Welcome!
This is Allison with Mindful Pause Center,
And I'm so glad to bring you this practice today.
Many of us know about the fight-or-flight response to stress.
Fewer of us might know about the tend-and-befriend response,
Although we've likely experienced it many times over,
Since to tap into it only requires that you help another person.
This help is not about fixing things for other people.
It's about support and care.
Simply holding someone's hand in a distressing situation is enough.
In this cultivation practice,
We explore extending care even when we aren't in the presence of those we want to support.
So taking a posture that can serve you for the next 10 to 15 minutes.
You might try seated,
Standing,
Lying down,
Or even a slow walking meditation.
And as you choose and settle into the posture,
Just notice what is here supporting you.
This could be physical.
Perhaps it's a cushion,
A chair,
A bed,
A floor.
It could also be something about how you're related to the space you're in.
It just feels good and comforting.
I invite you to open and sense the gentle tug of gravity.
This physical force that is always at work can be a really helpful ally in mindfulness practice and help us notice how we are supported.
Gravity connects us to our world.
In this moment,
You might notice where you're in contact with that which is supporting you.
If it feels available,
Can you give over a little bit more to that which is supporting you and allow yourself to feel held.
And I'm going to invite you to bring to mind someone you care about who has been struggling and struggling.
You might imagine them sitting in front of you or alongside you or just bringing their presence to mind in some vivid way.
And in this moment,
You're not trying to change their difficulty.
Just notice who they are and how they hold the difficulty.
Maybe it's with grace,
Maybe it's a mess.
Sense their capacity to meet the moment.
And then repeat these phrases silently.
Feel free to change the wording so it sounds more like you would talk.
In this moment of difficulty,
May you tap into your courage.
May you sense your own strength.
May you find the support you need.
May you discover care in the midst of adversity.
May your suffering be eased.
Pause to notice how it feels to have offered these phrases.
How is your heart impacted?
Do you notice any sensations in the body?
Do they have a particular location?
There's no right or wrong answer to these questions.
Offering care might make us feel better.
It might make us feel warm and open.
Paradoxically,
At times,
It can make us feel tight.
Noticing and holding the impact is very valuable to our mindfulness practice,
To our knowledge and awareness and wisdom of what it means to offer care and compassion.
The invitation now is to think of yourself in an area where you are struggling.
Imagine sharing that situation with this person or someone else who cares about you.
In this moment,
They are not trying to change the difficulty.
They notice how you hold it.
They sense your capacity to meet the moment.
Hear them offering the following phrases to you.
May you tap into your courage.
May you sense your own strength.
May you find the support you need.
May you discover care in the midst of adversity.
May your suffering be eased.
Again,
Pause to notice how it feels to have offered these phrases.
How it feels to have received these phrases.
How do they land in your heart?
Do they create sensations in the body?
No right or wrong answer to these questions.
We're just curious.
In this moment of receiving care,
Just in this moment,
What is it like?
And if it feels good,
Invite others into this space with you and this other person.
You can keep it small and intimate,
Or you can invite in as many people as you want.
You can include beings,
Animals,
Places,
Environments,
People who have passed on.
Take a moment to appreciate that everyone in this space has difficulty,
Has known adversity.
And then imagine everyone offering these phrases together.
May we tap into our courage.
May we sense our own strength.
May we find the support we need.
May we discover care in the midst of adversity.
May our suffering be eased.
Pausing to notice how it feels to have collectively shared these phrases.
How is the heart now?
What sensations are available in the body?
Then in whatever way makes sense,
Appreciating the time you've taken to offer care.
No matter how full or perhaps limited,
This intention to support and bring ease.
Invite you then to bring your awareness to sound as a way of transitioning out of the practice and back to this living dynamic world.
Starting to move the body in a way that feels good.
Making these movements bigger to include stretches,
Working out any kinks from the posture.
And when your eyes open or your gaze lifts,
Taking in some form,
Color,
Quality of light in the space around you,
Directly communicating with our nervous system that the practice is complete.
Thank you for your practice.
Did you feel supported by this practice?
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Make a donation through my profile.
Until next time,
Take good care.
