I'm happy, I'm healthy, I'm kind
Kim the Echidna looks different to all his friends. He has a pointy nose and is covered in sharp spines that hurt others when he bumps into them. He also has very short legs that he thinks make him walk funny. Sometimes he wonders where he fits in. He doesn't think he's as good at swimming as Pat, or at music like Ellis.
Kim's furry friends sometimes have races, and Pat often feels embarrassed because he can’t run as fast as the others. He can feel his face go red and has a knot in his stomach, especially when the others laugh. This makes Pat feel bad and hate his short legs, and be angry at his friends.
However, Pat forgets that he is great at other things! His legs may be short but they are great for digging. He was actually better at this than his other friends.
One day he talked to Terri the Tasmanian Devil about having a tunneling race instead. Terri didn’t want to tunnel in front of others, as he felt too shy.
This made Kim realise that others can feel bad about themselves too, but they shouldn’t be embarrassed about things they’re not very good at; we all have our strengths and we are all different.
Kim realised that being different wasn't a bad thing. He could fit in with lots of different people. Sometimes Kim still feels bad though, so he started to practice self-compassion.
Every morning, Kim pulls out his yoga mat and after doing some stretches, he closes his eyes and practices a loving-kindness meditation.
Here’s how you can do it.
Start by sitting or lying down on your mat. Take a few deep breaths in and out. Breathe comfortably.
Say to yourself,
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I be kind to myself and others.
Continue to breathe, and imagine that you’re unleashing a powerful glow you have stored up inside of you to the people you care about. The power comes from your heart. You’re breathing out the warmth to everyone you love. Picture their faces and say to yourself:
May they be happy,
May they be healthy,
May they be kind to themselves and others.
As you breathe, feel the positive energy filling your heart. Imagine you are glowing with the energy of love. You will now spread this energy to your friends, classmates, and teachers. Say the words to yourself:
May they be happy,
May they be healthy,
May they be kind to themselves and others.
Over time this helps us to remember that it’s okay to be different, and feel more comfortable with ourselves.
A great yoga sequence to try before this meditation is
Downward Dog - Triangle - Warrior 1 - Camel - Child
Shop everything Kim, the echidna >