A meditation a day ..

Cannot believe this is still here , thank you so much for not deleting this

Welcome to the Loving Kindness Meditation, 

You can sit or lie down for this meditation, whichever is most comfortable for you. Relax into the meditation posture. Take note of being present in your body and your environment. Breathe. Take your time.Turn your focus to the heart. Feel or imagine your beating heart with gratitude and warmth.

Let your breath flow as deep down into your belly as is possible, without forcing it. As we breathe we imagine connecting to something that is bigger than us, for some that is the Force , for some its their God, do what feels right for you. 

Try breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.

Breathe 

(Keep doing this for at least 3 minutes.)


We begin the meditation : 


Call to mind a person (or pet) ,of past or present,  whose steady love and unconditional acceptance of you touches your heart in a special way. Allow yourself to experience their lovingkindness as if they were right next to you, happy for your presence and grateful for you just as you are. Notice how this image eases your body and your mind and fils your heart with warmth. 

Relax into this warm feeling of connection. Allow thoughts to arise and evaporate and come back to the heart.

Pauze


May I be held in lovingkindness.
May I be happy and safe.
May I be healthy in body and in mind.
May I always have enough.
May my heart know peace.

Pauze


Now we bring someone to mind who needs our Loving Kindness more than ever , someone you know who suffers , is ill , is struggling. Names.

May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.




Next, bring to mind someone who means a lot to you, someone in whose presence you can relax and be fully appreciated for who you are. Feel the goodness of this heart connection, feel your mutual gratitude. As you offer your well-wishes, imagine that the person is touched by them and experiences happiness and peace.

May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.

Pauze

Next, bring to mind someone you’ve met casually, someone you recognize but don’t really know. A nurse at the hospital, the old woman across the street, a neighbor you nod to.  future. Imagine that as your wishes touch them, their hearts and minds are at ease.Take your time to reach out to them.

May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.

Pauze

Now imagine someone you don’t care for. It could be someone you know personally or someone you know of and who triggers your antipathy. You may think of this person as unworthy of your kind consideration.You may even feel anger when you think about them , let that go.  As you evoke them in your mind’s eye, try to let go of your antipathy. It may help to imagine them as they were when they were a young, vulnerable child, before things became so difficult. include them in your well-wishes

May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.

Pauze

now, include as many people and animals as you can in your wishes. Happy or sad, loved or neglected, in good health or in poor health, in all stages of life. Without making a particular effort to envision them separately, simply maintain awareness of the presence of all of these beings who share your planet and send them your wishes with a sincere and tender heart.
 
May you be held in lovingkindness.
May you be happy and safe.
May you be healthy in body and in mind.
May you always have enough.
May your heart know peace.


Pauze

Now return to awareness of being present in your space, connected to all of these beings through your wishes. Maintaining this sense of presence to your best ability, simply sit. Wrap up your lovingkindness meditation with a sense of gratitude.

Thank you all for attending and sharing this meditation with me , may you all be well and blessed and May the Force be with all of you!

x

Meditation body acceptance:

This meditation is focused on self-acceptance and self-image.

Find  a comfortable position. You can be lying down or sitting down , whatever you like. 

How you are feeling.... how you are doing right now in this moment?How does your body feel? Scan your body for a moment now, starting at your feet,  notice how your body is feeling at this moment. Notice your feet, ankles, legs, hips move upward scanning your whole body.
Where is your body the most tense? Where is your body the most relaxed? Just notice the state of tension and relaxation in your body without judging it.

Feel how your body relaxes, part by part, without any effort on your part. See how your muscles slowly relax. This moment is for you , this is your time to relax and reflect.

Think about your body image, what is body image? Maybe you think about the picture in your mind you have of what your body looks like. Maybe it's the ideas you have about your body, the way it works and where it does not work, your feelings about your physical self. Perhaps body image is is a vision of how you think your body should be. What does body image mean to you?

Reflect on your thoughts and ideas about your own body. How are you feeling right now, thinking about your body? You might feel neutral, content, comfortable, uncomfortable, satisfied, dissatisfied, happy or unhappy, angry, afraid, accepting,maybe a combination of things. Contradictory feelings are common, and it is fine however you are feeling.


What would it be like to accept your body, just as it is? What if you felt okay about your physical self? Imagine for a few moments what that would be like.
Think about a time in your life when you felt accepting of your physical self - your whole self, or even part of yourself.Which parts of your body are the easiest for you to accept?
Imagine if you could accept your body as a whole, rather than as a collection of individual parts.That is a lot of thinking right there , now take some time to mentally relax. 

Just Breathe in hold your breath for 4 seconds and breathe out.

In 4 seconds . and out 8 seconds.
In 4 seconds . and out 8 seconds.
In 4 seconds . and out 8 seconds.

Keep breathing deeply, slowly. It feels good to take deep, calm breaths.
Now relax for a moment while you notice your breathing. Just notice your breaths for a moment.


If there are any areas where you are feeling tense, direct your attention to these areas as you breathe.... imagining that each breath in brings relaxation... and each breath out expels tension. Breathing in relaxation... and breathing out tension..... each breath relaxes you further.


I will give you  some body image affirmations. If you want you can repeat them , or just notice them for what they are. Remember that these affirmations are true , even if they don't feel true to you. 


I am perfectly alright just the way I am.


I am okay the way I am.


I can accept myself the way I am.


My body is acceptable just the way it is.


I am an okay person.


I accept this body I am in.


There is no need to be perfect.


My imperfections make me unique.


My body is a functioning whole.


I am human, and all humans have flaws.


I can accept my imperfections.


I free myself from judging my body.


I accept myself.


Take  a moment now to just relax. Let all the worries and tension go as you breathe slowly , continue to breathe slowly, deeply and naturally.
Now wake up your body and your mind. Move your arms and legs a little and feel your muscles reawakening. Start the day , ( or go to sleep) feeling better and more accepting of your body. You are fine as you are.

Exercise:
Now that you have repeated some affirmations in this meditation, take note of how you are feeling. What was it like to repeat or listen to the affirmations?  Can you tell why it is so hard for us to accept our bodies? Reply in your personal journal on or offline, if you have questions please pm me here or at Discord.

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