Peel off the Shame Meditation

Feeling shame is hiding, concealing, covering. This visualisation meditation puts an image to the feeling and frees yourself up to peel away the shame. And to discover that other people’s expectations have also been put onto you.

Current mood

• Regretful of hurting others and feeling a sense of foreboding and disharmony.

Benefits

• Re-examine shame as a short term problem where you have control of how you feel.

Step One.

Think of a time you felt shame and imagine putting a small thin band aid on your skin, wherever you feel the emotional pain. Think of another time you felt shame and again, place a small thin band aid. Continue until you feel like you have explored the occurrences, the people who you felt shame from.

Step Two.

In your mind’s eye, look down at your body and see the small band aids. Select a band aid, and gently peel it off. Scrunch the band aid into a small ball and throw it into the bin. Look down at the patch of skin and see how it looks fresh and in a few hours it will look unmarked and unblemished.

Step Three.

You can peel away more band aids, if you feel ready or leave the remaining band aids for another meditation. Recall how the band aids are held on loosely and some of the band aids may have been put on you by others. But they are easily peeled away.