Hello,
My name is Donna and it's my pleasure today to guide you back to calm.
This is your time to settle,
Soften and arrive.
Today I'm going to be taking you through a beautiful kindness meditation.
So when you're ready,
Take a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
Let your hands rest naturally.
Gently close the eyes if that feels comfortable.
Relax the shoulders and soften the jaw.
Take a slow breath in and a long breath out,
Sighing if you need to.
Do that as many times as you need,
So do that again,
Taking a slow breath in,
A soft and long breath out and allow your body to begin softening into the stillness.
Shift your attention to the physical sensations of being here.
Notice those points of contact in with the surface beneath you.
Feel the rise and fall of your chest,
Your abdomen as you breathe in and out.
There is nowhere else you need to be.
Let your shoulders loosen,
Your jaw soften,
Your belly relax.
Let go of any holding on and bring to mind the intention to be gentle with yourself.
You might silently say,
May I be kind to myself.
May I be patient with my own heart.
May I feel safe and supported.
Or you may have your own wording that comes to mind.
Just let those words wash over you.
Let the wishes rest softly with your breath.
And if you're finding that this feels difficult in this moment,
Be gentle and just notice that with kindness too.
Imagine,
If you will,
Each in-breath bringing warmth into your chest.
A soft glow spreading across your heart area.
With each in-breath,
That warm soft glow spreading and expanding through the whole of the chest area,
Your heart.
And with each out-breath,
Feel tension releasing.
And just inviting you,
Just for the next few breaths,
Breathing in kindness,
Breathing out ease.
And letting your breath soften into that rhythm.
Inviting you now to let a message of compassion form in your mind.
Something you might say to a very dear friend.
Perhaps it's okay to be exactly where you are.
You are doing the best you can.
And let these phrases wash over your heart.
Feeling the warmth,
Feeling the compassion that's behind these words.
If you have your own wording,
Then that too,
Let that wash over you.
And then let it settle gently in your body.
Let it nestle in and take root.
Now bring to mind,
If you will,
Someone you care about.
Picture them gently in your imagination.
And send them the same wishes.
May you be kind to yourself.
May you feel safe and supported.
May you experience ease.
See your words,
A beautiful gentle flow connecting you with that person.
And let the compassion flow naturally outwards towards them.
May you be kind to yourself.
May you feel safe and supported.
May you experience ease.
And gently see those words land within their bodies.
Inviting you now to let your awareness expand to include people you don't know well.
Perhaps neighbours,
Strangers,
Familiar faces in passing.
Hold them in a soft spacious sense of goodwill.
With each face that comes to mind.
You may want to affirm to them,
May all beings be treated with kindness.
May all beings feel peace.
May all beings be treated with kindness.
May all beings feel peace.
Inviting you now to bring your awareness back to your own breath.
And then back to the warmth at the centre of your chest.
Perhaps finding that beautiful phrase that has embedded itself in your body,
In your mind.
Perhaps noticing any sense of openness and calm or steadiness that's present within you in this moment.
There is no right way to feel.
Just be the silent observer of your own being.
When you feel ready,
Taking a slow deep breath in and a gentle breath out.
Gently wiggling the fingers and the toes.
And when you're ready,
Opening your eyes.
I just want to thank you for sharing this moment with me.
And until next time,
Be gentle with yourself.
