That feeling of love for your little one when they’re sick? Turn it inward with this self-care meditation.
My baby liked to sleep ON me when she was sick. I barely slept because I needed to have my head propped up for her to be comfortable. But I liked to feel my skin cooling her hot skin, and of course I wouldn’t have chosen to be anywhere else.
You know how it is: when baby’s sick, life stops.
Of course we want to be there for them. Our worries, our focus, our attention goes from whatever it was on to helping them feel safe and loved. Play dates, events, and sleep go out the door, not to mention our own self-care. It’s just being a mom.
Now, think back to a time when you felt alone and needy.
Maybe it was yesterday. Or last week. Or right now.
What if someone wanted to be there for you in this same way?
What if you could feel that feeling of lying on someone and being held?
What if that feeling of sadness could dissipate just from the powerful love you are receiving?
This self-care meditation practice is a way you can provide the essence of nurturing energy for yourself.
You’ll even start to look at the loneliness, sadness, and deep need to be cared for as a chance to begin to embody the wiser, more loving, more mature Divine Ma Self that you are.
Here’s how:
Notice Her Age
If you ever hear negative talk in your mind (and who doesn’t?), like “I am not enough”, “I just don’t have what it takes”, “the world doesn’t care” – notice it.
Close your eyes. Follow this thought or behavioral pattern that holds you back through your life thus far.
Trace back through your life history to try and find when that particular way of thinking or being began. Whatever image and age pops up – trust it. If a memory arises, stay with it. How old were you then?
Things like “Who do you think you are to try that?”
“Get over yourself”.
“You’ll never be able to do that” are all coming from a younger version of you, who was using this limited way of thinking as protection.
It was useful then for her, but ask yourself: is it serving you now?
If not, rather than trying to just cut that voice off, or just stop thinking that way, or write her words on paper and burn it, or ignore it – I invite you to take a more feminine perspective of change. The feminine always involves the 3 R’s:
Use the 3 R’s to find your “Ma” Self: relationality, receptivity, and reversibility.
Be in relationship with that part of you. Love it, be there for it, rather than cutting it off, or saying “I’m never going to ____ again.”
Think of this negative voice as coming from a person who is part of you – a 6 year old, or a 12 year old – a younger version of you who is still very present as you create your life, make choices, and interact with people.
She is sad. She feels alone. She is still waiting to be cared for. And she is not helping things at all.
Be receptive to her… and be willing to have your mind changed about what’s going on.
Do Your Self-Care Meditation to Begin a Nurturing Relationship With Your Younger Self
Let your plans go for a bit. Imagine the little version of you is sick. Close your eyes.
How old is she? Shere is she? Be with her. Listen. Ask her “what do you need?” and be open to hearing a response.
Tell her the same things you would tell your own child. I’m here for you. I can’t fix all your problems, but I’ll help you get through it. I love you.
What is the one thing you want to say to your younger, more needy self?
The one thing you wish someone said to you?
Say it now. Say it over and over. Say it today and tomorrow and every day.
And then listen. Wait and see how her response changes over time. Ask her how she is feeling and listen some more.
Be there with her each day as she is healing. Tell her about the world as you see it: what’s beautiful about it, what makes you feel happy and safe, why she is loved.
Put your arms around her in your mind’s eye.
Let her know that she is a beautiful expression of the Divine, and that you might not always say the right thing, or be able to make her feel better, but you will be there for her loving her.
Why not do this self-care meditation for healing your inner little you – you would do it for your own child, right?
You can do it for you as well.
Practicing self-care meditation isn’t just about healing our little me.
In the process, we begin to become the loving and wise Ma that we are.
When we practice nurturing ourselves in the same we would our children and little loved ones, we open the door to our our deepest power and nwisdom.
Make this nurturing self-care meditation a daily practice to receive all the love we all need and desire – and to be able to give it fully as well.
