Hello and welcome to my Insight Timer page.
My name is Kimberly Johnson.
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These talks,
These meditations,
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Today we're going to be doing a meditation on being kind and loving toward ourselves.
And I'm going to just start with an inquiry which is when is the last time that you really thought about yourself or looked at yourself without judgment,
Without thinking you need to fix something or change,
Without that kind of compulsive,
Nitpicky eye.
And maybe for some of you the truth is that you look at yourself fondly often and that's such a gift and for others of you maybe it's been a really long time.
And this question is not to have you judge yourself or judge that.
This question is simply to help us see and to maybe reflect upon how we do interact with ourselves or speak to ourselves or treat ourselves.
And as most of you know,
We as humans learn things through repetition.
And sometimes,
I don't know about you,
But I feel very frustrated that I have to learn the same lessons over and over and over again.
And one of the lessons that I have had to learn over and over and over again is how to be kind to myself,
How to notice when I'm being very judgmental and pause and reframe the way that I am looking or talking to myself.
And so my hope for this meditation is that it's just simply a moment that you can return to on repeat maybe even,
Daily maybe even,
As an opportunity to pause and really be kind.
So go ahead wherever you are and just get comfortable.
And sometimes if you're feeling extra courageous you can even do this meditation looking in the mirror.
So you can have my voice in the background as you look at yourself.
And if you're feeling like you just want to sit with your eyes closed,
Know that that is also courageous and that is 100% also welcome and fine.
So wherever you are just begin to get comfortable.
And if you are in front of a mirror or if you're sitting on your cushion or mat just go ahead and let your eyes close down for a moment.
And as we close down one sensory we can begin to experience our other senses more strongly.
So as the eyes close go ahead and just begin to notice any sounds that you might hear.
And notice any sensations that you might feel in your body.
And then bring the attention to the breath.
Wherever you feel the breath most easily it might be in the belly or in the chest.
It might be in the nostrils.
Just noticing where you feel the breath the strongest in this moment.
And just begin to pay attention to the inhales and the exhales.
The inhales.
The exhales.
And you'll notice as you pay attention to the breath that the mind will begin to wander.
And this is our first opportunity to be kind.
And just recognizing how normal it is for the mind to wander and that this too is just a part of life.
And when you notice gently just noticing and even saying something to the effect of it's ok you've wandered.
And then really gently redirecting the attention right back to the next inhale and exhale.
Knowing that every time you notice you've wandered and you bring yourself back to the breath that you're offering yourself a gift.
The gift of presence.
And as you observe the breath gently let the body know that it's safe and ok.
Maybe whispering you are safe.
You can relax.
And as you whisper these words let the body's tension melt down towards the earth.
Letting the body trust the cushion even more to hold and support you.
And as your body relaxes if the mind has wandered from the breath just gently and kindly redirect the attention right back to the next breath,
The next inhale and exhale.
And as you observe the breath gently let the body trust the cushion even more to hold and support you.
As your body settles and your mind settles I want you to take one of your hands and just place it on your body wherever it would feel best,
Wherever it would feel most comforting,
Most life giving,
Maybe that's the heart or the belly or maybe the face,
Maybe the thighs,
Maybe holding your own hand.
And I want you to just say hello to yourself.
So I would say hello Kimberly.
Hello Kimberly.
And you might add something like I am here with you.
Hello Kimberly,
I am right here with you.
And for a few breaths just feel your own presence right here being with yourself.
Now ask yourself,
Babe how are you really?
How are you really in this moment?
And just notice what comes up without judging it.
It's kind to check in with yourself.
It's kind to be honest.
How are you really?
And just feel whatever's right here in your response.
You can even whisper I'm right here with you.
You aren't alone.
You're safe.
I'm right here with you.
Now ask yourself is there anything you need?
What do you need?
To have a little bit of comfort.
To have a little bit of care.
To have a little bit of kindness.
What do you need?
And just listen gently.
Give yourself permission to really listen and to know yourself and know what you need.
And maybe even making note of what you need and being committed that right after this meditation that you give yourself a little bit of whatever you need.
Honoring your needs.
And now if you've moved your hand from your body maybe put it back.
And just feel your own touch for a breath or two.
And right here say your name.
Speak to yourself.
And tell yourself how much you mean to yourself.
Now for some of us this will look like Kimberly I love you.
I'm here with you.
I'm working on loving you.
I want to love you.
For others it'll be describing the things you love about yourself.
The things you're grateful for about yourself.
But take a minute and I want you to talk to yourself.
Share with yourself what you mean to yourself.
And if it feels hard just start with Kimberly I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
Getting yourself closer and closer.
Treating yourself like you would treat a loved one,
A dear friend,
A child.
And right now with me you're practicing.
You're practicing being your own support system.
You're practicing speaking kindly and loving.
You're practicing checking in.
Getting to know yourself.
Honoring what you need.
These are all things that are kind.
So maybe just one more time pulling yourself closer.
And saying I love you.
I love you.
I love you.
Now take a moment before rushing off the cushion or rushing away from the mirror.
And really just feel how it feels in the body to connect with yourself.
To be kind to yourself.
Just take some deep,
Deep breaths.
Slowly exiting meditation and giving yourself permission to carry this kindness,
To carry this curiosity into the rest of your day.
