Capacity For Compassion

This begins with a short reading from a chapter of Pema Chödrön's "When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times" and then goes into a short meditation creating more capacity to offer compassion to ourselves as we navigate through the comforts and discomforts of life.
Using a circle as our compass, we remember we must offer ourselves the love we wish to offer others.

Transcript

Hello. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. Good night. Whenever this finds you. I wanted to offer up a meditation around widening our circle of compassion. I found that ironic because as I sat down to record, I was feeling really frustrated. It is summer, Approaching summer in Minneapolis, And that means every street seems to be under construction. And there's trucks rumbling outside my window and banging, And I just felt like, What a perfect time to widen my own circle, Widen my own scope. So I say that in pure humanness, Vulnerability, And compassion. There may be sounds, There may be things that feel like distraction, But isn't that life? Isn't that life? Not all of us have the privilege to sit up on a mountain top and find the inner peace. Sometimes we have to find it right where we are, In the midst of a storm, In the midst of the wind, In the midst of the noise. So I was reading some Pema Chodron, I can't say it well, Pema Chodron, And the book is When Things Fall Apart. I opened up to this chapter 13, Widening the circle of compassion. Only in an open, Non-judgmental space can we acknowledge what we are feeling. Only in an open space where we're not all caught up in our own version of reality can we see and hear and feel who others really are, Which allows us to be with them and communicate with them properly. It goes on to say when we talk of compassion, We usually mean working with those less fortunate than ourselves. Because we have better opportunities, A good education, And good health, We should be compassionate towards those poor people who don't have any of that. However, In working with the teachings on how to awaken compassion and in trying to help others, We might come to realize that compassionate action involves working with ourselves as much as working with others. Compassionate action is a practice, One of those most advanced. There's nothing more advanced than relating with others. There's nothing more advanced than communication, Compassionate communication. So I want to invite us into a moment of just self-reflection, Seeing where we can widen some compassion for ourselves first. I invite you to find a comfortable space just for a few minutes of rest and reflection. Maybe finding a seat, Maybe finding a place that you can lie down. Maybe you want to get in a side lie, Kind of fetal position. There's no judgment, No way this needs to be. Just take a moment to do what feels best for you. And if it is available to you, If you can see with your eyes, Find one spot to kind of softly gaze. If you cannot see, Find a spot in your mind's eye, Just something that you want to gaze on. Let your gaze be soft, Inner or outer. Without moving, Your eyes begin to see. If you see anything coming in from the side, On top, Underneath, Just letting it all be there. And if your eyes are open, Softly drop your eyelids. That's where I can bring in more compassion for myself. I'm allowed to stumble over words. I'm allowed to exist. You're allowed to exist. In whatever position that you are in, If it's available, Bring both of your hands. Let's go on top of the belly button. That's where our confidence rests. Palms facing down. Just feel your breath moving in and out. While we're here resting, We're just going to do a few breaths together. When the exhale is longer than the inhale, It triggers to our nervous system to let go. Slows us down. So we're going to inhale for the count of four. We're going to hold for three. At the top, We're going to exhale for seven. And when you exhale, You're going to curve your tongue and mouth like you're blowing out of a straw. So you can slow down the breath. So exhale out everything of your system. And we're going to inhale for one, Two, Three, Four. Hold at the top for one, Two, Three. Exhale everything out slowly. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. Inhale through the nose for one, Two, Three, Four. Hold at the top for one, Two, Three. Exhale everything out. One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. Inhale through the nose for one, Two, Three, Four. Hold at the top for one, Two, Three. Exhale everything out for one, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven. Let it go. Just feel yourself here. I'd like you to ask, Where in your life right now can you give yourself a little more grace? A little more compassion? Where can you forgive yourself? Let a little more humanness in. I'm just going to be quiet for a moment and let you rest. If your mind wanders too far, Just come back to breathing in. Any emotions that come up, Just let them be there. Breathing in. And if you wandered away far, Come back. That suture, That is your breath. I keep you threaded in this moment, Just for a moment longer. Keeping in line with the circle of compassion, Imagine taking a feather. Maybe in your hand, If that is accessible. If not, It can just be in your mind. Starting at your feet, Clockwise in a circle, Just wipe clear. Just washing the energy away. Just cleaning, Coming up towards your knees. Cleaning, Clearing in a circle, Just wipe. As if you're clearing the dust or debris off of something with a feather. Moving up your legs, Into your pelvis, Wipe away. Around the circle, Around your belly, Your abdomen. Up around to your chest, Your heart. Sweeping your back, Your throat. Sweeping clear, Removing any static. Up to your third eye. Over your head, Sweeping your full body now. When you're ready, Softly blink your eyelids open. Welcoming the rest of this day, Whatever that brings for you. Just knowing that you are enough. Have a peaceful journey. I love you.