Finding a comfortable position for practice,
Whether it's sitting or lying down and then either closing your eyes or lowering your gaze and welcoming yourself into your practice.
Giving yourself a warm welcome as you would to your favorite house guests.
Maybe you'd like to take a few big breaths.
Making any tiny shifts.
You might need to feel just five or 10% more comfortable.
Feeling your body supported by the ground or the chair beneath you.
Maybe you can feel the subtle weight of clothing on the body.
Maybe you can feel the breath in the body or the heart beating in the chest.
And if you'd like,
Offering yourself soothing or supportive touch.
Maybe it's a hand on the heart,
Over the abdomen or somewhere else comforting on the body.
As a reminder that you too are worthy of kindness and compassion.
And you can leave your hand there if that feels good or release it at any time throughout today's practice.
And bringing to mind now a mild to moderately difficult situation you find yourself in right now.
Might be a health problem,
A family problem,
Might be a work issue or stress related to injustice or some larger events going on in the world.
And choosing a situation that generates some stress in your body when you think of it,
But it doesn't overwhelm you.
Once you have that situation in mind,
Clearly visualizing the problem or that stressful situation.
Who is there?
What was said?
What happened?
Or if it's a future situation,
A potential,
What might happen?
And as you recall this situation,
Notice if any emotions arise along with it.
And if so,
Seeing if a label or an emotion comes up,
A name,
Maybe it's worry,
Sadness,
Helplessness,
Maybe it's confusion,
Fear,
Anger or grief.
And if you're not quite sure what you're feeling,
That's okay for now.
Just being with your present moment experience and noticing the sensations is enough.
And if you're having many emotions arising today,
You might see if you could name the strongest emotion arising.
Repeating the name of that emotion to yourself in a tender,
Understanding voice.
As if you were validating it for a friend.
That's grief.
Now expanding your awareness to your body as a whole.
If it's begun to slip out of your mind,
Bringing that stressful situation back again,
And to the front of your mind,
Naming the strongest emotion you feel.
And scanning your body for where you feel it most easily.
Sweeping your body from head to toe,
Stopping where you can sense a little tension or discomfort.
And just noticing what's feelable in your body right now.
Nothing more.
And if you can,
Please choose a single location in your body where that sensation is showing up most strongly.
Maybe it's a point of tension in your neck,
Or an uncomfortable feeling in your stomach.
Wherever it is,
Inclining gently toward that spot.
Just as you might incline your attention towards a sleeping child,
Or a beloved pet,
Beginning to soften into that location in your body as much as is possible today.
Letting the area soften and relax as if in warm water.
And not to change the feeling,
But just to hold it in a tender way.
You might imagine this area just softening a little around the edges.
And then soothing yourself,
Not to get rid of these uncomfortable feelings,
But because of this stressful situation,
Because of these uncomfortable feelings and thoughts.
If you wish,
You might place a hand over the part of your body that feels uncomfortable.
Feeling the warmth and gentle pressure of your hand.
Or even gently massaging that part of your body.
You might imagine a warmth and kindness flowing through your hand into that area of your body.
And getting curious,
Are there some comforting words you might wish to hear?
You might imagine a friend struggling in the same way.
And offering yourself what you might say to that friend.
It's so hard to feel this way.
I see you trying.
I care deeply about you.
Or it might be in the form of a wish.
May I be kind to myself through this difficult time.
May I know that I'm enough just as I am.
Finally,
Allowing any remaining discomfort to be there,
Just as it is.
Making room for it.
Releasing the need to make it go away.
And allowing yourself to be just as you are.
Just like this.
If only for this moment.
Softening,
Soothing,
And allowing.
Now,
Letting go of the practice,
Releasing the situation from your mind.
And resting your attention with your body as a whole.
Allowing yourself to feel whatever you feel.
And to be exactly as you are.
In this moment.
As you're ready,
Bringing this meditation to a close.
Taking in some deeper breaths.
Feeling your body on the ground or chair beneath you once again.
And as you're ready,
Opening your eyes and taking in the sights around you.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
