This guided meditation is intended to support members of a group,
Class or team with connecting to their sense of compassion for self and one another.
Take a moment to get settled in your chair and allow your eyes to softly close or let your gaze fall to a neutral point ahead of you on the floor.
Allow yourself a nice deep refreshing breath in and out.
Turn your attention to the sensation in your heart.
What's there for you?
Is there any tension,
Sadness,
Relief or anxiety maybe?
Take a moment to notice and feel what's there,
Don't think about it,
Just feel it from the inside out,
Simply being present in your heart for this moment.
Now allow yourself to connect with the fact that there are other people here in the room with you.
Sense and acknowledge that each one is a person who experiences emotions like you are.
Each of these people has felt happy at times,
Just like you.
Each of these people has been proud at some point,
Just like you.
Each of these people has been hurt,
Just like you and has felt unworthy or inadequate,
Just like you.
Each of these people would like to be happy or content with their life or feel like their life has meaning,
Just like you.
And each of them has found it hard to achieve these things.
Each of these people suffer more than they want to,
Just like you.
Being human isn't easy,
Each of us is faced with this situation of how best to live a human life.
Now we'll do a short loving kindness practice together.
In this practice we will silently be offering kind wishes to the group.
And as you are offering loving kindness to the group,
See if you can connect with the sensations and feelings in your heart with your kind,
Compassionate intentions towards each person.
And at the same time see if you can practice receiving the love and kind wishes from everyone else.
Practice letting it in with an open heart.
Now bring to mind this group as a whole and recognise the courage,
Care and presence that each of you have shown up with for yourselves and each other,
Over and over again in the face of difficulties.
Repeat in your mind these words of loving kindness directed to the group.
May we all be well.
May we all accept ourselves as we are.
May we all be kind to ourselves.
May we all feel safe and at ease.
Let's repeat this again.
May we all be well.
May we all accept ourselves as we are.
May we all be kind to ourselves.
May we all feel safe and at ease.
Can you feel in this moment that you belong to something larger than your difficulties or your negative thoughts and unhelpful beliefs?
The next time you notice these difficult things being activated,
Remember the group's wish for you.
Practice letting it in with an open heart.
Now take a moment to recognise that you just did something skilful and kind.
Allow yourself a nice,
Deep,
Refreshing breath and allow a gentle smile to form on your face.
Notice how that feels.
Now it's time to return your attention to the space you're in,
Here and now.
Notice your body being held by your chair.
Notice the ground beneath your feet.
Notice any sounds you can hear in the environment.
And when you're ready,
Gently allow your eyes to open.
Thank you for taking part in this compassionate group practice.
And as always,
Be kind to yourself.
