This is the self-forgiveness meditation and for this meditation we'll be practicing with phrases and with the breath.
So to begin please find a comfortable position.
You can be sitting or lying down and when you feel comfortable you can let your eyes close either partially or fully.
And then taking three easy breaths to release any tension you may be holding in your body right now.
And if it feels right as you breathe you can place a hand on your heart as a reminder to bring not just awareness but kind warm awareness both to yourself and to your experience.
And for this meditation you may like to let your hand rest on your heart so see if that feels right.
So shifting your awareness now to your breath and noticing the way that your body is nourished on each inhale and the way that it lets go just a little bit on each exhale.
Continuing to follow your breath this way noticing how you fill up on the inhale and how you empty out on the exhale.
Realizing how on each inhale we take in what we need and what can nourish us and with each exhale we let go of what we don't need and what we can't change.
So every breath is an opportunity for deeper self-acceptance and self-forgiveness.
Now on your next inhale please repeat silently to yourself I am willing and as you exhale please repeat to make mistakes.
Realizing I am willing,
Exhaling to make mistakes.
Continuing to repeat those phrases in time with your breath.
If it doesn't quite feel right to say I am willing on the inhale you can say may I be willing to make mistakes.
May I be willing to make mistakes.
Just continuing to breathe in and out with these phrases.
Noticing how you feel and knowing that there's no right way to feel.
And then on your next breath shifting just a little bit on the inhale repeating to yourself I am willing or may I be willing.
And on your next exhale repeating to yourself to be imperfect.
I am willing to be imperfect.
May I be willing to be imperfect.
And just continuing to repeat these phrases to yourself in time with your breathing.
May I be willing to be imperfect.
And again just being aware noticing how you feel including any resistance that might be here.
It's completely okay if you're not 100% willing to be imperfect.
Just notice what happens as you repeat the phrases.
May I be willing to be imperfect.
And then on your next inhale shifting again just a little bit on the inhale repeating to yourself I am willing or may I be willing.
And on the exhale repeating to keep learning.
I am willing to keep learning.
May I be willing to keep learning.
May I be willing to keep learning.
And continuing to notice how you feel as you repeat the phrases.
And then finally shifting one last time on your next inhale repeating to yourself either I am willing or may I be willing.
And as you're exhaling repeating to forgive myself and to be forgiven.
So I am willing to forgive myself and to be forgiven.
Or may I be willing to forgive myself and to be forgiven.
May I be willing to forgive myself and to be forgiven.
Learning to be aware of how you feel including any resistance that might be here.
Knowing that true forgiveness cannot be forced and self-forgiveness is not easy.
Just noticing how you feel as you experiment with this.
Perhaps tapping into the parts of you that may be willing to forgive and to be forgiven.
May I be willing to forgive myself and to be forgiven.
And then for now letting go of these phrases and this focus on the breath.
And just resting quietly in your own experience.
Noticing how you feel and as best you can allowing yourself to feel however you feel and to be exactly as you are.
And then as you feel ready gently opening your eyes.
