Self-compassion,
Inviting you to come into a posture where you feel comfortable,
Supported and at ease.
Encouraging you to cultivate a mindset that feels open,
Curious,
Letting go of any expectations and accepting for what your experience is in this moment.
Closing your eyes or lowering your gaze,
Whichever you feel most helpful to you.
Taking a few deep breaths,
Slightly deepening our breath can have a calming effect on our nervous system.
Coming back to your natural rhythm now,
Focusing your attention on the sensations of the breath.
Perhaps it's the belly rising and falling or sensing the air at the tip of your nose.
Appreciating the energising quality of the in-breath and the calming quality of the out-breath.
Feeling the body softening and a sense of ease,
Space and release on the exhale.
Sensing the fullness of this moment.
And if you find the mind wandering,
Just knowing that that's completely natural,
It's just what the mind does.
And using that moment of awareness as an opportunity to bring your attention back to the breath.
And doing that as many times as you need to.
Encouraging you to gently accept your experience just as it is.
Bringing into awareness now a loved one or a friend.
Taking a moment to notice what you appreciate about them.
It could be some qualities that they have or maybe a memory that you've shared with them.
Lingering on this.
Noticing how it feels in the body.
Lingering on these pleasant sensations in the felt body can create a positive feedback loop in the brain.
Allow these sensations to fill your heart.
And if you feel comfortable,
Placing your hand on your heart.
Offering yourself compassion.
Noticing the connection between the hand and the heart.
The warmth this creates.
Inviting you to say silently to yourself,
May I know my worth?
May I offer myself compassion?
May I know peace and joy?
May I know my worth?
May I offer myself compassion?
May I know peace and joy?
May I know my worth?
May I offer myself compassion?
May I know peace and joy?
Gently acknowledging how this makes you feel.
Placing kind attention on the sensations in the body.
Embracing this moment as wholeheartedly as you feel able to.
Resting in this awareness.
Encouraging you to see your practice as an act of generosity to yourself.
Knowing that you can carry this sense of compassion with you.
Noticing how you feel now.
Gradually,
Slowly.
Becoming aware of the space around you.
Opening your eyes or raising your gaze.
And bringing any movement into your body where you would find it helpful.
