Meditation for wrinkles.
Is that a thing?
Why not?
Because in order to love ourselves wholly and completely,
It's essential that we appreciate what contributes to wrinkles in the first place.
And that's living life and expressing through your face.
Before we begin,
Make sure you are comfortable,
Either seated or lying down.
If you are seated,
Feel your buttocks on the chair or the floor.
Elongate your spine so that you are nice and tall.
Then let the shoulders drop and relax your arms.
Lying down,
Ensure that you are straight,
In alignment and comfortable.
Bring your awareness to the air coming in and out of your nostrils.
Cool on the way in,
Warm on the way out.
Keep observing this sensation.
Cooler on the way in,
Warmer on the way out.
When you are ready,
Begin to slow your breathing down.
Take slower,
Smoother breaths.
Allow your body to relax and your mind to become present in this moment.
Continue to breathe like this throughout the whole meditation.
Now bring your attention to all the expressions that your facial muscles make.
Firstly,
The smile.
It's the muscles in our face that allows one of the most beautiful expressions,
Smiling.
Feel the feeling of a smile on your face.
Notice if that feeling goes all the way down into your heart.
Smiles brighten your own day,
As well as other people's.
The warmth and the joy of a smile creates connections and spreads positivity.
Laughing,
Also made possible by our facial muscles,
Is such a joyous gift.
Not only does laughter bring joy and lightness to your life,
But it also has a contagious effect,
Bringing laughter to those around you.
Remember a time when you were laughing.
Can you see your face and the faces of other people in your life laughing?
Feel the joy.
Have you ever had sore cheeks from laughing or smiling so much?
I can feel it in my cheeks just talking about it now.
Facial muscles express all of our emotions,
From happiness to sadness,
Surprise to anger.
Your facial expressions convey your inner world,
Convey understanding and communication with others.
Your eyes alone show so much expression.
They can light up with joy,
Tear up with sadness.
They show empathy and compassion,
Or convey depth and wisdom.
Your eyes are powerful tools for connection and communication.
Continue to breathe softly and smoothly.
Other movements,
Such as raising an eyebrow,
Can say so much.
Squinting,
Frowning,
Lifting the muscles of your forehead,
All add nuance and depth to your communication,
Allowing you to convey complex thoughts and emotions.
In all of our nonverbal communication,
Your facial expressions play a vital role in communicating.
They foster sincerity,
Interest,
Empathy and various other emotions,
Enhancing your ability to connect and understand others.
How amazing that we can do all this with the muscles of our face.
Why would we not want to do this?
Your facial expressions are individual to you.
They form a visual identity,
Making you easily recognizable and through which you radiate your own personal charm.
Take a moment to sit with gratitude for the expressions that your facial muscles can make.
Recognizing that the power and beauty of your face is a vehicle for connection,
Communication and emotional expression.
Soft breaths in and out of the nostrils.
With gratitude for our facial expressions,
We can then have gratitude for the wrinkles they create.
In this world of Botox,
Fillers,
Social media,
TV and movies full of wrinkle-free beauties,
We are continuously shown and taught that wrinkles are something to despise and to avoid at all cost.
That somehow if you have wrinkles you are no longer desirable or a viable part of the community.
Widespread ageism is a function of a variety of misperceptions rooted in our strange denial of the completely natural process of getting older.
Instead of allowing this misperception to lower your self-worth,
Show gratitude for the functions of your expressions and the wrinkles that result as they are visible reminders of the life you have lived.
Each wrinkle tells a unique story of experiences,
Lessons and growth.
Hold in your heart appreciation for the wisdom and resilience that comes with time and the passing of that time.
Could you be grateful for wrinkles as markers of cherished memories and milestones.
Each line on your face representing moments of laughter,
Love and shared experiences.
Reminders of the connections and meaningful relationships that have enriched your life and the struggles and suffering that you have been through.
All of which contributed to the amazing you who you are today.
Gratitude for that.
Keep breathing slowly and smoothly.
Your wrinkles reflect inner beauty and character.
They add depth and uniqueness to your appearance,
Revealing the authenticity and resilience that lies within.
Your face is a map.
The wrinkles a testament to a life well lived.
Can you express gratitude for the opportunity that wrinkles provide to practice self-acceptance and embrace the natural process of aging.
Recognize that beauty is not solely defined by youth but by the grace,
Wisdom and confidence that comes with age.
Turn dislike into gratitude.
Gratitude for the lessons and personal growth that come with the passing of time.
That remind us of the impermanence of life and the importance of embracing every moment with gratitude and appreciation.
Take a moment to sit with the gratitude that you can have for wrinkles and for aging.
Wrinkles that were created by the many ways you used your face over the years to express emotion,
To communicate and to connect.
Embrace the beauty and wisdom that comes with each passing day and what it means to have truly lived.
Whenever you're ready,
Gently bring your attention back to the wrinkles that you have created.
Whenever you're ready,
Gently bring your attention back to the present moment.
Carry this sense of gratitude and acceptance for your own aging process throughout your day,
Honoring the unique journey that has brought you to this moment.
Wherever you are in the world,
Whatever time of day it is,
May you be blessed and grateful.
Thank you for listening.
