This meditation is to help you care for yourself when you're experiencing any painful situation,
Whether it be as a slow reflective journey or a way to just calm your inner system in the heat of the moment.
Find a quiet place to sit,
Do what you can to prevent distractions,
Be seated in any meditative posture and allow yourself to be comfortable.
Activate your abdominal region to maintain an upright spine with its natural curves.
Place your hands on your knees or in a mudra of your choosing.
Slightly draw in your chin and rest your gaze on the space just ahead of you and if you prefer now is the time to gently close your eyes and mouth.
Let's start by taking a deep breath in through the nose and out through the nose.
Rest your attention on your breath,
It will be your anchor throughout this meditation.
First let's conjure up a thought or experience that brings you difficulty in your life.
Maybe it's stress or a relationship issue or a painful memory or something you fear will happen.
Choose a situation that is in the mild to moderate range.
Allow the situation to play out in front of you as if you are watching it on a movie screen,
Except you're not in a cinema with popcorn,
You're in the meditative posture you are in now with your eyes closed.
Get in touch with this situation and bring the situation to life in your mind's eye,
Noticing there's a distance between you and the situation.
Do your best to simply observe the situation as it plays out in your mind.
Here's a quote from the Buddha,
You yourself as much as anybody in the entire universe deserves your love and affection.
Now we'll go through three components practicing self-compassion.
Number one acknowledgement.
It's important to acknowledge what is happening and to be clear that this is a moment of suffering.
Dealing with the situation starts with bringing a quality of mindfulness to the suffering.
Be aware of how you're feeling in this moment.
You can find some words to express how you're feeling and feel free to express yourself orally as you do this.
You can use exclamations like ouch,
Hey,
Or no.
You can string together sentences to elaborate what you're feeling such as this is happening,
You affected me,
It's painful to think about this,
Or I'm fearful of this happening to me.
Whatever it is,
You can say it now and find the words.
You can also utter noises and don't be afraid of how you may sound.
Just let it out.
The second component is understanding.
Suffering is a part of life.
Suffering exists because we need to learn something.
But the fact is we get to choose how we want to deal with it.
Again,
Feel free to orally express yourself.
You can remind yourself with short affirmations like this is not abnormal,
There is nothing wrong with feeling this way,
Or I'm not alone,
We all struggle,
I can overcome the situation,
I'm capable of anything.
This is how it feels when people struggle in this way.
Component number three is physical healing.
Gentle physical touch is an effective way to heal and show compassion towards yourself.
Place your right hand on your heart and feel the warmth coming from your hand.
Notice how your hand can feel loving just from a simple touch.
Allow your hand to bring healing into the present moment.
Use a soothing touch that you know works for you and which feels kind and gentle.
Feel the connection and how it can relax and support you.
You can accompany this gesture with words as well,
Such as I can be kind to myself,
This feels good,
Or I am love,
I feel secure,
This is comforting.
Are there any words of kindness or reassurance that you'd like to hear right now?
If you're having difficulty finding the words,
Think of what you would say to a dear friend going through a similar situation.
Perhaps,
I'm here for you,
It's going to be okay,
I care about you,
Perhaps,
I'm here for you,
It's going to be okay,
I care about you.
Take some full deep breaths now and follow the flow of your breath from beginning to end,
From the start of the rising in your chest to the end of the falling of your abdomen.
Feel the goodness of taking in air to replenish oxygen in your body and feel the goodness of emptying your lungs and wanting more.
Allow your natural breathing cycle to release stress from the body.
Take a moment to repeat this mantra,
May I be well and free from suffering,
May I forgive myself and carry myself lightly with grace,
May I be strong and safe in the face of adversity,
I am worthy of acceptance and compassion,
I do not need to understand the situation,
I just need to be gentle with myself,
I am love,
May I be well and free from suffering,
May I forgive myself and carry myself lightly with grace,
May I be strong and safe in the face of adversity,
I am worthy of acceptance and compassion,
I do not need to understand the situation,
I just need to be gentle with myself,
I am love,
May I be well and free from suffering,
May I forgive myself and carry myself lightly with grace,
May I be strong and safe in the face of adversity,
I am worthy of acceptance and compassion,
I do not need to understand the situation,
I just need to be gentle with myself,
I am love,
May I be well and free from suffering,
May I forgive myself and carry myself lightly with grace,
May I be strong and safe in the face of adversity,
I am worthy of acceptance and compassion,
I do not need to understand the situation,
I just need to be gentle with myself,
I am love,
May I be well,
Happy,
Free from suffering,
May I forgive myself and carry myself lightly with grace,
May I be strong and safe in the face of adversity,
I am worthy of acceptance and compassion,
I do not need to understand the situation,
I just need to be gentle with myself,
I am love,
Any sensations to be just as they are,
Letting yourself be whatever you are in this moment,
This is a time for you to show compassion towards yourself and remind yourself that whatever you're feeling is okay,
You're not alone and you have the ability to be gentle with yourself and work through this difficult time in the power of love.
Namaste.
