Guilt - Accepting, Embracing, And Transforming It

Guilt can be a strong feeling that brings the sense of unworthiness and lack of value to self and to others. This guided practice helps us in the process of recognizing and accepting the feeling by letting it be, continuing by inviting the feeling to go and then bringing in another feeling that will replace guilt.

Transcript

So to begin this practice of letting it be,

Letting it go and letting it in,

I'm inviting you to check on your posture and you can be seated with both feet flat on the ground,

The spine is tall as a tree,

The hands are lying on top of each other or on the lap or if needed you can be lying down and if you care to maybe one hand on the stomach area,

Another hand on the chest area and begin by noticing this body breathing,

Sensing the sensations that are present right now with the in-breath and out-breath and intentionally sensing it with no barrier,

With no judgment,

With no intention that anything would be different than it is,

Just sensing and I like to remind ourselves that sometimes just sensing the breath can be a little bit boring and with that maybe we want to bring to our attention that it only takes less than three minutes or a little little bit more than three minutes without a breath for this body not to be alive anymore and maybe that would bring the sense of intentionality in sensing sensing the breath,

Sensing this in-breath and this out-breath and today specifically we will be working with this sensation of guilt,

The feeling of guilt with the letting it be,

Letting it go and let it in.

So now if you wish bringing to mind an event,

It doesn't matter if it is a recent one or something that happened a long time ago,

Just bring into mind a memory where you're guilty in yourself,

You're saying things like you shouldn't be experiencing this maybe even deeper you don't deserve and as you connected with that memory just noticing this sensation of guilt in the body,

Experiencing the place in the body where maybe the temperature is changing,

It's either becoming hotter or colder or you might be experiencing other sensations such as pressure,

Throbbing,

Pulsing.

In this moment we are just allowing the feeling guilt to be present and sensing in that area of the body how the sensation of guilt is showing up right now.

And now we begin to be more maybe playful with that sensation,

Being really curious,

Bringing childish curiosity.

So now I'm inviting you to get even closer to that sensation of guilt in the body and noticing its shape.

Is there a shape and if it is,

Is it more rounded,

Squared,

Like a triangle or no shape at all?

Is it the sensation more in the front of the body or the back of the body or the side and if the side,

Which side?

And if the sensation would have a color,

What color would be?

So now we are sensing and we can notice the awareness of feeling guilt is not the same as the feeling.

The awareness is more expanded.

We are now aware of the feeling in the body.

And now we are getting ready to the second step on this practice,

Which is letting it go.

If you can imagine right now,

If you wish,

Getting the sense of guilt,

The feeling of guilt and putting on your arms with care,

Compassion and understanding.

And slowly taking it to the sky and putting it inside a cloud.

The cloud can be a small one or a cloud as big as the sky we can see right now.

It doesn't matter.

And in your imagination you stay just there,

Close to the cloud,

But no longer holding the guilt feeling.

Let it go.

And the cloud will slowly begin to move and you begin to walk back towards the right here,

Right now.

And sensing this body,

Sensing sensations of being seated or lying down,

Sensing sensations of the breath and sensing,

If possible,

The empty space that was left after the feeling was taken to the cloud.

So there is this empty space in the body right now.

And now we are going to the third step of this practice.

It's letting it in.

I'm inviting you now to bring to mind a time where you felt empowered,

Deserving what you're getting.

Anything.

It can be a small thing like a admiration from someone else or it can be anything that comes to your mind.

And if you could,

Not choosing too much.

Just probably the first thing that comes to your mind is the one.

So experiencing that moment when you felt empowered,

Deserving what you're getting.

And noticing that sensation of deserving and getting and feeling maybe a pleasant sensation of acceptance.

Noticing that sensation in the body and now bathing yourself in that sensation.

Letting that sensation of empowerment or of worthness and of deserving what you're getting.

Letting that sensation permeates in your entire body.

Now is the moment where we can change some pathways in the brain.

So as we really stay with that sensation of yes I deserve.

Yes I can have it because I deserve.

Yes I am worthy.

Yes I am perfect.

I know I have room for growth but right now I know I am perfect.

So letting that sensation permeate the body and bathing yourself in that sensation and staying for 20-30 seconds.

Sensing.

And now that we are getting close to the end of this practice,

Again bringing the attention back to your body.

Sensing the breath.

This in-breath,

This out-breath.

And if you care to,

Before we close,

Inviting the sense of gratitude to yourself.

For showing up for that who you are.

You're taking a time to be.

Not doing anything.

Just being with who you are.

If you care to bring in a sense of gratitude.

And slowly,

If the eyes are still closed,

Opening the eyes,

Stretching the arms and legs.

And knowing that you can come back to this practice at any moment.

Letting it be.

Letting it go.

Letting it in.

Be well.

Reviews

I feel so much better now after doing this practice! Thank you 🙏🏻

Simple but impactful. I’ve been devoured by guilt that past few days on top of grief and helped to be aware and compassionate towards the feelings and myself. Much needed. Thank you.

Very helpful. I am experiencing guilt over the recent loss of my wife of nearly 35 years. I feel the key to health, as you so elegantly stayed, is to have self-compassion and a sense that I deserve joy in in the midst of grief. Namaste

I REALLY liked this! I could feel the physical transformation in my body. Thank you for the effective and gentle guidance.

Wonderful guided meditation. Thank you. 🙏

Thank you, enjoyed this very much and will definitely use it again. 🙏💖

Beautiful guidance on a tender subject. I had an interesting experience that I was able to stay present with...allowing some release and more space. Thank you! Namaste ❤️🙏

Thank you for a beautiful and complete meditation that empties and fills back up. Namaste 🙏🏽

Better, thank you. I did something that harmed someone I love. It will be awhile. But this helped a little! I saw its shape and let some of it go.

Thank you for this.

Wow thankyou 🙏🏻

So beautiful and loving!!!

a simple meditation. no music. but a soothing practice still. the instructor has a nice relaxing voice and used imagery well.

Nice voice and tempo!

Replacing guilt with my true worth !
So simple, but powerful
Thank you
🙏🏼

Simple, and quick. The visualization is powerful. I have a feeling that my visualization will return to me, and I look forward to returning to the skills you taught: letting it be, letting it go, and letting it in.

A creative and comforting meditation in my time of need. Thank you.

Very helpful and lovely! Thank you! 🙏🏼💕

Amazing meditation. I have huge guilt over an issue right now - nothing else has worked but this mediation 🤘

I’m wracked with guilt after hurting my friend. This meditation is helping me release that guilt. I’m beginning to feel better now. Thank you, Rossana.