Welcome to this meditation on self-compassion.
Today,
We'll take a journey inward,
Letting go of self-judgment and cultivating a softer,
Kinder way of speaking to ourselves.
Self-compassion is about treating ourselves with the same understanding and warmth we would offer a friend.
By embracing self-compassion,
We open the door to healing,
Growth and peace.
Find a comfortable position,
Either seated or lying down,
And gently close your eyes.
Begin by taking a deep breath in and slowly exhale.
Letting go of any tension.
Give yourself permission to be fully present in this moment,
With no need to achieve or change anything.
Start by noticing your breath as it flows in and out,
Allowing it to settle into a calm,
Natural rhythm.
With each inhale,
Feel a sense of calm entering your body.
And with each exhale,
Let go of any tightness or stress.
Now bring your attention to your heart centre,
The area in the middle of your chest.
Imagine a warm,
Soft light glowing here,
Gentle,
Soothing and comforting.
This light represents compassion,
And it grows warmer with each breath.
As you breathe,
Allow this light to expand,
Filling your chest,
Your arms,
And eventually your entire body.
This is a light of kindness,
Understanding and acceptance,
Here to remind you that you are worthy of compassion.
Now,
Think of a recent moment where you were hard on yourself.
Maybe you felt you didn't do something perfectly,
Or wished you'd acted differently.
Without judgement,
Just bring this moment to mind.
With each exhale,
Imagine releasing the weight of that criticism.
Allow the compassionate light within you to grow stronger,
Filling that space with warmth and forgiveness.
Repeat silently to yourself,
I release self-judgement.
I am doing my best and that is enough.
Feel the relief as you let go of harsh criticism and make room for compassion.
Now think of a friend or loved one,
Someone you care deeply for.
Imagine them going through a similar challenge,
Feeling the same way you did.
How would you speak to them?
What words of comfort or encouragement would you offer?
Now turn those words towards yourself.
Silently repeat,
I deserve kindness,
I am worthy of compassion.
Let this self-kindness settle into your heart and mind,
Knowing that you are deserving of the same understanding you'd offer others.
Imagine the warm light of compassion growing brighter,
Radiating from your heart.
Feel it expanding with each breath,
Creating a cocoon of love and understanding around you.
This is your safe space,
Where you are free to be yourself,
Without judgement,
Without criticism.
Allow yourself to bask in this feeling of comfort and acceptance.
Know that you can return to this space whenever you need it,
Whenever self-criticism arises.
Repeat these affirmations to yourself,
Allowing them to flow through your entire being.
I am gentle with myself.
I let go of self-criticism and embrace self-kindness.
I am doing my best and that is enough.
I am worthy of my own compassion.
As you repeat each affirmation,
Feel the truth in these words,
Letting them replace any self-doubt or criticism with understanding and peace.
As we come to the end of this meditation,
Take a moment to set an intention for self-compassion.
How can you carry this kindness with you throughout the day?
Perhaps it's a reminder to speak to yourself gently,
Or simply to notice when judgement arises and choose compassion instead.
Take a deep breath in.
And as you exhale,
Let go of any remaining tension.
Feel the calm,
Gentle energy of self-compassion flowing through you.
When you're ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
Take a moment to notice how you feel,
Holding on to this warmth and understanding as you go about your day.
Thank you for taking this time to embrace self-compassion.
Remember,
You are worthy of kindness,
Understanding,
And love.
Today and always.
