Mindfulness Monday

Mirror Meditation

Hello everyone and welcome to another Mindfulness Monday at The Miscarriage Therapist.

In our mindfulness exercise today, we are going to do something that might feel a little uncomfortable at first. However, the goal of this mindfulness exercise is to help bring us back into our bodies, help promote a level of self compassion, self kindness, and reconnect with who we are outside of a pregnancy loss.

When we experience a pregnancy loss it's not uncommon to feel an intense amount of shame guilt even maybe hatred toward our bodies and the purpose of this exercise is to help bring some of that self-love and self-compassion back to who you are

We call this the mirror mindfulness exercise.

For this mindfulness exercise, we will not be closing our eyes the whole time, or only focusing on the breath, but we will be mindfully gazing into a mirror. It might feel uncomfortable initially, but mindful mirror gazing can bring about feelings of calm, increase feelings of self-compassion, and strengthen our sense of self.

Find a place to sit or stand comfortably and quietly while using a mirror large enough to see your face. Close your eyes for a moment and take a few deep breaths. Notice any tightness in your body and imagine sending the breath to those spots. When you are ready, open your eyes and look into the mirror at yourself.

Notice any immediate reactions or sensations in the body as you do this. And continue to breathe deeply, in and out.

Focus on your eyes: what message are your eyes giving? Do you find them perhaps critical or kind? Continue to breathe and gaze in the mirror.

If you notice your attention drawn to areas of your face that you feel critical of, imagine your breath dissolving those criticisms. If you find it difficult to maintain your gaze, observe those thoughts and allow them to pass through your mind.

What expressions do you notice on your face? Acceptance, love, judgment, fear? Notice all of them, and continue gazing at your face, gently. Try to approach gazing in the mirror with a sense of curiosity and kindness. If you are finding it difficult to let thoughts pass, it is okay to let your mind wander, and when you are ready come back to the gaze.

After about 5 to 10 minutes, close your eyes again, take a deep breath, and move away from the mirror, before you open your eyes and reflect on the experience.

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