Beyond Self-Criticism Towards Self-Compassion

Explore your habits of inner criticism, and how they feel in your mind, body, and heart. From here, you'll embrace the energy of self-compassion so that you can meet yourself in more kind and accepting ways.

Transcript

A warm welcome to you.

My name is Fleur Chambers and as always it's my pleasure to spend this time with you.

Today's practice offers you the opportunity to explore your habits of inner criticism,

How they feel in your mind,

Body and heart.

From here we'll embrace the energy of self-compassion so that we can meet ourselves in more kind and accepting ways.

So please,

Settling in and beginning to warm into this experience of inner friendliness and compassion by taking a moment to get really comfy.

Maybe your mind is telling you that you need to sit up with a straight back in order to be a good meditator,

But your body is yearning to feel more supported,

Perhaps even to lie down for today's practice.

Maybe you can reach for that extra pillow,

Blanket or warm pair of socks.

Taking your time and just allowing this act of inner listening to feel comforting,

Friendly even.

Eyes gently closing if you like,

Feeling your body as it rests on the support of the earth below.

Reminding yourself that you are held in this moment.

Safe in the steady rise and fall of your chest.

At home in the rhythm of your beating heart.

Held by the earth and her grounded wisdom and strength.

Long smooth inhale.

Long smooth exhale.

As you open to receiving these words by Sharon Salzberg,

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself.

And that person is not to be found anywhere.

You yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection.

Breathing deep into this wisdom.

Allowing it to soften your body.

Face relaxed.

Shoulders at ease.

A quiet opening of your chest.

A softening of your belly.

A gentle willingness to be here.

To be with yourself in more curious and compassionate ways.

And now together with a sense of gentleness,

Let's explore our habits of self criticism and inner judgment.

But before we begin just reminding ourselves that we don't need to get hooked into these stories.

In meditation we can be the gentle witness,

The quiet observer of these habits.

Beginning by turning your awareness to your mental body and seeing if you can locate some of the habitual self critical thoughts that find home here.

Perhaps they relate to your physical appearance.

To the things your body can and can't do.

Maybe these thoughts relate to your personality.

Perhaps they're about your life stage where you are right now.

Maybe they relate to a role you play in life as a parent,

Child,

Friend or colleague.

No need to analyse or judge.

Simply remaining open and curious as you allow all sorts of unfriendly thoughts to move in and out of your awareness.

Moving just like clouds across a vast blue sky.

As these self critical thoughts come to mind and heart remembering that you are the sky,

The larger field of open awareness.

These thoughts tinted with the tone of unfriendliness are just the clouds free to come and go without defining you.

Long smooth inhale.

Long smooth exhale.

As you allow one thought or one family of thoughts to come forward ready to be explored more deeply.

As you inquire when during my day does this thought present itself.

Is it loudest when you are on your own or in company?

When this thought appears how do you feel about yourself?

When you have this thought how do you act?

Curiosity and creativity deepening now as you inquire into the texture of this thought.

Does it feel light or heavy?

Smooth or abrasive?

Dull or sharp?

Long smooth inhale.

Long smooth exhale.

And if this thought or family of thoughts found home in your physical body,

Where would it or they reside?

What would it look like?

Noticing colour,

Texture,

Movement?

Offering whatever experience or wisdom is here for you,

Your healing breath.

Each breath creating space.

Within this space lies your freedom.

As you dare to delve deeper into your inner landscape and into any memories from your past.

Perhaps a moment from your childhood is emerging.

A time when you first started being hard on yourself.

When the seeds of unfriendliness were planted.

Maybe you can recall a time when someone was critical of you and you took their voice on as your own.

And if nothing has emerged,

Well that's okay too.

Offering whatever is here for you,

Your kindness and your compassion.

Each breath is medicine.

Soothing you in this moment.

And now directing your breath into your heart.

Each breath containing fresh oxygen,

Clearing away any experience of heaviness.

Each breath creating space for your heart to open a little wider.

And offering yourself these words,

May I understand myself in more compassionate ways.

May I be gentle with myself.

May I be peaceful.

May I be happy.

Hearing the words by Sharon Salzberg,

You deserve your own compassion.

What would your life look and feel like if you cultivated your connection with your heart more often?

Continuing to offer your heart,

Your breath,

Your awareness,

Your warm-hearted curiosity.

This is a moment of deep healing.

This is a moment of coming home.

Perhaps your heart has a message for you,

Something it wants you to know.

Can you ask your heart,

Precious heart,

What would you have me know?

Resting here in loving awareness.

Resting in self-compassion.

Perhaps there's something at the edges of your awareness that you can now see,

Feel,

Experience.

This meditation has expanded your perspective.

So really sensing into what is at the edges of your awareness that you can now access.

Long,

Smooth inhale.

Long,

Smooth exhale.

Opening your eyes.

May you walk through your day more willing to offer yourself compassion instead of criticism.

Reviews

Very powerful meditation. I will bookmark and return to this. It is hard work, but work I know I need to get through. Thank you 💛

Thank you so much, this was really beautiful and a loving invitation to dive into the soul 🥰

I only use meditation to help me to sleep.
My physical and mental health have not been good.
I have slept All day today.
I browsed outside the sleeping meditations and Thankfully found this.
It has really opened my heart and mind to want more for myself. To love me so that I can be in a better place.
Thank you 💗

Love this - thank you!

Such a gift to myself!

Nice. She’ll help you release anxiety. I got so relaxed that I fell asleep.

Very heart opening! Namaste! 🙏🏽💖🕯️☮️

Lovely and very needed! Thank you💗

A little different experience for me in this one. Calm and soothing as usual with a bit of Metta. Very nice. 🙏🍎

So grateful for this Fleur! ❤️ Loved the imagery of being the sky and observing thoughts as clouds below. Extremely helpful & exactly what I needed. Thank you! 🙏🏽

Helpfully changing focus.

Many thanks for this great meditation that allowed me to relight inner love and self-compassion. Ready to share them with the world. 🤓🙏🏻

🙏 Thank you

As always...a great great meditation. Thank you Fleur💚🙏

Wonderful! Thank you

Just lovely and perfect for me this morning 💗