Meditation for Christmas: Loving Yourself
(to be read silently or by one friend to another)

Settle down in a comfortable position and release any tension you might feel; perhaps around the eyes…in the neck and shoulders…the thighs or in your feet. Feel it and then just let it go. You might want to count breaths from one to ten.

Now, imagine that you are in Bethlehem on the first Christmas. Visualize yourself following the Christmas star and seeing the wise men. See yourself standing in the stable, gazing down on the newborn Christ child lying in the manger. Lying in perfect love, perfect peace. It is so easy to love Jesus but so hard to love ourselves. Feel your love for the baby Jesus overflowing from your heart and filling your chest with warmth and peace. Feel the warm flow spreading into your arms and hands, and gently flowing down through your legs to your feet. Feel the love floating like a soft cloud up into the thoughts of your mind bringing comfort and peace. And now your heart is so full you feel it opening in love. Look directly into your own heart and there you will see another child. A child which, like Jesus, came into this world in perfect love, perfect peace. This is your inner child, your true self.

Now reach into your heart and gently place your child in the manger next to Jesus. For a few moments just look at the two babies side by side in the manger. Look at the baby Jesus. Look at your inner child. And as you lovingly observe the two babies, you can see and know the truth: that your inner child is beautiful, just like Jesus; innocent and pure and loving just like the Christ child. Kind and accepting and peaceful just like the baby Jesus. It becomes so obvious. You are a miracle of creation also, worthy, deserving of love, a perfect being.

And now lovingly return your child to that place of love within you, to your own open heart. Feel your inner child there in the warmth and comfort of your heart. Safe now, surrounded by the power of your love. No need to be afraid, no need to hide. Now safe in love. Now secure in peace. For now you love your inner child, you love yourself, just as you love the baby Jesus.
– anonymous