Your practice can offer you much love and support.
We often need to give ourselves some radical love and be kind to ourselves.
So to begin this practice,
Find a comfortable posture that you can be in.
You could choose to sit in a chair with your feet on the floor or on a cushion with your legs crossed.
You may also choose to lie on your back.
Just find yourself into this comfortable posture now and allow yourself to soften into the body.
Feeling into your connection between your body and the earth,
Whatever that might be.
Your back,
Your seat or your legs.
And just softening and allowing gravity to root you even further.
Finding comfort and ease in this body.
Noticing now the air as it envelops your skin.
And the fluidity of the body moving as you breathe in and out.
And becoming aware of your place in the space that you're in.
Knowing you are safe and held by the earth and here in this universe itself.
Being stable,
Connected,
Yet still moving.
Then allowing your awareness to open to sensations within your body as well as thoughts.
There's no need to push away or hold on to sensations or thoughts.
Just allowing all phenomena to arise and pass as it will.
And then choosing an anchor within the body.
Whether that's the body itself,
The breath,
Or your hands or feet.
And you may find that this practice is difficult so using your anchor to recenter yourself and then returning back to your practice when you are grounded and ready.
Begin by recalling moments of small acts of love you received in your life.
Moments that were not asked for but offered as a moment of kindness.
Maybe thinking back to childhood when you were cared for.
When you were fed and clothed or someone held your hand as you crossed the street.
Or maybe as recent as yesterday when a stranger opened the door or smiled as you passed by and maybe this elicits emotions and judgments and just allowing what is arising to be felt and accepted as best you can as you breathe in and out.
Having those small kindnesses that may have been forgotten.
And now placing your right hand on your heart.
Feeling the warmth and softness.
Maybe feeling your heart beating.
As you offer this heart that has kept you alive.
That pumps blood throughout your body.
The following phrases of radical love and kindness to your heart.
May you remember love.
May you feel worthy of love.
May love flow through you and from you.
And now placing your left hand on the area of your body where you feel your breath the most.
Maybe that's the belly or the middle of your torso.
The area of your diaphragm.
Even as you are held by your hands.
Nurtured and supported.
Offering your breath love and kindness.
May you remember love.
May you feel worthy of love.
May love flow through you.
And now offering phrases to yourself.
Not the concept of yourself but to the self that is aware of your heart beating and of your breath flowing in and out of the body.
May I remember love.
May I feel worthy of love.
May love flow through me.
May I remember love.
May I feel worthy of love.
May love flow through and from me.
And as you are held,
You are safe.
You are supported.
You are worthy.
And you are love.
Breathing in throughout your body,
Noticing sensations and changes in emotion.
Knowing you can use these phrases and this practice anytime you need self-care and need to love yourself because you are love and are worthy.
