Hi,
This is Sibylla.
Today I'd like to offer you to take a self-compassion break.
We all go through stressful or difficult situations in life.
Maybe you are in one of those situations right now,
Something where you'd like to offer yourself a bit of kindness and care.
Or maybe you just want to practice self-compassion.
In that case,
Feel free to bring to mind any situation from your life.
Over the next ten minutes,
I'll guide you through the three steps of mindful self-compassion using the situation you've chosen.
The first step is mindfulness,
The second,
Common humanity,
And the third,
Self-kindness,
Self-friendliness.
Whatever you choose to work with,
Please make sure it's something that feels mild or only moderately stressful,
So you don't get overwhelmed.
And if at any point during this practice you notice that your feelings are becoming too strong or overwhelming,
Please take care of yourself.
Bring your attention to something else,
Like the floor beneath you.
Open your eyes,
And if it feels like too much,
It's absolutely okay to stop the practice.
To begin,
Take three deep breaths,
All the way down into your belly.
And as you exhale,
Trying to let go of any tension,
Letting your shoulders drop,
Letting your face be soft.
Maybe you can feel the ground underneath you,
Your seat or cushion.
Noticing where your body makes contact with the surface beneath you.
And maybe just for a moment you can allow yourself to feel supported and held.
And then,
If it still feels okay for you,
Bring to mind that challenging situation,
The one that's causing you stress or bringing up some kind of pain or difficulty.
Let the details come into your awareness.
You said what?
Where were you?
Try to step back into the situation for a moment and let yourself feel what it brought up in you.
And now tune into your body.
Where in your body do you feel the stress or pain?
The emotions connected to this difficult experience?
Maybe you feel numb.
That's okay too.
Maybe you're not really connected to your body right now.
That's also part of this moment.
This turning your attention toward your body and its sensations,
That's mindfulness.
You might want to say something to yourself like,
This feels uncomfortable in my body.
Ouch!
Or this is a moment of pain.
A difficult moment.
A moment of suffering.
And then remind yourself,
These painful moments that sometimes bring suffering,
They are part of being human.
All living beings experience pain or struggle in some way,
Even though the details vary between people and situations.
Maybe you can imagine that there's at least one other person out there who's feeling something similar to what you're experiencing right now,
To what you're feeling right now.
And maybe you can say to yourself,
I am not alone.
Now I invite you to offer yourself a comforting and gentle touch,
Maybe by placing your hand on your heart region or somewhere else that feels soothing and right for you.
Feel the gentle pressure and maybe the warmth.
Of your hand on your body and allow yourself to offer kindness,
Perhaps especially because this moment is tough.
You might want to say to yourself a kind wish like,
May I be kind to myself.
May I give myself what I need.
And see what fits.
Do you need a more gentle or soft kind of compassion or something a bit more strong and empowering?
A gentle tone might be,
May I accept myself as I am.
May I care for myself in this moment.
A stronger tone might be,
May I find the strength and courage to make a change.
No,
I won't let myself be hurt like this.
And if it's hard to find the right words,
Try imagining a good friend going through exactly what you're going through.
What would you say to them?
Let those kind and caring words come to you and then direct them toward yourself.
And then gently begin to let go of this practice.
Take a moment to notice how you feel.
And when you're ready,
Slowly come back in your own time,
Maybe with some gentle movement.
And to finish,
You might want to ask yourself,
What's the kindest thing I can do for myself right now?
