Giving and receiving compassion.
Go ahead and find a comfortable but supported seat.
And if you like,
Putting a hand over your heart or another soothing place as a reminder to bring not just awareness but loving awareness to your experience and to yourself.
Taking a few deep,
Relaxing breaths.
Notice how your breath nourishes your body as you inhale and soothes your body as you exhale.
Now letting your breathing find its own natural rhythm,
Continue feeling the sensation of breathing in and breathing out.
And if you like,
Allowing yourself to be gently caressed by the rhythm of your breathing.
Now focusing your attention on your in-breath,
Letting yourself savor the sensation of breathing in.
Really noticing how your in-breath nourishes your body breath after breath.
And as you breathe,
Breathing in kindness and compassion for yourself,
Whatever you need.
Just feeling the quality of kindness and compassion as you breathe in.
Or if you prefer,
Letting a word or image ride on your breathing.
Shifting your focus now to your out-breath,
Feeling your body breathe out.
Feeling the ease of exhalation.
Please call to mind someone whom you love or someone who is struggling and needs compassion.
And visualize that person clearly in your mind.
What do they look like?
Where are they?
And begin directing your out-breath to this person.
Offering this person the ease of breathing out.
And if you wish,
Sending kindness and compassion to this person with each out-breath.
One breath after another.
Now focusing again on the sensation of breathing both in and out.
Savoring the sensation of breathing in and out.
Beginning to breathe in for yourself and out for the other person.
In for me and out for you.
One for me and one for you.
And as you breathe,
Drawing kindness and compassion in for yourself and offering kindness and compassion to the other person.
And if it feels right,
You can adjust the balance.
So maybe two for you.
And one for me.
Or three for me.
And two for you.
Or just allow it to be an equal flow.
Consider what is best in this moment.
Letting go of any unnecessary effort.
Allowing this meditation to be as easy as breathing.
Allowing your breath to flow in and out like the gentle movement of the sea.
A limitless,
Boundless flow.
Flowing in and flowing out.
Letting yourself be a part of this limitless,
Boundless flow.
An ocean of compassion.
And now,
Ever so gently,
Releasing the practice.
And resting quietly in your own experience.
Being with yourself just as you are.
And when you're ready,
And in your own time,
Slowly and gently opening your eyes.
Thank you.
