Lola Nocheprieta
Diamond Member
Giz, I was recently texting with a very dear forum friend. I'm not quite how we got around to the topic of shame, but it often comes up for me. She talked me through a very powerful practice of how I would feel and what I would say to and about a young, abused, defeated girl I might see on the street corner. Of course I would feel sad for her, and protective of her, and would want to help her and give her some hope. My friend talked me through turning that compassion onto myself. Then we stopped texting for about 20 minutes while I talked, really really talked for the first time in a long time, to my "inner child." I was bawling, both when I was texting and when I was just talking (out loud) to my inner child.
I don't know why, but it is so much easier for me to feel compassion for a stranger or a friend, than for myself. So for me to get to the point of talking lovingly and compassionately to my inner child (without feeling either overwhelmed or foolish), I had to get there by really strongly imagining it was someone else, first. Have you tried something similar?
I don't know why, but it is so much easier for me to feel compassion for a stranger or a friend, than for myself. So for me to get to the point of talking lovingly and compassionately to my inner child (without feeling either overwhelmed or foolish), I had to get there by really strongly imagining it was someone else, first. Have you tried something similar?
