Welcome to this practice on cultivating compassion,
For yourselves and for others.
Take a moment to find a comfortable seat of your choice,
A position that allows your spine to be aligned while also providing comfort.
Allow your body to settle into this position as you put aside anything that has come before and anything that will come after this practice.
Let your mind be comforted by the fact that there is nothing to do in this moment and nothing to achieve,
Simply to be present.
Notice any attachments and let them slip away so that you can be fully present right here,
Right now.
You are accepted in this moment just as you are and honor yourself for showing up today.
Showing up is often the hardest part.
Maintain that attention to your body.
Notice your posture and any sensations affecting the body.
Adjust whenever you need to give your body the care that it deserves,
While also trying to preserve and create a sense of stillness within.
Together we aim to cultivate that stillness and peace to carry with you even after the practice.
Allow yourself to relax into your body and release any tension that you're holding.
Notice and scan from your toes all the way up to the top of your head,
Taking stock of how you're feeling.
Now move your attention to your breath,
Deepening it with each inhale and exhale,
Pulling your attention inward and into the present moment.
Watch your belly rise with each inhale and fall with each exhale.
Repeat these deep diaphragmatic breaths by breathing into the belly,
Expanding it and depleting it deeply on the exhale.
Continue to watch your body breathe,
Noticing the different inhales and exhales,
Allowing the breath to replenish you and make you anew and awake in this moment.
The breath is always with you and is your tool for calming the body.
This breath is your companion,
Your friend in each moment,
Carrying you through the tough and the lovely days.
Take another deep inhale and exhale into the nose and out through the nose.
As you settle into this moment through the body and through the breath,
Notice how you feel.
Take a moment to recognize this feeling and know that you can come back to this state of calmness just through paying attention.
Now bring to mind a small situation in your life that was difficult and where someone showed you kindness and care,
Something that impacted you but was not so big that affected you in a serious way.
Remember what it felt like to feel comforted.
Notice how it feels in your body to remember what it felt like to be cared for,
To have someone share in your suffering and help you alleviate the pain.
Remember what it felt like to have that feeling,
Whatever it was,
Sadness,
Anger,
Shame,
Lifted from your shoulders or at least accompanied by another soul.
Remember what it felt like.
Let yourself fill up with that love and kindness and compassion.
Ask in the knowledge that your feelings mattered to this person,
That you matter.
Accept that care even if you couldn't then and take it in.
Bring your thoughts back to yourself,
Back to the present moment and allow yourself to ground down in the now.
Notice your feet or legs on the ground and feel steady.
Notice your breath and feel fulfilled.
Notice your presence and feel safe.
Direct love towards yourself and think of the things you love about yourself.
Try to steer away from assigning worth based on what you've achieved but instead on inherent qualities and personality.
Maybe you're friendly,
Warm,
And intelligent.
Any adjectives you find that describe you or if you can't think of any yourself,
Think of how a close friend or family member would describe you.
Name your gifts,
Anything you're particularly skilled at.
These are different from accomplishments because they don't have to be achievements but simply something you enjoy.
Maybe you're a natural gardener or love to paint.
After you've found these wonderful qualities about you,
Direct that love and appreciation you've created towards yourself.
Let yourself know that you are loved and accepted just as you are.
Know that you are not defined by your achievements or anything else.
Your worth is inherent to yourself and your spirit.
You are enough.
Now remember that you are connected to this world,
To all beings.
We all share something in common and that is suffering.
Know that you are not alone in your suffering.
Everyone has gone through some type of hardship and you can feel comforted in the fact that you are in good company.
Everyone can relate in some form or another because we are all human and on that everyone makes mistakes.
It is another part of being human.
Bring to mind a time where you made a small mistake and allow yourself to let it be okay.
Notice your breath and feel fulfilled.
I'm human.
Allow mistakes to be okay,
Knowing it is how we learn and grow and as part of the process.
Know too that we are all evolving and changing and are in progress on the path of being.
We are imperfect beings too and it is with this imperfection that we are beautiful and it is what makes us human.
Moving to mindfulness,
Know that you are capable of being in the present moment.
Right now,
You are here practicing and whenever your thoughts drift to the future or the past,
You bring them back to the present,
To the breath or to my breath.
This act of acknowledging and noticing is integral in finding your way to compassion.
Mindfulness allows us to be present for our suffering rather than push it under the rug so that we can tolerate it better now and in the future.
Acknowledge how you feel and know that it too will pass and be replaced by another feeling.
Change is a natural process of life.
Now come into a new thought.
Think of a recent situation where you yourself needed some compassion.
Just a small situation that warranted some self-care and a soothing touch.
Notice that need and allow yourself to feel into it.
Imagine saying to yourself,
Acknowledging the suffering,
This is hard,
This hurts right now.
And follow up that acknowledgement with a phrase of care.
I see your suffering.
You are okay.
I'm here for you.
And continue by acknowledging our common humanity.
You are not alone.
Everyone struggles sometimes.
Finally,
Allowing those messages to sink in and become part of the narrative you tell yourself about the situation.
Maybe you added in a few details.
Finally,
Allow the feeling of the situation to pass and come back into the present.
Take a break here to just be.
To again check in with your body and your mind and allow yourself to just be.
Notice your inhales and exhales passing in and out.
Come into stillness and be comforted.
Finally,
We will rest our thoughts on someone that needs compassion.
Bring to mind someone you know that is suffering.
Someone that perhaps reached out to you for help or is too proud or shy to ask for any help.
And extend a loving hand to them.
Direct that same care you showed towards yourself and that was shown towards you,
Towards them,
To alleviate their pain and troubles.
Maybe repeat those same words of care by first acknowledging how hard this must be for them.
Then extending love by repeating words of caring and finally letting them know that you are there for them,
Feeling with them.
Just by thinking about this person,
You're sending out care and love towards them.
Your care is meaningful and if you'd like,
Imagine holding their hand through this difficult time or giving them a hug.
As we come to the end of the practice today,
Take a moment to reflect upon the themes we've touched on to carry with you.
To extend love and care by acknowledging and giving room to suffering,
To extend a loving hand,
And to acknowledge the shared experience of suffering.
Compassion too is a shared experience and is possible within ourselves and towards others.
I hope you feel more cared for and at peace from this practice.
It's important that we care for one another in this world and with that I hope you live like a force of nature,
A force of compassion,
Through your prana.
