Welcome.
This is Alison with Mindful Pause Center.
And I'm so glad to share this practice with you.
Choosing a posture that can support you for the next seven to 10 minutes.
Since we'll be offering compassion to others and to ourselves,
Something comfortable,
Seated and supported,
Or perhaps lying down.
As you settle into the posture,
Just noticing gravity,
The gentle tug that connects you to whatever you're seated on or lying down upon.
And feeling those points of connection,
Really noticing the chair or the cushion or the floor that's on the other side of the body.
And maybe it's possible to give over a little bit more to what is supporting you so that you feel a sense of being held.
You do a lot of work holding yourself up.
And this is a moment in which you can let go of that,
Striving as you're able in order to receive the support that's here.
And if it feels good,
You can notice the body breathing.
The breath is always here.
Even when we don't pay attention.
Another form of support.
You don't have to try to breathe.
The body breathes itself.
So you might just notice the rhythm of the breath.
See if you can feel it inside the body,
The belly or the chest,
Maybe over the lip and through the nose.
I'm calling to mind now someone that you know is hurting in some way.
Maybe it's a specific experience they're going through right now,
Or maybe it's ongoing.
Maybe it's happening to them,
Or maybe it's internally driven,
A habit out of conditions that they've been responding to their whole life.
Bringing this person to mind in some way that feels vivid,
Could be their voice,
It could be their appearance.
You might imagine yourself in a conversation with them,
Or sitting next to them,
Or walking next to them.
Whatever makes sense to bring their presence to mind.
Maybe it's their presence before you now.
And then repeating these phrases,
Or changing some of the language so that it feels more relevant and appropriate to you and this person.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
I'm taking a moment just to notice what it's like to offer these phrases.
Maybe they come easily,
Or maybe you notice resistance.
Maybe it's hard for you to offer compassion right now.
Or maybe you don't believe that it will help them.
All of this is quite normal and natural.
And if there's resistance from within you,
Just allowing that to be there and holding it with compassion and kindness.
Be gentle.
Nothing needs to change about that resistance right now.
It's just the way things are in this moment.
And if the resistance is coming because you think this person wouldn't be able to receive the compassion,
I'm just allowing that to you and recognizing that you don't need to make that choice for them.
That your care and love as it's directed outwards is all that you have to do,
And the rest isn't up to you.
So trying again just to see what it's like now,
Bringing this person to mind.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
Pausing to sense what it feels like to offer these phrases.
What is the felt sensation in your body?
Noticing where there's space.
Or tightness.
Noticing where there's warmth or coolness.
Openness.
Places that are closed.
Maybe tingling or pulsing.
Just appreciating in whatever way the body is experiencing this practice.
As we turn now to include ourselves,
May I be held in compassion.
May my pain and sorrow be eased.
May I be at peace.
May I be held in compassion.
May my pain and sorrow be eased.
May I be at peace.
Again,
Pausing to notice how offering these phrases lands in you.
There's no right or wrong,
Good or bad.
Show me what it's like in this moment.
Honoring the felt sensations that are here and noticeable for you today.
And if it feels good,
The sensations feel supportive.
Letting yourself rest.
Enjoy them.
Nourishing you.
And if there's difficulty here,
You can see what it would feel like to turn the volume up or down.
Maybe today is a day when compassion is very quiet.
Capacity is not here.
It's good to remember the heart has valves that open and close.
There's a rhythm to the rhythm of the heart.
There's a rhythm to the breath.
There's a rhythm to the heartbeat.
Changes when we're available,
When we're not available.
Just letting everything be now.
Letting go of the practice and noticing again the body as it sits or lies here.
Feeling again the weight of gravity.
Bringing awareness to the points of contact with the chair,
The cushion,
The floor,
The bed.
Really noticing again the presence of what is supporting you.
In a moment,
You'll hear the sound of the air as you ring the bell.
And as the bell fades,
You can slowly begin to move your body in a way that feels good.
Wiggling fingers,
Rotating ankles or wrists,
Stretching side body,
Rolling the shoulders.
Taking time to orient yourself to the room you're in,
Quality of light or the forms and shapes.
This is a way of letting the nervous system know you're back.
Thank you for your practice.
