Hello,
And welcome to this guided meditation to help you cultivate greater compassion for your emotional experience.
As humans,
We all experience a range of emotions from those that uplift us to those that challenge us.
Sometimes we judge certain emotions.
We might believe that we shouldn't be angry or jealous or sad.
Today we will soften the judgments of these more difficult emotions and hold them with care instead.
Before we begin,
I want to make sure we bring kind awareness to our thoughts,
Our heart,
Our body.
And to get started,
Find a comfortable seated position.
Let your eyes close gently.
And when you are ready,
Let's connect with the seat or the surface beneath us.
Know that this surface is supporting you now and throughout this practice.
Now scan your body gently from the base of your spine all the way to the very top of your head.
If you encounter any areas of tension that can be gently softened,
I invite you to soften them or to offer a loving breath in their direction.
When you are finished with this gentle scan,
Call to mind a time when you experienced a difficult emotion.
On a scale of one to ten of intensity,
This should be an emotion that you can rate at a level three,
Four,
Or five.
If at any point this practice feels challenging,
Return your attention to the felt sense of the surface beneath you or any other anchor that supports you.
As you hold this situation and emotion in mind,
Notice if there are any judgments attached to it.
Is there condemnation or self-criticism either strong or subtle?
Is there righteousness or strong or subtle?
Notice whatever judgments might be there and see if you can soften them as you exhale.
And as you inhale,
Welcome self-compassion into your experience.
So instead of judging your emotions to be good or bad,
Right or wrong,
Notice the sheer fact of their presence and then invite a caring attitude to bathe them.
You can welcome self-compassion into your emotional experience by resting a tender palm on your heart or by offering yourself words of support and care.
You may repeat,
I witness my emotions without judgment.
I love,
Honor,
And care for myself.
I am here for myself through all of life's experiences.
Let these words of loving presence of your palm of your hand on the heart help to soften the stories and judgments you hold about this emotion.
Rest in this self-compassion,
Continuing to soften your thoughts about the emotions at hand as you continue to cultivate care.
I witness my emotions without judgment.
I love,
Honor,
And care for myself.
I am here for myself through all of life's experiences.
Offer yourself a word of gratitude for this practice now.
It's not always easy to offer ourselves compassion.
Now take two or three clearing breaths.
Taking your time whenever you are ready,
You can slowly open your eyes,
Come back to the room.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
My name is Karsia and stay bright.
