So making yourself comfortable.
Closing your eyes either fully or partially.
Taking a few deep breaths.
Many of us are experiencing some difficult emotions right now.
Some guilt,
Feeling an inner critic having a lot to say or many inner critics having a lot to say.
We're going to do a little practice to help us to get into relationship with the inner critic.
And we're doing this because being in relationship with our inner critic starts to give us some choice about what to do.
Once we're in relationship we can start to navigate the relationship,
Negotiate,
Notice the nuances of what the inner critic is trying to do.
And so bringing to mind this this thing that you criticize yourself about.
Maybe there are many things you criticize yourself about.
We're just getting in touch with this voice of inner criticism that we all have.
If there are many voices of criticism maybe just choosing one.
Bringing your awareness down into your body as you hear that voice.
Tuning into how it feels to have an inner critic talk to you in this way.
Do you feel it in your head,
In your throat,
In your chest,
Your back,
Your belly?
You're feeling tension somewhere in your body that's related to this inner critic.
Bringing a little kind awareness to the pain in your body.
No one wants to feel the pain of an inner critic.
We all deserve some kindness and tenderness in the face of this pain.
And then allowing yourself to get a little bit curious about this character,
The inner critic.
This is a part of us,
This inner critic.
It's not all of us,
It's just one part of us.
Maybe in your mind's eye you even see yourself turning towards this character who is the inner critic.
Maybe you're seeing the inner critic as a particular figure,
A person,
An animal,
A color,
A cloud,
An object.
Without getting too close to the inner critic,
Without being drawn into their energy as much as you can just taking a look at this inner critic.
Getting a sense of what they look like.
Maybe even noting their characteristics if you're seeing a figure that is the inner critic.
Their facial features,
What they're wearing.
Tuning back in to what they're saying,
Watching them say these words,
These critical words.
And once again bringing some curiosity and asking them in your mind's eye,
What are you afraid of?
What are you afraid of?
If you're feeling emotion as you hear that,
Once again tuning into your body,
Where are you feeling that in your body as you're hearing from the inner critic?
You're hearing them tell you what they're afraid of.
The inner critic is always afraid of something.
Allowing yourself to take in what they're telling you if they're telling you something.
If they're not telling you anything it's not a problem,
This is an experiment,
This is an adventure.
We're simply tuning into our inner landscape,
Seeing what's there,
Seeing how we might navigate ourself through this.
If you had no image of an inner critic it's not a problem.
Once again just bringing curiosity to whatever your experience is.
And as you're in relationship with that inner critic in whatever way it is,
Whatever way that relationship is.
Asking that inner critic what do you need?
What do you need?
Waiting to see if they respond,
They may not respond and that's okay.
I mean curiosity.
We're not saying we're going to give them what they need,
We're simply bringing curiosity,
We're simply opening a dialogue.
And then just as we have this part of us who is an inner critic,
We have other parts of us who are actually very helpful,
Very kind,
Very compassionate,
Very wise.
You have a part of you,
A sage part,
A wise woman part or a wise man part.
Starting to get a sense of this wise compassionate part of you.
They may be very old,
They may be a maternal figure,
They may be a spiritual figure.
We all have a wise compassionate part of us so finding that part of you,
Maybe even drawing yourself up your body,
Making your body a little more expansive,
Growing yourself a bit bigger.
What part of you do you get in touch with when you breathe yourself larger,
Bigger,
Fuller?
Getting a sense of what they look like.
If they're a person,
What are they wearing?
Are they seeing facial features?
Are they carrying anything?
So this wise compassionate part of you sees this dynamic,
They see the inner critic,
They see you,
They see the situation.
Invite them to offer some words of wisdom for this situation.
We're not forcing words,
We're just waiting to see if some words come from that wise compassionate part of us.
If there are no words offered,
It's not a problem.
Once again,
We're just practicing,
We're just exploring,
Bringing curiosity to your experience,
Whatever it is.
There's no right way to do this,
There's no wrong way to do this.
Whatever you're doing is just as it's meant to be.
Before we finish this meditation,
Just checking in with both of those parts,
The inner critic,
Your inner wise compassionate part.
Is there any last thing that either of them would like to say or that either of them needs in this moment?
Do they need to say something to the other one?
Does one part need to communicate with the other part?
And then when you're ready,
Allowing any imagery to start to fade,
To dissolve,
These parts are always with us,
So they never actually go away,
But we can move our awareness so that they're not in the front of our awareness.
Moving your awareness to your body,
To your breathing,
Bringing your awareness to your breath,
Just noticing your breathing for a few breaths.
Expanding your awareness to your body as a whole,
Moving your awareness out as far as your fingertips,
Your toes,
The top of your head,
Starting to move your fingers,
Your toes,
Your wrists,
Your ankles,
Maybe your shoulders as well,
Your torso a little bit.
When you're ready,
Gently opening your eyes,
Maybe looking around the room to orient yourself to the space that you're in,
Having a stretch,
A sip of your drink.
