Welcome,
Dear friend.
Dare I say I'm dangerously stoked that you've decided to join me in discovering a wise and compassionate presence within yourself,
One that you can turn towards and call upon in times of difficulty and pain,
Suffering,
Or just in moments where maybe you are seeking some more clarity and understanding.
In this particular practice,
You'll be invited to reflect upon a relationship that's difficult or challenging that causes some hardship in your life and leaning on your compassionate friend to offer you some support.
And of course,
That's just an offering.
You're more than welcome to get to know,
Spend this time getting to know this wise and compassionate being within yourself.
I can provide a source of comfort and clarity for you by taking your time to settle into your body,
Finding a shape or position that would feel most comfortable,
Maybe checking in with your body first and just seeing what its needs are in this moment and then responding to that with great care.
And once you find yourself settled into whatever this position in the body feels most at ease in,
Then perhaps placing one or two hands on the core of your body,
Maybe around your heart space,
Abdomen,
Solar plexus,
Or chest,
And really seeing this as a reminder to give yourself this loving attention that you're so often needing but maybe forget to give yourself the time to receive it and being grateful for the time now that you have to do so.
And settling into this environment that you're in,
Ensuring that it feels safe and comfortable and if not,
If your external environment is not one that you always feel that sense of safety being in,
Then you're more than welcome to imagine another environment that does put your whole nervous system at ease.
So you're welcome to formulate any image of that environment in your mind and then really notice how you feel when you're there,
Whatever's occurring for you in this moment.
And once we've arrived at this place,
There's this knowing that at some point there'll be a visitor,
And this visitor is a wise and compassionate being,
A true embodiment of wisdom and strength,
Love and grace.
Please allow an image of this being to come to mind.
And this being can be any being,
Maybe a spiritual figure,
Someone from our past or an ancestor,
A wise teacher,
Or this being may not have any particular form.
And be more of an energy,
A presence of warmth,
Of care.
And when you're ready,
This being arrives at your door and you invite them in.
Noticing the proximity between you and this being,
Do you have a respectful distance or is there a sense of physical closeness?
Choose whatever distance feels right to you in this moment without any judgment or any need to explain yourself.
And it might be helpful to imagine your compassionate being in as much detail as possible.
What is their appearance?
What's their facial expression?
What are they wearing?
What is their body posture?
What vibe or energy are they bringing with them?
What's the quality of their mind and heart?
How does it feel?
How does it feel to be in their presence,
To be in the presence of someone who doesn't expect anything from you in this moment?
This being is utterly wise and all-knowing and knows exactly where you're at and what you need to thrive on this human journey.
And to free your heart from any burdens it may be carrying in relationship to another being,
To another relationship that might be a source of angst or pain or difficulty.
So as you're in the presence of this being,
You realize that they have something to say to you,
Something that you need to hear.
Maybe it's the reminder of your own intrinsic goodness and of your own caring and loving heart.
But please just take a moment to listen carefully to what your compassionate friend has to say.
If no words come,
That's okay.
Sometimes messages come in the form of sensations,
Of feelings,
Of emotions,
Of emotions.
It's more of a visceral or somatic experience.
So attuning to your body,
Just noticing whatever emerges in each passing moment,
Not needing to direct it in any way.
Now perhaps you have something to say to your compassionate friend.
Maybe there's something you need to get off your chest.
It could be feelings of anger,
Resentment,
Those impulses to be spiteful,
Vengeful,
Hateful,
To express ill will.
Trust that your compassionate friend will not judge you and understand that these emotions are not you.
They're simply a natural byproduct of being human and serve as a self-protection for your very tender,
Fragile,
Vulnerable mind,
Body,
And heart.
You may also have a question for your compassionate friend,
A question that relates to some kind of action,
Like what would be the best step forward in navigating this relationship?
What do I need to do?
To free my own mind and heart from the pain that I'm experiencing or carrying within this interpersonal relationship?
Again,
Listening carefully to what your compassionate friend has to say.
And trusting in their wisdom.
Now taking a few more moments here to enjoy your friend's presence.
And as you do,
You may discover that this friend is not separate from you,
And is actually a part of you.
This wise and compassionate friend exists inside of you.
All those feelings,
Images,
And words that you're experiencing now or have in this short time in this practice are really flowing from your own inner wisdom and compassion.
And taking this opportunity to acknowledge that and to bask in your own wise and compassionate presence,
Allowing any images to dissolve this other being if they're still there.
And resting in this central,
Gathered,
Collected place within yourself where your compassionate friend exists and abides.
And that is available to you at any time you need them.
So settling back into awareness of your body for the final few minutes of this practice.
And letting yourself savor whatever has just occurred or happened in these few minutes of intentional practice of nurturing this compassionate friend within.
Maybe taking some time to reflect on the words or the messages that you may have heard or received and envisioning yourself playing them out in some future moment when in the presence of this being that you're in relationship with that's challenging.
And just noticing what occurs with positive ways that this new response or action that you've taken within yourself within their presence has had on the both of you.
And delighting in this experience of forming a deeper connection to this being.
More loving.
More forgiving.
More understanding.
Connection.
Whether you choose to keep them close in your life or in your orbit or at a distance,
Maybe even a far,
Far distance,
You can still be in a loving relationship with them.
It's how you free your heart.
All the hearts of all beings are freed.
And if you care to,
On your next in-breath,
Dear friend,
Just breathing in all that's loving and nourishing and wholesome.
Feeling it expand through your whole physical body and outwards as you breathe out.
And if you're just giving it back freely to the world so it can gently touch upon all living beings and provide comfort and ease.
And then with that next in-breath,
You're again receiving it.
So then your mind,
Body,
And heart,
And your own being just become a conduit for this loving energy to flow freely.
In this really beautiful,
Wholesome feedback loop that supports the well-being of all beings.
And when I ring this bell and you hear the sound of those vibrations,
Have those vibrations be an extension of this wisdom and compassion and love that's been generated in your own heart in this practice and can be given freely and then received without any barriers.
Returning back to your own being.
Thank you,
My wise and compassionate friend.
