All right,
Good afternoon.
Welcome to our midweek mind break.
So our meditation.
Today is going to be on kindness.
How can we see and feel kindness for ourselves and within our own bodies?
If we're not kind to ourselves and compassionate and loving to ourselves.
It's very,
Very challenging to be that way towards others.
So we're going to cultivate some kindness.
For ourselves.
All right,
So find a comfortable seat.
Whatever is comfortable for you.
Making sure that you have the support you need.
For your back.
For your head.
Put underneath your feet.
And then give yourself permission to arrive.
Take a moment,
Find your breath here.
And slowly exhale it out.
Let's take another breath together.
Inhale.
Just shifting your weight.
So you're allowing your body to be fully supported.
Taking a couple more deep cleansing breaths.
Inhaling as fully as you can.
Comfortably as you can.
Sending the warm energy of your breath to any part of your body that's sore.
Or tense.
Or tight.
And releasing the discomfort with the exhale.
So that you can feel your breath going all the way to the tight tents,
Places.
Loosening and softening them.
And then gathering up all the tension and breathing it out.
That more and more.
You can feel safe.
So more and more you can feel comfortable.
Relax.
And easy.
Watching.
The cleansing action of the breath.
With friendly but detached awareness.
And any unwelcome thoughts.
Or feelings you might have.
Those too are sent out.
With the breath.
So that inside you,
You can be still and quiet.
Like a lake with no ripples.
And now,
Imagining a place inside or outdoors.
Where you Feel safe and peaceful.
And cozy.
From your past or somewhere you've always wanted to go.
It doesn't matter.
Just so.
It is a place that feels good and safe.
And peaceful to you.
And allowing the place to become real to you.
Looking around you,
Taking the place in with your eyes.
Enjoying the colors.
The scenery.
Appreciating every detail with your eyes.
Looking over to your right.
And over.
To your left.
And listening to the sounds of the place.
The music of moving wind or water.
Birds or crickets.
Soft night sounds.
Perhaps the steady thrumming of rain on the roof.
It doesn't matter,
Just so your ears can enjoy the sounds of your place.
That is so safe.
And peaceful.
To you.
And feeling whatever you are sitting against or relying upon.
Or perhaps.
.
.
Feeling the quality of the ground beneath your feet.
Whether it's sand or pine needles or grass.
Or you might be in a cozy armchair or sitting on a nice warm rock in the sun.
And feeling the air on your skin either brisk and breezy.
Or soft and still.
Crisp and dry or balmy and wet.
Or perhaps you are indoors,
Feeling the warmth of a cozy fire on your face and hands.
Or maybe you are outdoors and there's just the subtlest caress of a fragrant,
Gentle breeze.
So just enjoying the feel of the place on your skin.
And smelling its rich fragrance.
Whether it's the soft,
Full scent of flowers.
With the sharpness of the salt sea air.
Sweet meadow grass.
Or the pungent smell of peat moss in the forest.
And as you become more and more attuned the safety and beauty of this place.
Feeling thankful.
And happy to be here.
You begin to feel a kind of tingling.
A pleasant energizing something in the air all around you.
Something that contains expectancy and excitement.
A sense that something wonderful is just about to happen.
And as you look out in front of you.
You begin to discern that there is a kind of transparent screen shimmering there.
Getting more and more opaque and solid as you look at it.
And as you watch the screen with a kind of peaceful curiosity.
You gradually become aware of a form beginning to appear on it.
Becoming more and more defined.
And you realize that this is someone very special.
Perhaps it's someone who loved you well from your past.
Maybe a special guide or teacher.
A parent or grandparent.
Maybe someone who once loved you very much.
Or someone in your life still.
It could also be an angel or spirit or special power animal.
It doesn't matter.
Just so it's someone or something that you know is good and wise and kind and loving.
With the ability to see from the heart into the truth of things deeply and clearly.
So you watch as this special someone or something becomes more and more defined.
On the screen.
Until the three-dimensional image is quite clear.
In whatever characteristic posture they have.
Wearing whatever it is that they wear,
Doing whatever it is that they do.
Crisp and clear in every dimension.
And you can softly and easily enter the screen.
Feeling yourself drawn to them.
Wanting to have a closer look.
I'm detected by them.
You can slip into the screen safely and easily.
Able to have a slow,
Respectful walk.
Around them.
Seeing them from every angle.
The expression on the face.
The profile,
And the back.
And sensing the feel of the air around them.
The special energy surrounding them.
The sounds of the breathing or the voice.
The scent in the air around them.
Or just slowly moving around them.
Pleased to experience a full,
Rich sensory awareness of them.
And now in the magical space.
Of the screen.
Somehow for just a short while sliding past the boundaries and slipping into the body of this other being.
Entering this other body and breathing their breath for just a brief while.
And if there is any resistance to doing this,
Just gently noting it.
And allowing yourself to soften all around it.
For the sake of understanding more and learning what you need to know.
Just an experiment.
Breathing their breath,
Looking down and seeing this other body perhaps other hands or feet or clothing.
Breathing deeply into this other being and sensing the feelings,
Whatever they are.
Perhaps.
A sense of warmth and peace and calm.
Or a soft expansion around the heart.
Maybe a solid steady sense of safety and security.
Whatever feelings or sensations.
Just experiencing what it feels like in the chest and belly.
In the muscles,
Skin,
And bone.
Staying open and curious as to how it feels inside this other body.
And seeing out from their eyes what the world looks like.
Sounds like.
Feels like.
As you breathe with their breath.
Feel with their feelings soft and easy.
Feeling their heart beating.
Inside you steady and calm.
And perhaps even seeing you over there.
With these other eyes looking over at you.
And seeing who you really are.
Looking under and around and through your surface.
To the essence of who you really are.
And seeing all the hidden splendor.
All the vast beauty.
Of your being.
And perhaps seeing what you are here to do.
With all your unique gifts and special abilities.
Appreciating.
What you are born to do.
In your own way,
In your own time.
And so just taking a few moments to experience this gently and easily.
With all the focus you can bring to bear.
And now very softly and easily.
Whenever you are ready.
Wishing this body,
This awareness,
Goodbye.
In whatever way feels right.
And still infused with the richness of this experience.
Still feeling the expanded energy in your heart?
Very gently moving back into your own body.
Re-inhibiting it fully and easily.
Breathing into it with your own breath.
Through your own nose and mouth.
Back home.
Connected again.
To your body.
Your steadiest companion,
And your oldest friend.
And sliding out of the magical translucent screen.
And once again,
See yourself in your safe and peaceful special surroundings.
Again,
Taking in its beautiful sights and sounds and smells.
And watching as the screen fades away.
And feeling yourself.
In the chair.
Breathing.
Rhythmically.
And easily.
Very gently and with soft eyes.
Allowing yourself to come back.
Into the room whenever you are ready.
Knowing in a deep place.
You are better for this.
And so you are.
Bringing your hands together at your heart center.
Taking a moment.
Just to notice how you're feeling and.
If there's a quality of this practice you'd like to cultivate into your day.
And then offering gratitude.
You're welcome to join me in chanting the sound of Aum.
To close our practice.
Take a breath in.
With my gratitude and the light that shines within my heart to yours.
Namaste.
