Meditation: Self-Kindness

February 09, 2021

Information

With Michele Grand, LMT

ID6186

To CiteDCA Citation Guide

00:00OK, so good morning everybody.
00:02Thank you so much for taking the
00:04time to join this guided meditation
00:06for all those of you that love snow,
00:09it's a happy day for you.
00:11For the rest of us will just
00:13stay cozy and safe and warm
00:14and go out only if we need to.
00:20So just please bring yourself into a
00:23comfortable place where you could just
00:25move around a little bit if necessary.
00:32Close your eyes for a few
00:34moments and just take a minute
00:36or two and focus on your breath.
00:43Allow your breathing to be as it is.
00:48Just watch as your body settles
00:51into the present moment.
00:59Think of your breath as a Messenger,
01:02letting you know how you're
01:05feeling in this moment.
01:07Physically and emotionally.
01:11And just allow whatever you find
01:14to simply be there along with you.
01:21Notice the feeling of the breath.
01:24And if there's a pause before you exhale.
01:31Just notice the sensation of breathing out.
01:42Now think of a loving presence.
01:46It could be a beloved family member.
01:49Or a friend. One who is living
01:54or one who has passed away.
01:57It could be a spiritual figure,
01:59like a teacher.
02:01The Dalai Lama administer or guide.
02:06Or it could even be a pet.
02:09Dogs and cats are often great
02:11teachers of unconditional love.
02:16Anyone who brings you a feeling
02:19of peace, of love and of safety.
02:23Of being cared for and being accepted
02:27exactly as you are in this moment.
02:34If no one comes to mind,
02:37you can also imagine what you would
02:40want to experience from a guide,
02:42a mentor or loved one who
02:46loved you unconditionally.
02:47How would you feel in their presence?
02:51What would it be like to be
02:54wholly accepted an embraced for
02:56the person you are right now?
02:58To feel worthy, seen and cared for.
03:08Once you feel even a tiny bit
03:11of this feeling, notice what
03:14it feels like. Is it warm?
03:19Is there a sense of light? Of energy.
03:25Does a color or texture arise?
03:29Whatever comes up for you,
03:31allow it to be there.
03:36What words would you want this being
03:39to say to you if they can speak?
03:43Some examples that might help.
03:45I love you no matter what. You are worthy.
03:55You're doing your best.
04:00You are enough.
04:04I am always loving you.
04:10Now please the hand on your heart
04:12and feel that sense of love and
04:15acceptance seeping into your body.
04:18The way heat from a hot water bottle or
04:22some light would flood you. If it helps.
04:27Keep repeating their message to you.
04:32You might also imagine this being
04:35putting one or both arms around you and
04:39bracing you, or stroking your cheek.
04:44Sometimes it can be powerful to wrap
04:47your arms around yourself in a hug.
04:50Imagining this love surrounding you.
04:54Loving every single aspect of you,
04:57including the ones you can't accept.
05:06If you find yourself struggling
05:09to embrace your whole self.
05:11See if you can embrace that fact too.
05:17See if you can accept the feelings
05:21that can't accept your feelings.
05:24And keep hugging yourself floating in
05:28this presence of unconditional love
05:31and acceptance that exists for you.
05:34No matter what.
05:46Just remember that this love
05:50is always accessible to us.
05:54There is always love there for us.
05:59Sometimes we just forget to look.
06:10Just continue with about
06:143 deep breaths inhale.
06:18Through the nose and exhale.
06:21Through the mouth.
06:31Then after the third breath
06:35just slowly open your eyes.
06:38And just continue to remain
06:40in a state of relaxation.
06:45I'm going to ask you to
06:48just access 1 foot and leg.
06:50Whether you want to cross your leg
06:53or reach down to your leg or whatever
06:56is most comfortable for you to access
06:58your lower leg and one of your feet.
07:04Bring your loving presents to
07:06mind and maintain that as we did
07:09in the meditation and continue to
07:12feel that presence in your body.
07:14In your heart. And when you're ready,
07:19feel that presence in your hands.
07:23Remember, this is something
07:25we evoke through our body.
07:27Not with our mind.
07:31And once you've turned into that
07:33feeling of love and being cared for,
07:36begin massage ING one of your feet.
07:41Start near your toes and start
07:44with a lighter touch.
07:47Just make soda little circles with
07:49the use of tips of your fingers
07:52and just kind of make little loving
07:55circles at the base of your toes.
08:00You could move to the bottom
08:03of the foot around the arch.
08:06And imagine your foot as
08:09a baby or small animal.
08:12Just imagine sending all of
08:15the love from your loving
08:18presence into your foot.
08:21Just go as slowly as possible.
08:27Just continue to gently. Massage around
08:31your foot and notice what comes up.
08:38There might be resistance,
08:40or they thought I don't deserve this,
08:42but allow the Fox to be there.
08:45Don't engage with them for now.
08:50You can always return to them
08:52after the meditation is over.
08:56Massage gently between the toes.
09:02Along the outside and the inside
09:06of the foot. Round the heel.
09:11And let that loving presence pour out
09:13of your hands and on to your foot.
09:19Work your way now up Tord your ankle.
09:23Just notice the tender spots.
09:29You can massage all the way up your calf
09:31if that feels good and comfortable to you.
09:40If you notice your mind wandering,
09:42just gently bring it back to
09:44the sensation of the massage.
09:49You can focus on the feeling of giving
09:54the feeling of receiving. Or both.
10:01If you notice any emotions arising,
10:05just imagine you gently massage ING,
10:08caressing and caring for them too.
10:15See if you notice any tension begin to
10:19release as you give your body this gift.
10:28Move on to the other foot. We always
10:31want to create a balance in the body.
10:37And again. Massage around.
10:42The bottom of the toes.
10:49Around the arch.
10:55The base of the foot just gentle caresses.
11:01Imagine your foot again as
11:03a baby or a small animal.
11:06Imagine sending all the love from your
11:10loving presence into this foot now.
11:13Discuss slow notice what comes up.
11:21Again, let your loving presence pour
11:23out of your hands and into your foot.
11:29You could make your way up the ankle,
11:32and again, there's some
11:34tender spots there sometimes,
11:35so just be gentle with yourself.
11:42If you notice your mind wandering again,
11:45just gently bring it back to
11:46the sensation of the massage.
11:50Work around the calf muscles.
11:52You can give it like a little
11:54squeeze is not too hard, just gentle
11:56little squeezes around the calf.
12:08And we're going to finish up with
12:11this leg. I'm gonna put full
12:14feet again back on the floor.
12:17Sit with spine, erect but relaxed.
12:22Just notice. Any difference in your body
12:26right now and your emotion or your mood.
12:30If you feel a bit more relaxed and a little
12:32bit of more circulation flowing throughout.
12:39This practice of massage
12:40in our feet and our legs.
12:42It's an excellent way to start
12:44or finish off the meditation,
12:46and this can be done on your own
12:48at anytime throughout the day or
12:50prior to going to sleep at night.
12:56So with that, we'll take
12:58another deep breath in.
13:00Arms out to both sides.
13:03Stretch over your head.
13:07And then into prayer pose.