Self-compassion comes from the fact you're a human being and you are worthy of care and kindness just like all other human beings.
Jack Kornfield says that if your compassion doesn't include you it is incomplete.
So take some time today to really treat yourself like you would a close friend who is struggling and if you're experiencing anxiety or stress or overwhelm give yourself this opportunity to tune into something that sits a little deeper inside of you making space for all of the feelings allowing them to be present and understanding that no matter what is there that you're still worthy of this care and kindness.
I'll share with you the words of Jeff Foster in a poem called What Would Happen.
What would happen if you removed the word anxious and just paid attention to these flickering sensations in the belly?
What would happen if you took away the concept lonely and simply became fascinated with this heavy feeling in the heart area?
What would happen if you deleted the image sick or broken or bad and just got curious about the tightness in the throat,
The pressure in the head,
The ache in the shoulders?
What would happen if you stopped looking for solutions and checked to see if there was actually a problem here?
Come out of the exhausting storyline my friend.
It's not true.
It was never true.
Commit sacred awareness to a single living moment.
Come closer to yourself now.
Bring warmth to the tender places inside.
Infuse sensation with the light of attention and it's never as bad as you think.
So this is a practice of loving kindness directed towards both you and towards others.
So take a little bit of time now to settle yourself into a seat that you're comfortable resting into.
The practice will go for another 10 minutes or so.
So as you feel the body starting to slow itself down,
Feeling all the points where the physical body is connected to and supported by the earth,
Start to take a couple of extra big breaths.
Especially on the exhale,
Feeling this sense of letting go,
Of allowing the body to rest here.
Letting the belly soften,
Letting the breath sink all the way down into the lower belly and all the way up into the heart.
You can let the eyes be gently closed or the gaze resting gently towards the earth.
As we let the sense of sight just disengage of this practice,
Let all of the awareness come back in to our inner world.
There are times that we need to be out in the world taking action,
Receiving information,
Processing,
Deciding,
Participating.
And there are times where we need to digest everything that we've already received and been a part of.
And each time you close your eyes,
We let that be the permission slip to come into this space of digesting,
Of integrating.
You might let the hands gently come to rest over the heart,
Tenderly feeling the warmth and the softness,
Aware of the breath gently moving in and out through the heart.
As we remind ourselves that we're not only bringing a mindfulness into this moment,
But we're bringing a real attitude and quality of friendliness or loving-kindness into our experience.
You might feel how the breath gently moves the hands on every inhale and exhale.
You might choose to keep your hands here for the whole practice,
But if at any point you need to,
Let the hands come down to rest.
And still with our awareness connected to the heart,
Connected to this warmth,
To this openness,
And to this kindness.
Bring to mind someone in your life who naturally brings a smile to your face.
I sometimes say imagine your favorite person giving you a little tickle.
Allow yourself to really feel what it's like to be in that person's presence,
To receive the gift of their loving presence,
And allow yourself to receive that gift fully.
And as you continue to sit with this loving presence of someone who naturally brings a smile to your face,
A smile to your heart,
We may recognize that this person may also be vulnerable and may experience the fluctuations of emotions,
Anxiety,
Worry,
Fear.
And on the breath in allow yourself to fully be with any suffering this other being may experience.
And on the breath out,
Offer that person your blessing.
Offer them your loving kindness,
Your loving presence,
And wishing for them to be happy and free from suffering.
And you might offer out these words.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
And as you stay with this offering of a blessing to your loved one,
Notice any sensations or feelings that arise for you.
Allow yourself to be with the tenderness that is there.
And then start to bring yourself into that circle of loving presence,
Recognizing in fact that every time we offer our blessing to another,
We receive very much the gift of this compassion and kindness.
And intentionally we include ourselves in the blessing.
You might put your hand back over the heart and feel the warmth and that loving tenderness you're offering to yourself.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
Aware of all the sensations in your body.
Noticing any stress or tension and offering those points within yourself,
Your own kindness.
As we take another few moments here,
We can add in our blessing for all beings.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be healthy.
May we all live with ease.
Feeling the softness of your own breath gently moving in and out through the heart.
Letting the feelings of tenderness spread through every cell in your being.
Offering the nurturing that is needed.
Remembering that any time you can keep coming back into this place within yourself capable of tenderness and kindness,
May you let that be the place that not only do you connect with yourself from,
But you choose to connect with others from.
Thank you for taking this time to slow down and offer your blessing out into the world.
May the radiance of the heart stay with you.
Namaste
