Accepting Our Own Shortcomings

Accepting and forgiving ourselves for our own shortcomings is an integral part of the process of learning to love, respect and value ourselves. It’s also an important aspect of self-care. Habitual self-criticism or self-doubt depletes our natural energy reserves and adds additional layers of stress to our nervous system. This meditation will help you to build a kinder, more patient and appreciative relationship with yourself. It nurtures self-compassion and positive thinking, and supports mental health through mindfulness practice, grounding, breath awareness, positive imagery and positive affirmations. The soothing background music is by Jeremy Siegel.
This meditation recording is deeply relaxing, so please set aside some quiet, comfortable space for yourself to take its full benefit and do not operate machinery or drive whilst you are listening.

Transcript

Hello and welcome. I'm Linda Hall. Today I'd like to do a meditation on accepting our own shortcomings. It's well worth remembering that each of us does our best within our limitations at any given time. So take a few moments to get comfortable. And when you're ready. Allow your eyes to close. As you do so come down into your body's weight and volume. And the movements your body makes as you breathe. Breathe out down the full length of your body. Allowing your body to soften and release what it's brought with it here. And no longer needs to carry. Let it flow out. And away. Notice the contact your body is making with the surface directly beneath it. Notice the surface is steady. Notice the steadiness is there for you now. And give more of your weight to its support. As you do so, Notice the ground meeting your body's weight through the steadiness. Steady, Solid ground. Right there. With you now. And breathe the steady solid energy of the ground up into you. Breathe it slowly up into your body. Right up to mine. Let it steady you. As you do so, Sense the ground spreading way out to either side of you, Into the distance and beyond. One vast steadiness. Are within that steadiness. There are many changes going on. Nutrients are being absorbed. Into the soil. Water courses are gently changing. All the supporters. Ecosystems in the ground. Are constantly growing. In motion. Much like yourself. And yet the ground is whole. And it's steady. And it provides this amazing resource. For all the trees. And plants that grow on this. Beautiful planet of ours. The ground is full of nutrients. A rich energy. That you can breathe into you. For you are made of the same stuff. As they are. Minerals, Crystals, Water, All flowing around you. When you connect with the ground. You remind your body. At an unconscious level. Of its fundamental relationship. With grass. And as you slow your breath down. It allows your whole system to begin to move back into balance. So just allow that to happen now of its own accord. As you let your breath. Slow down and lengthen. As you do so. Notice the sensation of air entering your nostrils and leaving. Notice the air is cool as it enters. Warm as it lay. Notice the movements your body makes as you breathe. The expansion of the in-breath. The release of the earth. Notice the opening outwards and rising upwards of the in-breath. As your shoulders, Chest and thorax open to receive nourishment. In this mob. If you've been hard on yourself of late. Self-doubting self-criticizing. Then it's likely that you won't have been receiving nourishment. Consciously. Allow yourself to do that now. To open your senses to this amazing life force. You're breathing in from. Taking in through your nostrils. Down it's your love. To flow around the whole of your body as energy. Recharging, Renewing, Restoring every cell with a Welcome this amazing stuff of life. Around you and within you. Healing. Life force energy. In your own time and when you are ready. Notice the softening, Letting go motion of the outbreath. Notice how the whole of your upper body follows through with that softening, Letting go motion as the breath flows out. Really allow your breath to flow out to its full end. When we're stressed or busy, We tend to hold on to our breath. Allow it to consciously flow out now. Releasing yet more of what your body's been carrying and no longer needs to. As you do so, Breathe out all pressure you've been putting on yourself. Let it flow out and away. Breathe out all self-criticism. Let it flow out of you and away. Breathe out all demands you've been making of yourself of late. Let them all flow out of you and away. As you let that happen, Allow your attitude towards yourself to become kinder. Walnut. That loving kindness in around you. All the way round you like a beautiful nest. Let it hold you. Breathe the loving kindness into all the places within you in need of kindness. In need of reassurance. In need of healing. As you do so, Remind yourself that there is no need for you to be perfect. Touch you. Are growing. Learning. Heal it. And that that is the natural way of things. Reassure yourself. That it's completely okay to be exactly as you are right now. Completely okay to be exactly who you are right now. Remind yourself. That every experience we have. Contains a gift of learning. A gift of growth. Remind yourself. That nature is perfect with all its imperfections. And the same is true of you. That you are just as you are meant to be. That you have value. Exactly as you are right now. You have worth exactly as you are right now. The wisdom of your subconscious mind. He's already. . . Transforming all that you have learned. Into growth. Into new beginnings. And new positive possibilities. In the fullness of time. You will see things in a new perspective. Gain new understandings. New strength. New knowledge. And say. Silently or out loud the affirmations. I've done my best. Everything will be okay. I will be okay. I will be fine. Allow your own words of reassurance to come. And in your own time. Notice the touch of the air on your face and body. Notice it asks nothing of you, Demands nothing from you. It just is. And allow yourself to soften into the justiceness. As you do so gently sense outwards to the horizon spreading way out into the distance. To either side of him. High to the sky above. Notice the spaciousness. And breathe the spaciousness into you. Take as much as you need. Let it clear your mind. Open and energised. It's your body and refresh and empower the you inside. Take as much as you need. In your own time, Not when you are ready. Become aware of the sensation of air entering your nostrils and leaving. Noticing the movements your body makes as you breathe. Notice the contact your body's making with the surface directly beneath you. Notice the surface is steady. And breathe the steadiness of ground up into you once again. Letting it steady and empower you. Take your time. Notice your breathing in from the space around you and out into it. Notice you here in this moment. And in your own way, Your own time, You can draw this meditation to a close. I hope you've enjoyed this meditation. Go well.