Hi,
This is Claire E.
Parsons,
Lawyer,
Mindfulness and compassion teacher,
Speaker,
And author.
This is a meditation for cultivating courage in difficult times.
With this practice,
You'll make space for self-compassion by invoking the concept of common humanity.
This practice is derived from loving-kindness practice and incorporates some visualization along with breath practice and body awareness.
I have used this practice to build courage in my own life and work,
And I hope it offers you some stability to face the challenges in your life.
I invite you first to find a comfortable and stable position.
This practice should be in the range of 10 to 15 minutes,
So you want to find a position that you can hold for a period of time.
Sit up tall in your seat or stretch out long if you are lying down,
And use your breath initially to start settling into your spot.
As you breathe in,
Make your spine a little bit longer,
Let the air push your lungs and chest just a bit higher,
And then breathe out.
Exhale and settle into your seat,
And feel your feet resting on the floor.
Try that one more time,
And this time extend your spine just a bit longer as you breathe in,
And then relax just a bit more as you breathe out.
Scan gently through your body from head to toe,
Checking for any areas of tension and releasing them as you go.
Once you get to the base of your body,
Sense into the feelings of connection you have with your seat or your spot.
You may notice this in your sits bones or feet if you are seated,
Or your back body if you are lying down.
Notice the weight of your body resting in this spot,
And the points of contact between your body and the floor or the mat or mattress if you are lying down.
Next I invite you to bring to mind a place that makes you feel calm and supported.
This place might also make you feel a little bit expansive.
This could be an actual place that you enjoy visiting.
It could be a real haven for you in your life,
Like your backyard or a park.
It could also be a pretty scene that you've imagined for yourself today.
Anything is fine,
Just give yourself a chance to create that scene in your mind and allow yourself to breathe as you sit here.
If visuals are not strong for you mentally,
You can also connect with the felt sense in the body of calm and support.
This can be the sense of grounding created by the weight of your body on your seat or spot.
It could be the steadiness of your breath,
Or it could be the quiet or stillness in your environment.
However you do it,
Take a moment to connect with this sense of calm,
Spacious stability.
When you feel ready,
Bring to mind a problem that you are facing in your life or work.
This doesn't have to be the biggest problem in the world.
It might be better to first practice with something that makes you feel just a little bit nervous.
This might be a problem that perhaps you may want to procrastinate about,
Or one that you are concerned you are not quite sure how you're going to solve it.
It may be something that makes you feel worried or unsure.
Just notice how that problem and thinking about it makes you feel right now.
In particular,
Notice how it feels in your belly,
In your chest.
Notice if you feel any sensations of warmth or coolness in your cheeks or any tension or tightening in any area of your body,
Like your shoulders or jaw or hands.
If any thoughts come to mind,
Notice what makes you feel nervous about this problem.
And know if you're thinking about this problem becomes overwhelming to you at any time,
You always have the option to support yourself by placing a hand on your heart and offering yourself compassion or returning to your breath or the grounding practice we did at the start.
If you can stay with the experience of this problem in your mind and in your body,
Though,
Notice what's there and allow it.
Notice the thoughts that arise and the feelings that come with it.
Now I invite you to allow that problem and all the feelings associated with it to fade from your mind.
And instead,
Bring to mind people in your life whom you love or admire who have also faced challenges in the past.
How did these people accept the challenges that life sent them?
Reflect on the fact that they were probably scared and unsure,
Just like you may have felt a moment ago.
Envision these people as they are today.
Reflect on the way these people handled the challenges of the past and reflect on the fact that the way they handled those challenges may be a big reason why you love and admire them so much.
Then envision these people whom you love and admire coming and sitting beside you.
They may hold your hand or put their arm around you or just convey kindness with their presence.
As these people whom you love and admire join you,
Send whatever well wishes feel right to you.
This could be a simple feeling of love in the area of your heart.
It could be a smile,
Respect,
Or gratitude.
Or you could offer them the traditional phrases of loving kindness.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be safe,
And may you be at ease.
And as you offer these wishes,
Notice how it feels in your heart to send well wishes to the people that you love and admire.
Next I invite you to call to mind people who might be facing the same or similar challenge that you are facing right now.
These might be people who are working with you on the problem you called to mind earlier.
They could also be people who have faced or addressed the issue from a different angle or perspective.
This could be people from across the world who are doing the same work in a position that maybe you don't know and can only imagine.
Or maybe you envision people across time who have faced challenges similar in some way to your own,
Whom you have never met.
Once an image of these people is clear in your mind,
Allow them to come and sit next to you.
Even if you can't envision them individually,
Wish these people well as they go about their work,
Or express gratitude for the work they did in the past.
Reflect on the fact that even if you don't know particular individuals,
You can imagine the attributes that they exhibit to face or have faced the same problem that you are.
With this understanding in mind,
Wish these people good luck or send them gratitude as you sit in the presence of these helpers.
Notice how it feels in your heart to send well wishes to these people who have faced problems like the one you may be facing in your own life.
Next I invite you to envision all of these people together sitting with you in a circle if it is supportive to you.
These are the people who you love and admire who face challenges.
These are the people from across the world or maybe time and space who have faced challenges like the one you are facing now.
You've sent these people kind wishes,
Encouragement,
And gratitude,
And then they turn to you or maybe surround you in a supportive circle and send encouragement and kind wishes back to you.
Allow yourself to notice the area of your heart and imagine these people sending kind wishes to support your work.
If you are able,
Consider what words spring to mind that they may be sending you.
Are they telling you to keep going?
Are they telling you your work matters?
Are they telling you that your challenges are important?
Whatever they say to you,
Allow these kind wishes and words of encouragement to come in and breathe them into your heart as you sit in this calming and supportive space.
And then just notice what it feels like to do so.
And take a moment,
If you can,
To reflect that even if you have problems to face,
You are not facing them alone.
Know that you can always come back to this space to nourish or support yourself if you need it.
When you feel ready,
Let the images of your calming space and all the other helpers fade from your mind.
Bring attention back to your body and allow yourself to have a moment simply to rest here and return gradually to your waking experience.
You can then take a deep breath in,
Filling your lungs all the way to the top.
Hold it for a moment and then release it.
When you are ready,
I invite you to slowly open your eyes,
Knowing that you have everything you need to face whatever challenges life sends to you.
