Meditation for Working with your Inner Critic

In this short guided visualisation, you'll be invited to meet your inner critic with curiosity and compassion. Build empathy and understanding for this part of yourself, moving towards a more integrated and harmonious inner world. 

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Transcript

This is a guided meditation-visualisation for meeting with your inner critic. So this could be something you could do anytime to build more empathy, understanding, self-compassion with your inner critic. It might be something that you wanna do if you've noticed that your inner critic is particularly loud at the moment.

So to begin with, make sure that you're in a comfortable position. Seated or lying down or walking is okay if that feels best for you.

Giving yourself a few moments to settle in where you are. If that means adjusting your position at all, you can go ahead and do that until you find a position or if you're walking a gait that feels easy and comfortable for you, a sense of landing where you are.

As we begin, I invite you to ground yourself in your surroundings. So take a look around you. Notice what is sharing the space that you are in. And if you'd like to stay with your eyes open, using your surroundings as a nice grounding element, then you can do that. Or you might like to close your eyes.

Becoming aware of your breath, noticing the natural flow of air in and out, and if that feels steadying for you, you can keep your attention there for now.

And now I invite you to visualise a group of beings, people perhaps. Maybe a mix of people and other creatures. And this group that you are visualising, it's finding form in your mind, represents all of the different voices within you. You might think of them as parts.

One member of this group you're looking at is a protector within you. Another is a planner. There might be one there that is the one that tends to worry or another that is like a parent.

All these different beings, people, creatures. Representing all of the different voices within you, all of the different parts that make up your inner world.

And as you scan this group, can you see your inner critic among them?

You may even like to ask your inner critic to identify themselves or to step forward from the group, and as your focus goes to your inner critic in the group or stepping out of the group. Let the rest of the group fade away while you hone your attention on the inner critic, observing them as they are.

What do they look like?

You might notice. Their posture or their physical stance, or the characteristics of their appearance, what's their name? You might inherently know, or maybe in your mind you could ask them, what's your name?

And just listen for a response.

You might like to let your inner critic know that you see them.

You could start this dialogue with them by thanking them for trying to help you in the way that they do.

How do they receive that acknowledgement or thanks from you?

Could you ask your inner critic? What are you trying to protect me from?

And again, listen.

Acknowledging what your inner critic may have shared. You might ask another question asking them, what do you need for me to know?

And again, listen.

And once again, acknowledging what they have shared with you, you might now ask. What do you need from me and listen to whatever they have to share there.

Acknowledging what your inner critic has shared here. Can you show them some kindness, some compassion, maybe you feel okay to say to them, I see what you're trying to do for me, or thank you for your effort in trying to care for me, and see how they respond to that acknowledgement, that recognition, that thanks.

Is there anything else that you want to say to your inner critic or to ask them? You may wanna move into some more dialogue here.

When the conversation reaches its natural end, notice how you feel in your centre, in the essence of who you are. How do you feel towards your inner critic now?

Can you see that anything has shifted changed in them?

As you come to close this conversation with your inner critic? You can remind yourself and them that you can come back to conversation anytime.

Also, recognising that it's okay if this conversation feels somewhat incomplete or unresolved. There might be some more that you want to explore at a later time. And that's okay.

Can you offer your inner critic some final acknowledgement or reassurance as you close this conversation for now?

Notice how they receive that from you.

And as you step away from this conversation, in your mind, you might see the inner critic return back to the group or move your way in another way.

And if you're ready, you can bring your awareness back, to the space around you, your body here in this room, or the outdoor space that you're in.

Feeling connected with your surroundings once again.

You might feel the support of the chair or the earth beneath you.

The air in contact with your skin.

If your eyes are closed, you could blink them open.

And at this time you may like to take a piece of paper and a pen or your journal. To just note down anything that has stayed with you from that visualisation, knowing that you can return to this anytime that it's supportive for you. Thank you.