The inner critic: 7-minute letting go meditation, on a rest day

About this practice

When the inner critic shows up on a rest day, this 7-minute letting go session gives you somewhere to put it down. A guided session of about 7 minutes, suited to all levels. Nothing is recorded and no account is needed.

What this works on: the inner critic

The inner critic often formed as a protective strategy, keeping you small to keep you safe. It is loudest where you feel most exposed.

It tends to show up as:

• A judge commenting on everything
• Anticipating criticism before it comes
• Difficulty accepting praise

You can notice the voice without obeying it. Distance between the voice and the response is the whole gain.

Doing this on a rest day

• Do it without a reason or a target
• Later in the day, unhurried, in good light
• Let it be longer than usual if you want

Rest that has to be justified is not really rest. This one is allowed to be pointless.

How letting go works

Letting go is about loosening grip rather than dropping things. It works on the effort attached to a problem — the holding, rehearsing and bracing — which is separable from the problem itself.

• Pick one thing you are gripping and loosen a single finger
• Release the effort with the exhale, not the issue
• Set down temporarily; you can pick it up again after

What happens, minute by minute

1. 0:00Let your forehead smooth out. Most of us hold a small frown there all day.
2. 0:14Pick one thing you are gripping — a plan, a worry, a grudge — and loosen a single finger.
3. 0:30There's a difference between relaxing and stopping. We're aiming for the second one, gently.
4. 0:44Let the last hour go on its own. You can pick it up again afterwards.
5. 0:58Notice your breathing getting quieter on its own, without you deciding anything.
6. 1:11Let the in-breath be short and the out-breath unhurried.
7. 1:22Notice the weight of your thighs, all the way down.
8. 1:34Feel your ankles. Let them be loose.
9. 1:44Feel the soles of your feet. All the weight of you goes through them.
10. 1:58If the running commentary on your flaws has been with you all day, it is probably tired too. Let it rest alongside you.
11. 2:16When the voice that grades everything presses in, put a hand on your chest or your belly. Warmth and pressure are anchors your body already trusts.
12. 2:35Let the whole of your right foot be heavy.
13. 2:46Let the pause stretch out.
14. 2:55Notice that you don't have to start a breath. It arrives by itself.
15. 3:08Notice the small movement in your belly when you breathe.
16. 3:20Notice the tone of your own inner voice. Is it kind?
17. 3:32Let's pause. Just the breathing for a while.
18. 3:43We are not solving anything in the next few minutes. We are setting it down, temporarily.
19. 3:58If you feel emotional, you don't have to explain it to anyone, including yourself.
20. 4:12Follow three breaths and let the fourth one go unobserved.
21. 4:24Pause here. Count three breaths if you need an anchor.
22. 4:36You do not have to win against the judge in your head. You only have to breathe until the next moment arrives.
23. 4:54Notice the space around the running commentary on your flaws. It is there, even if it is small. Put your attention in that space.
24. 5:13Count down from ten, one number per exhale.
25. 5:24If you're thinking about the next thing on your list, that list will still be there.
26. 5:39Notice anything you're holding onto from earlier today.
27. 5:50Let me stop talking. Follow the breath instead.
28. 6:01You have been carrying this competently for a while. A few minutes off will not undo that.
29. 6:16Let your shoulders come back up to their usual place, if they want to.
30. 6:30Let your breathing be completely ordinary again.

Questions people ask

Meditation is a practice, not a treatment. If you are dealing with ongoing distress, please also reach out to a professional.