This is a meditation to focus on progress and not perfection in these tricky times,
And to build our own inner resilience by resourcing ourselves with a three-stage self-compassion practice.
It will begin with a spoken section and then we will go into the self-compassion stages.
It is so natural to be shaken,
To be impacted,
To fall off center in these times.
We will inevitably be somewhat disturbed by these days.
We may be internally rocked by what is ravaging through the world right now.
This will not be a moment of any of us doing this perfectly.
Much is demanded of us as the shape of our lives shifts rapidly day by day.
Whether we are staying at home or out there working and worrying about what we may come into contact with,
It is likely not easy going for anyone.
In both our meditation practice and our daily lives,
We need to focus on the notion of progress and not perfection.
This is a moment to do our best with what we have,
To show up to help each other out as best we can.
As best we can is a key phrase here.
Passion is a new core competency on all of our personal curriculums.
We need to have empathy for the range of emotions that we will be going through in this time.
At times we will cope beautifully and at other times we may find ourselves struggling.
We need to know and celebrate the things that we are doing well and gently course correct when it is not going so well.
So find a comfortable place to sit or to stand or to lie down.
Feel the ground underneath you and the places where your body is touching that surface.
Feel the literal sense of your body being supported.
You may notice that your body is tight in places today.
It's natural to be holding some tension right now.
And it's amazing to notice it.
It's all wonderful information about what we may need to work with.
Awareness is an amazing first step in changing what we can.
See if you can relax just one part of your body.
Maybe drop your jaw.
Soften your forehead.
Relax one hand.
We need to be realistic about what can be done in these times.
Open your belly.
Relax your legs as best you can.
Take a deep breath in.
Hold it at the top of your lungs and then sigh it out.
And do that again.
Take a deep breath in.
Hold it at the top of your lungs and sigh it out again.
Notice your shoulders.
See if you can bring your shoulder blades a little more together on the back so that the front of your body,
The rib cage around your heart,
May open a little more.
Take another deep breath.
This time focus on breathing down into your belly and slowly sigh it out.
Turn your attention to your feeling body.
Check in with yourself.
See how you are.
Notice what is present in your emotional field.
There are three stages to the self-compassion practice.
The first stage is to acknowledge that this is a moment of struggle or suffering.
Place your hand on your heart.
Acknowledge that there will be moments when you are finding this time tricky.
That you and many others are suffering amidst these strange,
Strong global times.
Getting closer to your own experience.
Your felt sense of being here in this moment.
Touch into what may be tender within you.
Give yourself the gift of your own noticing.
The second stage is to acknowledge that suffering is part of life.
Acknowledge that we are not alone in struggling in these times.
We are all finding these days difficult.
It doesn't mean that we should be doing it better or differently.
Suffering is a part of life.
It's part of the human experience.
We are all doing our best to deal with that as best we can.
Acknowledging that suffering is part of life.
The third part of the self-compassion practice is to cultivate kindness towards ourself.
Kindness towards our own inner experience.
You may want to do this via saying some phrases out loud or in your own head.
May I give myself the compassion that I need.
May I accept myself as I am.
May I acknowledge to myself all the things that I'm doing well.
May I give myself the compassion that I need.
May I accept myself as I am.
May I acknowledge to myself all the things that I'm doing well.
You may want to work with a feeling of kindness.
Directing that towards yourself.
See if you can send compassion out towards yourself,
Wishing yourself well.
May I be well.
May I be at peace.
May I accept myself.
See if as well as sending yourself compassion,
You can receive it back in.
Notice that you're taking time to wish yourself well.
See where that lands in the body.
See if your own self-care softens you somewhat.
See if your self-compassion touches your heart.
So take some time to generate this self-compassion in whatever way works best for you.
Just doing it as best we can.
We're going for progress and not perfection here.
Notice what happens when you offer yourself self-compassion.
Even amidst all we are powerless over,
We still have the power to shift our inner experience.
Our meditation practice is a precious resource in these times.
You can use these three stages of the compassion practice whenever you need to throughout your day.
Firstly,
We notice that this is a moment of suffering.
Secondly,
We acknowledge that suffering is a part of life.
And thirdly,
We cultivate kindness and compassion towards ourselves.
We wish ourselves well.
Congratulate yourself on making time to meditate today.
It is so important to take time to tend to ourselves amidst all that we are caring for in our outer world.
There is great compassion and self-care in that.
And it means that we can show up in greater service to those around us,
Those that need us,
The world that needs us right now.
So I thank you for taking this time to practice today,
For working with self-compassion.
And I wish you and your loved ones so much wellness in the days ahead.
Thank you for your practice.
