Every year, straight after Boxing Day, we are bombarded with hundreds of adverts, emails, social media posts and TV articles all encouraging us to start the new year by becoming a new person. Why is this? Well the simple answer is that by encouraging us to feel inadequate, we are more likely to buy their products. If we all felt completely happy with the way we were, who would buy the slimming products, the weight loss plans, the gym memberships, the new clothes, the diet books etc. etc.?
When I logged back onto the web a few days after Christmas I was amazed to find that every other post suggested that there was something wrong with me. When I looked more closely, I realised that these were all sponsored by people trying to sell me something.
These messages play on our fears that we are not good enough.
We all fear being less good than we think we ‘should’ be.
However, what if we actually started this year feeling good about ourselves? What if we started with feeling ok about where we are right now? We can take a realistic appraisal of ways we may like to improve further, but how about starting with some love and acceptance for ourselves?
Real change only happens when we become aware of who we really are, right now. When we stop reciting the ‘story’ of who we are and feel ok actually being ourselves. Then we can decide with awareness and honesty what needs changing and how to go about it. This real change comes from responding to what is real, rather than reacting to external messages playing on internal, habitual thoughts and fears.
So here is a short script you might like to use to remind yourself of how amazing your body is, and to start the new year with a new relationship: with yourself.
Being at one with your body ©N Snuggs 2016
Read through the script a few times until you have the general idea and then allow the meditation to unfold in the way that is appropriate for you.
Find somewhere comfortable where you will be undisturbed for a few minutes and start by imagining you are in a beautiful garden…
You are relaxed and completely at ease…just notice how this feels…notice how your body responds to this place of relaxation and beauty…and just spend a few moments breathing in the sights, sounds and scents of this amazing place…
After a while you find a comfortable spot in which to lie down and you gently rest your body and drift off to sleep…and as you sleep something amazing happens…you begin to drift out of your body and stand looking at your sleeping body on the grass…how do you feel about your body right now? What would you say to your body if you could?
And then you look around and see other bodies sleeping on the grass…and as you watch these bodies awake and sit up…and in the midst your own body stands and addresses the audience…
You observe as your body begins to tell the others what it is like being your body…what it has been like during your lifetime so far and how it feels right now…gently and honestly…what would your body say about you? About how you have treated it? About your relationship with your body?
Finally…your body addresses you personally…and asks you for something…it may be understanding…it may be love…compassion…time to heal…listen to your body and what it needs from you…
And finally the other images begin to fade…and you are left embracing your body…allow yourself to feel love and compassion…gratitude…for all that your body has been through…for all that your body has allowed you to experience…as you melt back into yourself…and once again you are standing…whole and complete in this beautiful garden…
Take a moment to sit and contemplate this new feeling of being at one with yourself…mind and body at peace…and enjoy this feeling of calm…
And when you are ready simply take a few deep breaths and slowly and gently open your eyes…bringing with you this sense of completeness into your day.
Happy New Year.
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