In this guided meditation you’re gently invited to celebrate all parts of you. Because all parts of you are worthy of celebration.
There may have been times when things didn’t go to plan. Maybe there were some days when you felt like giving up. But you didn’t. You’re here. In this meditation we celebrate all that you are.
This guided meditation was written for one of our Powerful Pause meditation sessions, where we come together to meditate every few weeks. If you’re a Performer member you can take advantage of these free sessions (please ensure you’re opted in to receive our emails for upcoming dates and booking information).
20-minute listen. We recommend listening to this meditation with headphones on.
Listen to other Powerful Pause meditations.
Meditation Transcript:
Bea Grist, Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager:
Hello, my name is Bea and I’m the Mental Health and Wellbeing Manager at Spotlight.
There may have been times when things didn’t go to plan.
Maybe there were some days when you felt like giving up.
But you didn’t. You’re here.
So today in this meditation we’re going to be celebrating all parts of you.
Because all parts of you are worthy of celebration.
Begin to get comfortable if you haven’t already
Either sitting or lying down
If you’re sitting
ensure that your back is upright
with your spine following its natural curves.
See if you can find a position that feels focused and yet relaxed
to really allow your body to settle
to rest down into gravity
letting it be supported by the floor,
the chair or whatever is beneath you.
Bring your awareness to where your feet make contact with the floor
or whatever you’re sitting or lying on
feeling that sense of being grounded and supported by the earth
and if you haven’t already
gently closing your eyes now
or lower your gaze if that’s more comfortable for you.
So let’s take some time to relax the body now
Beginning by softening the shoulders down
Letting them melt away from the ears
Relaxing your face and unhinging your jaw
You may like to gently massage the jaw
just giving it permission to soften
And we’re just slowing switching gears
Using this as a moment of transition
Tuning into our inner landscape
By creating some space
Between the morning or day you’ve had so far
And allowing yourself to arrive into this moment
And now just imagine the warm tropical rain
Showering the body and the mind
Washing away any tension or tightness
Feeling the body get heavier and heavier
as it relaxes and melts into the ground
See if you can notice the breath in the body
Where do you feel the breath most strongly?
It might be in the chest or perhaps the stomach or sides of the body?
Maybe you can feel the breath coming in and out of your mouth or nostrils
You might like to place your hands on your torso
To gently feel the movement of the breath in the body
Let’s take a deep breath here and exhale
You’re about to delve into a soothing universe
where all tension melts away
This is time for you
And there is nothing you need to do right now
Apart from be here
And be present
And if the mind starts to wonder
Simply come back to your breath
Our breath is the perfect anchor for the mind
because each breath we take can only happen in the now
That’s the magic of breathing.
It is your present moment tool.
Maybe taking a moment to celebrate your breath
And all it does for you
Every day
Without you even being aware of it.
So tune into your breath now
be curious about your experience
letting go of a need for it to be a certain way.
This is an invitation to just be with your experience without judgement.
This practice is simply about returning to the here and now whenever we mentally wander
off.
No matter what happened in the past
or what may happen in the future
we can only really control the present
So let your breath be a reminder of the here and now.
Let’s take a deep breath in here
Breathing in deeply through the nose if that is available to you
And out through the mouth
Let’s do that again
Breathing in through the nose
And beginning to release anything which you’re ready to let go of today
And let’s do that one more time
Breathing in deeply, filling the lungs and belly up
And releasing with a sigh.
Now, let your breath return to its natural rhythm.
And then just beginning to scan through your body
Starting at the top of your head
Just moving slowly through the body
Noticing any parts that are perhaps calling out for some tender loving care
Bringing your awareness to any areas that might be feeling rigid, tight or uncomfortable
See if you can breathe into those parts
Sending some gentle currents of love and care to those areas
Letting them know it’s ok to relax and let go
Beginning to sense and appreciate the stillness and silence that meditation, and being
present allows you.
All parts of you, relaxing
Finding calm
Letting go.
Say to yourself
It’s okay to relax
It’s okay to let go
I am safe.
This is your meditation
So always listen to what you need
And know that meditation can sometimes bring up emotions
So give yourself permission to simply be with whatever is here for you
There is no right or wrong
If you want to move or open your eyes at any point
Then please just do so.
So once you’re feeling grounded and comfortable
begin to visualize your younger self.
Try to connect with a time when you felt ok, perhaps even happy
Whatever age you were
Just welcoming that visual in.
It can be any point in your life
as long as it’s younger than you are now.
Taking a moment to really make that visual clear:
noticing what they’re wearing,
Perhaps their hair, their facial features, their expression
Maybe also noticing where they are and what is around them too.
Continuing to focus on your breath as you bring this visual in.
Breathing in, and letting go.
Welcoming that image a little more with each breath.
And as you look at this younger version of you,
they look back at you,
and they smile, looking up at you in awe
at the incredible person you’ve become.
They are so proud of all the things you’ve accomplished.
Can you remember when they wanted what you have now?
Things that maybe previously you had only dreamed of?
Whether those things are big or small.
And as your younger self continues to look at you
and your life in awe, amazement, with complete and unwavering love,
you too, begin to recognize how much you have to celebrate.
How much there is to be grateful for
and how deserving of love and celebration you are right now.
Just as you are.
Now see yourself at the beginning of this year
Again welcoming in whatever comes to mind
And taking a moment to make that visual clear
noticing perhaps where you are, what you’re doing and maybe how you’re feeling
Continuing to focus on your breath as you bring this visual in.
Breathing in, and letting go.
Welcoming that image in a little more with each breath.
And as you look at this version of you from the beginning of the year
they look back at you,
and they smile, looking up at you
They are proud that you made it to where you are today.
Whatever has gone on for you
They are so proud of the fact that you are still a professional actor or performer
They are proud that you followed your heart and your dreams
There may have been times when things didn’t go to plan
Maybe some days when you felt like giving up
But you didn’t
You’re here
And they want to celebrate that with you
They know that all parts of you are worthy of celebration.
Celebrate All Parts Of You.
Celebrate all parts of you
Especially the broken parts
For without them
You would not be whole.
Pull up a chair for your weary soul
And let it rest for a while in your company.
It does not need much, apart from silence.
Welcome in the quiet edges
And get curious about what they have taught you this year.
See if you can notice the scorched perimeter which guards your vulnerable heart
Thank it for its generosity.
Notice how your failures are flecked with gold
For without them you would not have the ability to begin again.
Listen to the songs
That come from all this
‘not knowing’.
Its notes are the underscore to your creativity.
Throughout all the times
You were brave enough to let go
Your breath did not
It was always there
Gently coaxing you on
Again and again.
And again.
And again.
So Celebrate all parts of you.
Especially the broken parts
For without them
You would not be whole.
So just breathing in those words
Breathing into the present moment
And celebrating it.
Celebrating the light and the dark
And knowing that all of you is welcome here.
Shortly we’ll bring this meditation to a close
So let’s take a deep breath here
In through the nose
And let’s sigh it out through the mouth
Let’s take another of those cleansing breaths
Breathing in through the nose
And sighing out through the mouth
Becoming aware of any sounds that might be around you
Those that are far away
And sounds that are nearer
Breathing in this experience
Whatever came up for you
Breathing in life and vitality
Letting the body know it’s time to wake up
Another deep breath now
returning to this time
and this space
Another breath
Becoming aware of where you are
Maybe feeling the chair or whatever is underneath you
Feeling that sense of support and rootedness
Noticing any sounds that might be around you
And just moving your body in any way that is needed
to come back to your present state
take a stretch and move your body a little if that feels good
And when you’re ready
If you haven’t already, slowly open your eyes.
Main photo by Arthur Chauvineau on Unsplash
