Welcome to this Giving and Receiving Compassion meditation with Christine.
To begin with,
I invite you to take a moment and settle your body in a way that's going to be comfortable for these few minutes.
Settling both feet on the ground,
Feeling the weight of the earth underneath them.
Gently,
Softly rolling your shoulders back and down,
Just enough to open the chest a bit.
Balancing the head over the shoulders and the shoulders over the hips,
So we don't cause any pain during the meditation.
Invite you to begin connecting with the breath.
Take a moment to notice where you most feel the breath in this moment.
Where you feel the movement of the breath as it flows in and out of the body.
Perhaps at the nostrils,
Or the chest,
Or the abdomen.
Just begin to follow the breath in and out.
Noticing any hesitations,
The depth and the length of each area of the breath.
I invite you to begin noticing.
As the breath moves in and out of the body,
In a more overall way,
The movement of the breath and the body.
You may be able to feel almost a rocking,
A comforting of the breath to the body.
If you don't feel the rocking ever so slight,
Don't worry,
That's normal.
Just continue following the breath in and out.
If you can feel the rocking movement,
The in and out movement of the breath and the body overall,
Notice if that feels comforting to follow.
If you notice yourself thinking,
Or getting lost in thought about what the breath feels like,
Or what rocking sensation is she talking about,
Just give yourself a light,
Internal smile.
Notice that thought,
Perhaps label it.
Then gently return to the breath.
Begin to the movement of the breath and the body.
I invite you to notice if you feel any inclination towards savoring the breath,
Recognizing the natural rhythm of the breath,
Noticing how it nourishes the body as it flows in and out.
Now I invite you to bring your light focus to the in breath,
Letting yourself really notice the sensation of the in breath as it comes into the body.
And as you breathe in,
I invite you to breathe in kindness,
Compassion for yourself.
This may happen by feeling warmth or kindness or compassion as it flows in.
This may happen by breathing in a word like ease or kindness or something that makes you feel loved.
Or this may happen for some by seeing a light,
A warm white light,
Or something else flow into them on the breath.
Take a few moments to notice what it's like for you to breathe in that compassion,
To feel kindness coming in on the in breath towards you,
Into your heart,
Into your body.
Now I invite you to take a few moments to notice what it's like for you to breathe in that compassion,
To feel kindness coming in on the breath,
To feel kindness coming in on the breath.
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Now I invite you to move your focus,
Shifting it to the out breath,
Feeling your body breathe out,
Feeling the ease of the exhalation.
And as you do so,
I invite you to call to mind somebody,
Perhaps a loved one,
And it can be an individual person or all beings,
A group of people.
Sometimes it's easier to call to mind someone who you know is struggling,
Who needs some compassion.
And just as you focus on the out breath,
Allow yourself to send kindness and compassion out to that person in whatever way works for you.
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Now allowing yourself to just gently,
Lightly merge those two wishes,
Breathing in warmth,
Compassion,
Kindness for yourself.
And it can help perhaps if it feels good to place a hand in the heart or the belly,
Or just having the two hands together inside themselves.
Combining that in breath,
Breathing in warmth and compassion towards yourself,
And on the out breath,
Breathing out warmth and compassion to somebody else.
Whether that's a feeling or a word you're using.
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Letting go of any unnecessary effort,
I invite you to allow this meditation to be easy.
Breathing in and out.
Breathing in kindness,
Love,
Ease for yourself,
And out for others.
Almost like the gentle movement of the sea,
The lake,
As the waves just continually,
Gently,
Walk back and forth,
In and out.
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I invite you to let go of the breath,
The purpose,
The wishes.
Just return to this moment,
The weight of your body in the chair,
Your feet on the floor,
Your hands on your legs.
And as you hear the bell just taking it in,
Savoring it,
Enjoying it.
And when you can no longer hear it,
Wiggling your fingers and toes and opening your eyes in your own time.
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