Welcome to this guided meditation on self-compassion,
Based on the research and writings of Kristen Neff.
As we begin,
Find a comfortable position,
Seated or lying down.
Take a moment to connect with the seat or surface that is supporting you,
Bringing awareness to your body in this space.
Allow your eyes to close or your gaze to soften.
Take a deep breath in through your nose,
Allowing your ribcage to expand and your belly to rise,
And then exhale.
Let it all go.
Self-compassion has three parts.
Mindfulness,
Common humanity,
And kindness.
The first step is noticing that we are struggling.
So often we try to push through distress and ignore things that are bothering us,
Often until our mental or physical health deteriorate and we're forced to stop and pay attention to our pain.
The next step is remembering we aren't alone in our struggles,
Even if we feel alone.
All humans suffer,
Experience pain and loss,
Make mistakes.
These are experiences common to all and our imperfections make us human.
Compassion connects us.
The final step is kindness.
We can be quick to judge or criticize ourselves or dismiss our experience entirely.
Instead,
Think of what you would say to a dear friend who's dealing with the same issue.
Maybe something like,
I'm so sorry you're going through this.
So let's move through these together.
Maybe bring a hand to your heart or wrap your arms around yourself in a hug.
And bring to mind a difficult moment,
An issue that keeps coming up,
A recurrent conflict,
Some current hardship.
And once you have that in mind,
Once you're really allowing yourself to feel that moment,
Recognize and think,
This is a moment of suffering.
This is a moment of suffering.
You're recognizing that this is real and it's hard.
And suffering is a part of life.
Remember,
You are not alone.
I am not alone.
All humans suffer.
And dear one,
I'm so sorry you are dealing with this.
You'll get through this.
What can I do to help?
And show yourself the kindness that you would show that loved one or that dear friend who came to you with a similar issue.
And continue to sit with yourself.
Allow yourself to be held.
Feel the warmth of your hands.
And allow a sense of kindness and love to envelop you.
Whenever you're ready,
You can take another deep breath.
Allow your eyes to open.
And thank you for spending this time caring for yourself today.
May you be well.
