it's met with kindness.
Notice how shame begins to dissolve in the warmth of love.
You are not at war with your body,
You are coming home to it.
You are remembering its sacredness.
So rest here,
Rest in the gratitude for the skin you're in.
Rest in the miracle of breath and bone and heart.
Rest in the knowing that you are whole,
You are radiant,
You are sacred.
Namaste,
Beautiful.