Welcome to the self-compassion meditation.
Just settling into a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down.
The intention here is to be nourishing to yourself.
Just allowing awareness to fill your body.
Settling your mind into its natural state.
Just feeling relaxed,
Clear.
Keeping your eyes soft,
Forehead soft.
And becoming aware of your breath.
As you're breathing,
On the inhalation,
Sensing the breath coming in and sensing the nourishment of the breath.
Perhaps you're aware of something you're needing right now,
Ease,
Calm,
Strength,
Love,
Focus,
Clarity.
Breathing in and allowing whatever it is,
Whatever need that is,
To come in on the inhalation.
Maybe even saying that word.
On the exhalation,
Just releasing,
Relaxing.
Breathing in,
The nourishment,
The nourishment of the breath,
Or whatever the need is.
Breathing out,
Just releasing,
Relaxing.
And just continuing this for a short while.
Then freshness,
Dried,
Ventilated.
And now,
Bringing someone to mind who's struggling,
Someone who's having a difficult time,
Either mentally,
Emotionally,
Or physically in their life.
And as you're breathing in and bringing in the nourishment for yourself,
Seeing if you can bring a particular attention to the out-breath and directing that out-breath to whoever this person is.
Offering this person nourishment or ease or strength,
Whatever it is that you are offering to yourself,
Sending something good to this person,
Sending some warmth,
Some kindness,
Some ease as you exhale.
Just clearly visualizing this person in your mind and sending whatever that goodness is with each exhalation.
In for me,
And out for you.
Down for you.
We wish to use this Hayesγ And you can also expand this now,
Sending your out-breath to a group of people or perhaps to all people.
Feeling the in-breath for you and feeling the out-breath for one or more people.
And you can also expand this now,
Sending your out-breath to a group of people or perhaps to all people.
And breathing in for ourselves,
Breathing out for others.
And now,
Finally,
As we bring this practice to a close,
Just acknowledging that choice,
That active choice of taking this time out of all your daily busyness for your own health and well-being.
This is an act of self-care or even self-love,
So some way of acknowledging yourself for taking this time.