Welcome.
In this meditation,
We'll cultivate a sense of tenderness,
A sense of easy compassion for ourselves.
You know,
Tenderness is one of those things that can be difficult to give ourselves,
Especially during those times we need it the most,
During those times where we're really critical of ourselves,
We're feeling that sting of the harshness that we're showing ourselves.
And in those moments,
It's like you know you need to show tenderness for yourself and apply it like a soothing balm,
But oh my goodness,
It can be really difficult to switch in that moment,
Right?
So in this meditation,
I'll show you that it doesn't have to be that hard and we don't need to immediately make that switch.
In fact,
It's much more natural to allow a more fluid transition from perhaps a more hard,
Tense,
And critical feeling to one that is softer and more tender and more compassionate.
To begin,
We'll get comfortable,
We'll settle in.
If you're coming into this meditation,
Feeling a little on edge,
I invite you to give yourself permission to start to soften,
Kind of just a little bit.
How much can you let go?
How much can you relax right now?
And if you want to shift or move or make some motions that shake off or express any lingering feelings of not tenderness,
Of restoration,
Of anger,
I invite you to do so.
Shake it off,
Brush it off,
And then come back and see,
Can I give myself a little more permission to soften now?
And now we'll turn our attention to our natural breath.
The instinct might be to start to breathe a little more vigorously.
And if that feels good for you,
Go ahead and do so.
And after a few breaths,
Return to the natural breath.
We're giving ourselves permission to feel that residual,
Whatever it is that has you yearning for tenderness.
We're giving you permission to let it leave your system however it needs to.
And then turn your attention back to a natural breath.
So by cycling through these inner needs of yours,
You're allowing for a modulation,
A very natural process,
Shifting into tenderness,
Into compassion.
And now this natural breath as it is,
Notice that softness of the air as it travels into your body and out of your body.
When we're letting the breath be as it wants to,
There are times where it feels like it's very subtle.
And there's times when it feels like it's more present.
Welcoming all the different ways in which the breath naturally wants to show up in this moment.
And you may notice the longer you are with your natural breath,
The more constant it may become.
And now you can begin to tune into that natural rhythm.
Feel the texture of this rhythm,
How soft it is,
How it caresses the inside of your nostrils,
Your throat,
How it gently snakes down into your body and expands your belly and then contracts it.
This softness of your natural breath,
This also a tender touch of the air.
Feel into the tenderness,
The soft loving way in which breath moves in and out of you.
The light,
Effortless way in which the breath moves.
Without any effort or any will on your part,
Without any need to change yourself or to change your breathing.
Just allowing yourself to simply be.
And you may start to feel the air.
Maybe even feel that soft touch of the air on other parts of your body,
Almost as if it's holding you gently,
Tenderly.
Feeling this tender,
Loving touch of the element of air outside of you,
On your body and then inside of you as it travels in,
Oxygenating you and nourishing you.
I welcome you to intentionally surrender to this tenderness and surrender to receiving the breath.
Surrender to this gentle flow,
Allowing this tender touch of the air to dissolve any judgment,
Any pain,
Any harshness.
Allow it to soften the edges.
Allow yourself to melt into it.
Feel yourself tenderly being held just as you are.
And invite that tenderness into yourself towards yourself.
Inviting that soft,
Tender touch to meet any place of yours that you've been.
And in breathing with this softness,
This tenderness,
Know that you are breathing
