Welcome to your self-compassion meditation.
If you start to feel overwhelmed by emotions,
Remember you can always come back to the breath to anchor yourself in the present moment.
Remember to always be kind to yourself.
Start by getting comfortable in a seated position either on a chair or on the floor.
Feel free to get a blanket or cushions to ensure you're as comfortable as possible.
Ensure you have an upright posture with your spine straight,
Shoulders relaxed and feet flat on the floor or legs crossed if you're sitting on the floor.
I invite you to place a hand on your heart if that feels comfortable for you and feel free to place it back down onto your lap whenever you want to.
Now close your eyes,
Lower your chin towards your chest and let your attention drop to wherever you feel the breath most naturally.
This may be in your abdomen,
Noticing your tummy rising and falling or perhaps it's in the chest area,
Noticing your ribcage expanding and contracting.
Or maybe you feel it more in the nostrils,
Noticing the feeling of each in-breath and out-breath through your nostrils.
Wherever it feels most natural,
Just be with it in this moment.
Now I invite you to pay attention to your hand on your heart.
Notice the warmth of your hand resting gently on your body.
Perhaps how it moves gently along with your breath.
And now I invite you to ask yourself what is pulling for your attention right now.
Notice where you feel it in your body.
Perhaps your tummy lurches,
Perhaps your shoulders are tense or your heart is beating faster.
Perhaps other sensations arise in your body that are new to you.
Try to allow all sensations,
Thoughts and feelings to arise as you find them.
Welcoming everything as it arises,
Not trying to change anything.
Use your breath to anchor you in the present moment as each new wave of discomfort or pain appears.
Connect with how it feels in the body on each in-breath and out-breath.
Say to yourself,
It is okay to feel like this.
Whatever has happened is already here.
Let me feel it and welcome it as best as I can.
Notice what happens in your body after saying this to yourself.
It is okay to feel like this.
Whatever has happened is already here.
Let me feel it and welcome it as best as I can.
Keep tuning into your breathing one breath at a time as the emotions continue to flow.
Remind yourself again it is okay to feel like this.
Keep tuning into your breathing one breath at a time as the emotions continue to flow.
Remind yourself it is okay to feel like this and repeat it as many times as you need to as if you were supporting a friend holding yourself in a container of compassion.
When you feel like you have acknowledged your emotions and you're ready to return to daily life,
Remember to ground yourself before you end this practice.
Take your awareness to your buttocks on the chair or on the floor.
Notice how it feels to be rooted here in this moment.
If you're sitting on a chair,
Also pay attention to your feet.
Notice how it feels to have all four corners of the feet firmly planted on the floor.
If you're sitting cross-legged,
Pay attention to how your legs and feet feel resting on the floor,
Grounding yourself once again.
When ready,
I invite you to drop your chin to your chest,
Slowly open your eyes and have a good stretch.
