Hi,
My name is Arlo and thank you for taking this moment to meditate with me.
Before we go further,
I would like you to consider what brought you here.
Perhaps there was a situation or circumstance where you didn't show up as your highest self.
A time where your wounds or frustrations or fears simply got the best of you.
Think of what led you to that moment.
Where were you?
What time of day was it?
Who was with you?
And how did they respond?
At times we do not act in alignment with our highest good.
And that is okay because we are not perfect.
As long as we show up as our best selves today,
Not yesterday,
The day before,
Last month,
Or even last year,
But who we are in this present moment,
We can make a commitment to grow,
Unfold,
And learn.
So often we are taught to hide these versions of ourselves.
To bury what we're embarrassed or guilty or ashamed of.
This fear grows and accumulates until suddenly it erupts.
However when we witness ourselves in fullness,
We can free ourselves and understand that there is certainly a lot more to be proud of than ashamed of.
Let this exercise be a practice of self-forgiveness rather than self-judgment.
If you feel overwhelmed or tempted to react to a situation,
Allow yourself to be led by the beauty of the breath.
Focus on the relationship between the inhale and the exhale.
Take a hand to your belly and feel the expansion and retraction occur.
Witness the space around you.
Who is in the space and what time of day is it?
If necessary,
Consider walking away or taking a break.
It's amazing what fresh eyes and a new perspective can do to a situation.
Let us come back to the moment that brought you to this meditation.
Here I invite you to imagine holding yourself.
Many times we project anger when underneath that shield we're experiencing fear.
In those moments when our parasympathetic nervous system steps into action,
We may feel that everyone or everything is working against us.
This is simply not the case.
But it may feel true in the moment.
If this comes up,
I invite you to return to holding yourself either through your imagination or within your physical body.
Take the time to take care.
Before ending this practice in acceptance and forgiveness today,
I encourage you to say these simple affirmations aloud.
I am proud of myself for who I am in this moment.
I am proud of myself for who I am in this moment.
I do not need to be perfect in order to deserve peace.
I witness before I react.
I love myself and respect myself exactly as I am.
I am growing and I am learning.
I am growing and I am learning.
Beautiful.
It's okay if these affirmations may not feel true in the moment.
With time and repetition,
You'll feel more comfortable acknowledging the beauty of learning.
And the affirmations will begin to feel more true.
If time allows,
I invite you to take a few moments in stillness.
Observe in your body how this meditation may have affected you.
You can return to this meditation anytime you'd like.
When ready,
Stretch your arms skyward and blink the eyelashes open,
Observing your space with a fresh perspective.
Thank you for taking this time to meditate with me once again and for beginning this journey of self-acceptance.
I hope today was a joy and I'll come back on the next one.
You
