Self Compassion Meditation
Nurturing self-compassion with breath and guided imagery. Understand explore self-compassion through Stillness and nurturing. Day 3 of a self-compassion meditation challenge 2022. Certified meditation teacher, hypnotherapist, licensed therapist, and art therapist.
Transcript
Hi,
This is Michelle Swern.
I'm a certified meditation teacher and a licensed therapist.
Welcome to day three of our self-compassion meditation challenge.
As I mentioned yesterday,
These aren't meant to do in order.
You can do today's and skip tomorrow's,
Or you can do them based on the topic that's listed,
Or if you're really working to build a daily self-compassion practice.
Um,
This could be the way that you do that on a daily basis.
So feel free to use it as it fits your practice and your life.
And today we're going to talk a little bit about the definition of compassion.
I looked up the definition in like the Webster dictionary and it's basically was to say,
Pitying someone suffering.
And I definitely didn't feel like that fit with how compassion feels to me or the experience of compassion,
And definitely not how I want to necessarily approach self-compassion.
I don't feel like I need to pity myself more than I already do,
Or to pity myself in a way that that would be beneficial.
You know,
Compassion has always felt positive and beneficial to me.
And warm and pity seems to be something more negative.
So I kept looking,
Kept searching for a deeper definition.
And so I looked back at the Latin root and it basically boils down to compassion is defined as to suffer with,
To suffer alongside,
To experience suffering together,
Which to me aligns more with what compassion means.
It aligns also with empathy.
You know,
The idea that if you're in pain,
I can feel your pain.
And I think that empathy definitely helps to build compassion,
But I still feel like there's a missing component there.
It doesn't paint the full picture of what compassion has felt like to me as I've experienced it from others or given it to myself.
And so I kept looking.
I am Jewish and so I looked at the Hebrew word for compassion and it is Rehmet and it translates to womb of compassion or womb of love.
And there was a lot to chew on with that.
And there's a couple of things that resonated with me about having a womb of compassion or a womb of love for yourself or others.
And one is that it is a nurturing,
Unconditional space that the compassion is implied that it just happens no matter what,
That you are given this space and that there is someone holding that space for you,
The mother.
But it doesn't have to be just defined by that other person.
It's that it's also just you're planted there.
And this is a space where you get nurturing and energy and your needs are met.
And someone else helps you meet those needs because you are vulnerable during that time and unable to meet those needs yourself.
And then it also implies that that's a temporary state.
That there's a time where being in that womb of compassion is healthy and nurturing and needed to live.
And there's a time where if you did not exit that womb,
That it would be detrimental to your health and the health of whoever was holding that space for you.
So I think it resonated a little bit deeper to me that meaning of the womb and the nurturing aspect of compassion and the nurturing aspect of self-compassion.
So our meditation today is going to focus a little bit more on that idea of nurturing yourself.
And in the new year,
Sometimes we can get enticed by new resolutions,
New things going on,
New goals.
And that's a lot of positive energy sometimes.
Sometimes it can be a lot of pressure.
And so one form of nurturing myself,
Especially after,
You know,
The year and a half of the pandemic and learning ways to slow down and seeing how that actually feels.
And now in a world where we're still dealing with those stresses of the pandemic,
But also some other previously normal life expectations and events are starting to occur again.
That,
You know,
Sometimes you get the pressure to go jump back into that stuff and you forget to give yourself permission to slow down.
So today we're going to do a guided visualization where we give ourselves a little space,
A little time,
A little permission to nurture ourselves and give ourselves that permission to slow down.
So when you're ready,
Find a comfortable spot.
If you're new to meditating,
Maybe try something different today.
If it didn't feel quite right laying down or sitting up yesterday,
If you noticed tension that didn't go away when you were doing your meditation,
Try a different position.
Whenever you're meditating,
The number one goal is to get as comfortable as possible so we can focus on our breath,
Which then allows us to make our mind a little more still,
More effectively as well.
So find that space,
Take a breath or two to slow down and settle in.
When you're ready,
Gently close your eyes.
And I invite you to take a deep breath in with me for three seconds through your nose.
And then at the top of that,
Hold that breath for three seconds.
And then exhale through your mouth for six seconds.
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Take a deep breath in through your nose.
And at the top of that breath,
Hold it in for a few seconds.
Exhale through your mouth.
As you do,
Roll down your shoulders.
Relax your jaw.
And find a normal,
Comfortable pace of breath.
Then I invite you to imagine you are sitting in front of a cozy fire.
Maybe you're indoors.
Maybe it's outdoors at a bonfire in a nice cozy place.
Look into the fire and just take a few deep breaths and notice how you feel.
Notice what you smell or see.
Notice if this space feels nurturing to you.
Cozy,
Safe.
If it does,
I just encourage you to take a deep breath in through your nose.
Relax your jaw.
Relax your nose.
Relax your jaw.
Relax your nose.
Relax your nose.
Relax your nose.
Relax your nose.
Relax your nose.
If it does,
I just encourage you to continue to keep this image in mind,
Sitting by the fire.
Relaxing.
Picking up a mug that's nearby that has a warm beverage in it.
Hold that beverage in your hands.
Hold it near your chest.
Feel that warmth next to your heart.
You can even place your hand on your heart or imagine holding that mug right next to your heart.
Put your hand close there to feel that warmth.
And take a deep breath in of your drink smelling a scent that might be nurturing to you.
Feel that warm steam rising from the glass as you take that deep breath in and enjoy that smell.
As you exhale,
Just relax.
Then take the mug and take a sip of the drink of your choice.
As you breathe in,
Notice the cool air filling your nose and notice that air filling your nose.
Notice that air filling up your entire lungs and your core all the way to your toes.
Just like if you were to be drinking that warm drink on a cold day in front of a cozy fire.
How that warm drink can just spread that warmth throughout your body.
And as you exhale,
Notice how your breath is much warmer.
Notice that temperature difference.
Maybe you'll continue to take a couple sips of your drink or breathe in that warm air.
Or maybe you'll just notice that temperature change as you breathe in through your nose.
And your body warms up that air.
And as you exhale,
And you feel that warmer air exit your body.
You deserve permission to slow down.
You deserve to nurture yourself.
And those small things that you're trying to do,
Those small things that you're trying to do,
Those small things that you're trying to do,
Those small things that you're trying to do,
You deserve to nurture yourself in those small simple ways.
Whether it's in our imagination,
Or you grab a tea or a coffee or another nurturing drink,
Or you're trying to do it in real life,
And take that five minutes or that 20 minutes just to slow down.
It's a great way to nurture yourself.
Practice self-care and compassion.
As you're ready,
Set down the mug.
Wiggle your fingers and your toes.
Take one last deep breath in and let go of any tension.
And slowly open your eyes.
Thank you for meditating with me today.
I hope you have a great one.
