Breathing Space With Compassion

The Breathing Space with Compassion is a short informal practice for when you encounter moments of suffering and require a mindful pause. The first phase invites you to mindfully meet the difficult experience, with an attitude of soften, sooth, allow: softening bodily tension, soothing painful emotions and allowing difficult thoughts. In the second phase you let your attention rest on the breath, allowing a Soothing Breathing Rhythm to emerge, a key practice in Compassion Focused Therapy. In the third phase you expand the field of awareness to the body as a whole, attuning to your deeper needs and allowing a compassionate wish to come up. Allow the words to flow through you on the rhythm of the soothing breath, if you like supported by an inner smile or a gentle touch. Mindfulness-Based Compassionate Living (MBCL), a deepening course created by Erik for those who have already followed MBSR or MBCT.

Transcript

This is a short practice for moments of suffering,

Particularly when you experience emotional pain or when you encounter a stressful situation requiring a mindful pause.

Here also there are three phases which may vary in duration.

In the first phase,

Inviting yourself to be present with open,

Kind awareness.

Acknowledging everything that shows itself,

Including the painful and the difficult.

Simply noting sensations,

Feelings,

Thoughts as they arise.

It may be helpful to name them,

For instance tension in the jaw,

The neck and the shoulders,

Tightness in the chest,

Discomfort in the stomach.

Noticing emotions,

Perhaps fear,

Sadness,

Irritation,

Shame,

Feeling vulnerable.

Noticing thoughts without losing yourself in their content,

Simply noting them,

For instance worrying,

Judging,

Criticizing.

Holding the difficult in a cradle of kindness,

Embodying an attitude of soften,

Soothe,

Allow.

Softening bodily tension,

Soothing painful emotions,

Allowing thoughts,

Whatever their content to come and go.

And then in the second phase,

Giving particular attention to the soothing breathing rhythm.

If the movements of the breath are hindered in any way,

Gently allowing them to slow down and deepen into a calming,

Comforting rhythm.

Letting the breath flow freely,

Allowing the body to gravitate towards the ground that carries you.

Perhaps supported by an inner smile,

A gentle touch,

Or the image of a safe place or a compassionate companion.

And then in the third phase,

Allowing for a more specific compassionate response to arise.

Expanding awareness to the entire body,

Attuning to yourself and opening your heart towards any pain or suffering you are experiencing right now.

Asking what could be a compassionate wish to myself.

And if words come up,

Softly repeating them.

Letting them flow through the body,

If you like,

On the rhythm of the breath.

For instance,

May I feel calm?

May I allow comfort and ease?

May I have courage to be with this pain?

May I be free from or within this suffering?

May I accept what I cannot change?

Sometimes a paradoxical wish can be very compassionate,

Such as may I feel this tension,

This fatigue,

This sadness?

May I experience this just as it is?

Do not hesitate to adjust the wish in response to what arises.

And when you are ready to do so,

Resume your daily activities.

Reviews

So lovely and soothing, thank you!!

I like this brief break for mindfulness and self compassion. I always need to practice both, but often forget. Thanks 🙏

So very helpful for me at this moment. Will practice what I have learned . Thank you❤🙏