Befriending Your Body

This is a 23 minute meditation that begins by exploring the thoughts we have around our bodies. It follows by a deepening practice of sitting with our bodies and exploring the nature of our bodies. It ends with gratitude and love for this beautiful body that gives us life.

Transcript

Hello,

Kimberly Johnson here.

I am so honored you will be sitting with me today,

Exploring your inner world and your outer world.

I have been meditating since 2007 and am currently under the mentorship of the lovely Jack Kornfeld and Tara Brach.

My hope is leading you through meditations that give you access on the cushion and off of the cushion in day to day life to really develop and feel true peace,

True joy,

And true presence.

Today we will be exploring befriending your body.

And so right now if you feel a little tender toward your body,

Maybe just give it a moment to let go as your body begins to settle on the cushion or on your bed or wherever you are in this moment.

And as the body begins to settle for this exploration and meditation,

See if you can also let in a little bit of gentleness and kindness just to meet us exactly where we are,

Knowing that there's no perfect way to do this,

Same as there's no perfect body or perfect way to live in a body.

And knowing that it's something that most humans are deeply challenged by,

That you are not alone.

And as we all sit in these bodies,

Let's just gently begin to relax the body.

Maybe with every inhale,

Bringing oxygen and life force into the body,

This beautiful,

Miraculous gift that nature offers us.

And then as we exhale,

The body releases.

Let's go a little bit more,

Moving closer and closer to the earth.

And as the body relaxes and settles in,

Just begin to notice the body breathing,

How the body moves with the breath.

And if your eyes haven't shut down yet,

Maybe shutting them down,

Or maybe finding a gaze on the floor or the wall in front of you as you continue to just observe this body breathing.

And as the body and the mind settle,

Maybe give yourself permission to bring to mind all of the things that you say about your body.

And as you bring these to mind,

Let's see if we can bring them to mind with consciousness and awareness and kindness,

Not getting caught or stuck in them,

But really just giving them also permission to be here,

That we are whole humans.

We have negative thoughts and positive thoughts.

We will always have both.

And the key is how do we respond?

How do we meet the thoughts that cause us pain or harm?

And first we have to just acknowledge them.

So gently right now,

Just allowing yourself to really acknowledge the things that you say about this body,

Not making them right or wrong,

Not judging the thoughts,

Just simply welcoming them,

Knowing that they're part of humanity,

That they're part of the thinking mind.

Now,

Feel if there are any emotions that come with these thoughts.

Not judging the emotions either,

Just bringing into awareness the world of how we speak to our bodies.

And now let's bring the awareness into the body.

Feel where you can feel these thoughts most in the physical realm,

In the actual body.

Maybe it's tightness in the chest.

Maybe it's feelings in the belly.

Maybe it's clenched fist or jaw,

Just noticing where it shows up in the physical form.

And meeting these sensations with the most kindness,

Maybe even placing a supportive hand where you feel the sensations most,

Feeling your own touch and support and care,

An act of saying,

I hear you,

I see you,

I am with you.

And right here,

Collecting all of these thoughts and emotions and feeling where they want to show up in the body.

As we do this process,

We choose to stop abandoning ourselves,

To stop rejecting the negative thoughts and simply observe them and nurture them.

Pulling these places,

These tender places that we keep hidden or avoid or entangle ourselves in believing.

We're gently pulling them close,

Observing them and nurturing them.

Allowing the whole of your humanity and responding kindly.

Now,

Right here in your response,

I want you to cue in to the part of your body that maybe you judge the most.

The part of your body that you think needs to change or be different.

And maybe you place a hand on that part of the body and maybe you just gently begin giving it love through self-massage.

And if that feels like too much,

Maybe just placing a hand on that part of the body.

And just taking some breaths here as your hand meets and makes contact.

And right here,

I want you to begin thinking about all of the things that this part of your body allows you to do.

What does having this part of your body give to you?

Can you walk?

Does it allow you to eat food and digest food?

Does it allow you to hug the people you love most?

Does it allow you to feed your children?

Does it allow you to travel,

See the world?

Does it allow you to bend down,

Pick things up?

Does it allow you to chase your children or to cook food?

What does this part of the body give to you or offer to you or support you in your day-to-day experience?

And maybe you just are bringing these things to mind and that's enough.

Or maybe you feel you can deepen and maybe begin sending gratitude to this area of the body for all that it allows you to do.

And maybe think of all the things from your past that you have done with this body part,

All the miles you've walked,

All the hugs you've given,

All the meals that have nourished your body.

Really sending gratitude to how miraculous this part of your body is and how it has supported your life.

And just notice if at first the giving gratitude feels foreign.

And knowing that that's okay.

That when our habit has been to tear our bodies down,

That it takes practice to see past that delusion to what the body actually is.

And being patient with that process as we slowly find gratitude,

Love,

And acceptance for this beautiful body no matter its shape,

Its size,

Its abilities,

Its sicknesses,

Its emotions,

Its thoughts,

Its feelings,

That no matter what,

We can see past all of that and recognize what this body really does for us.

And maybe as you continue to touch this area of your body,

Maybe asking it,

Do you need anything from me?

How can I love and support you more?

How can I take care of you better?

Talking to it like a friend,

Like a companion,

And listening gently for its response.

And right here in this moment of connection with the part of your body that maybe you've pushed aside or maybe you've torn down and thought,

Just make a promise to this part of your body that you will visit it regularly,

That you'll ask it how it's doing,

That you'll ask it if it has any needs,

And that you'll work to support it.

You'll work to be in partnership with it.

And maybe just massaging it or feeling it a little bit more,

And maybe even whispering something yummy and kind to it.

I love whispering yummy,

Kind things to my body,

Like,

Hi,

Body,

I love you.

Hi,

Legs,

I see you working hard for me.

Hi,

Belly,

Thank you so much for breaking down my food and nourishing my body.

Hi,

Arms,

Thank you so much for letting me hug the ones I love and pick up my kittens.

Whispering something kind and yummy in your words.

And maybe really feeling the possibility of union with your body,

The possibility of working together,

Helping each other,

Supporting each other through this wild,

Wild life.

I will end with three beautiful rings of the bell.

And feel free to come back to this meditation as often as you need.

You can do the same body part over and over and over again.

Or you can come back for different body parts.

Knowing that whatever you need is right here.

Right here within you.

This is the last sign.

And gently coming out of meditation in your own slow time and really feeling your body as you come out and taking this beautiful partnership with you everywhere you go today.

Knowing that every moment you have a choice to be the friend of this body or the enemy.

Neither are right or wrong,

They just have different outcomes.