Hello and welcome.
My name is Kirby Slager and this is gonna be a short guided meditation to help you release the weight of guilt.
Now guilt in a way was designed to keep us in relationship with others.
It evolved as a social cue and at its core,
It oftentimes whispers,
Don't hurt anyone,
Don't let anyone down,
Stay connected.
Now of course,
This can be useful if we have truly done harm,
But more often than not,
Guilt shows up when we haven't harmed anyone and we're just showing up for ourselves or we're creating a new boundary.
This is not guilt.
This is misplaced responsibility.
False guilt is just fear of disconnection and disguise.
It's safe to choose yourself.
So let's dive in.
Let's start by taking a slow,
Deep breath in through your nose.
And then right away,
Just gently sighing it out.
You can gently close your eyes.
You can sit down or lie down,
Whatever is most comfortable for you.
This is a space to soften the weight of guilt,
To return to love as your true guide.
If you found that comfortable position,
Go ahead and place one hand on your heart and one on your belly.
Feel what's right here.
Feel the simple truth without story,
That you're safe,
That you're breathing,
That you've got you.
Now let's take another slow breath in through your nose,
Almost watching the breath as it rises through your body.
And again,
Softly sighing it out.
Taking a moment to notice if there's any guilt that you've been carrying and where it may be showing up.
Noticing where it lives in your body,
Maybe a heaviness in your chest,
A tightness in your belly,
A constriction in your throat.
Whatever you find,
Whatever you feel,
Simply acknowledge it.
You don't need to push it away.
Just noticing is more than enough.
And as you continue these slow breaths,
Bringing a little more focus to the part of your body that's holding this tension.
Seeing our emotions,
Our sensations in our body as a messenger,
Always pointing us back to our values,
Always highlighting when we've stepped out of alignment.
Oftentimes our guilt shows up as misplaced responsibility,
As a way we've learned to carry the weight of other people's feelings.
When this guilt arises,
Just because you choose yourself,
It's not a sign that you did something wrong.
This is a sign of love asking to flow back toward you.
With your hands gently resting on your body,
Let's take some deep breaths together.
Now right here,
I want you to inhale through your nose,
Silently repeating,
I choose myself.
Exhale out the mouth,
Silently.
I still can love others.
Inhale,
I choose what I love.
What's best for me.
Letting it all go,
And I still can love all of those around me.
Inhale,
Knowing that you're safe.
Exhale,
Knowing that you're supported and choosing to stay in alignment with your values.
As you continue to breathe slowly and gently,
Imagine the guilt that you've been carrying as almost a smoky cloud within you.
With each exhale,
Let a little more of that smoke just drift away.
With each breath,
You're able to see a little bit clearer,
Watching as it dissolves into the air around you.
Transmuting this tension and resistance into compassion and light.
You are safe to release.
You are safe to rest.
It is safe to choose myself.
The boundaries I create are an expression of care.
Taking a few more slow breaths here.
Sighing it out.
Every inhale,
Creating space.
Every exhale,
Supporting this release.
You're doing the best you know how to do.
Trust yourself.
Trust the signals of your body.
When you're ready,
Taking one last deep breath in through your nose,
Filling your lungs all the way up.
And then gently sighing the breath out.
Carrying with you the knowing that your love remains steady even as you choose yourself.
It's safe to choose you.
And you are so loved.
You inspire so many around you to do the same.
Or stay here a little bit longer.
To let yourself drift into this space of calm,
Of acceptance and compassion.
You've always got you.
And you're doing such an incredible job.
