Welcome,
And thank you for joining me on this 10-minute guided self-compassion meditation.
While it's a short journey,
It is a journey of presence in cultivating kindness.
Begin now by quieting the body and finding a comfortable position.
As you relax into the support beneath you,
Whether in a chair or on the floor,
And gently close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Whichever is most comfortable,
And listen to the quality of your breath.
Is it slow and ragged,
Or is it smooth and easy?
Whatever it is,
Work to deepen it,
Slowly increasing its quality,
And when ready,
Exhaling slowly,
Letting go of any tension.
Feel your body rooting down just a bit more into the support beneath you,
As you begin to notice the gentle rise and fall of your chest.
With each inhale and exhale,
Bring your awareness to your body now,
Allowing any sensations to come up without judgment,
Just simply allowing yourself to feel in this moment.
Connecting with what you're feeling by adding your breath just a bit deeper,
Allowing it to be,
Allowing yourself to arrive in the here and now.
Gently place one hand over your heart,
Bringing your awareness to your heart space.
Feel the warmth and the softness against your body,
The warmth of your hand,
The beating of your heart,
And if it feels comfortable,
Repeat these words,
Either aloud or to yourself internally.
May I be kind to myself.
May I embrace all that I am.
May I be kind to myself.
May I embrace all that I am.
As you continue to breathe,
Sinking your breath to the words,
May I be kind to myself.
Feel the warmth of your breath spread under your hand and through your chest,
Spreading gentle kindness into your heart space.
And in your mind's eye,
Picture this warmth expanding,
Soothing you from the inside out.
And just for a moment,
Picture a time in your life where you felt you were not enough.
A time that was hard for you,
Where you did not live in the fullest experience,
Or you simply did not acknowledge compassion.
And in that moment,
As it plays out,
Say to yourself,
I know it's okay to be imperfect.
It's okay to make mistakes.
I am human and I am doing my best.
Let this affirmation fill your body,
Softening any harshness or any self-criticism,
Allowing you to fall deeper into those words,
May I be kind to myself.
I am human and I'm doing my best.
Now bring your mind to any struggles,
Any difficulties,
Or any challenges in your life right now.
Think about them and feel what's happening within your body.
Gently offer yourself a deep and full breath,
Filling your lungs with compassion and grace,
And say to yourself,
May I be gentle with myself.
May I know that I am not my struggle.
Allow yourself to feel the sense of warmth and care as you breathe in,
Knowing that you are human and you deserve kindness and understanding.
Say again,
May I be kind to myself.
I am human and I'm doing my best.
I am gentle with myself in my struggle.
Now taking another full deep breath,
Imagine this beautiful compassion and kindness that you're cultivating for yourself,
Extending beyond you,
Rippling like water.
Picture this compassion growing outward,
Touching every being who is struggling,
Touching every being who needs compassion,
Touching every soul that's just like you.
And as you picture this compassion,
Imagine that light and love,
Kindness and grace enveloping you from your feet all the way to the top of your head,
Putting your body in white light,
Extending 10 times your physical form.
Say to yourself aloud,
I am free from suffering.
I am one with all that is beautiful,
Kind,
And right.
My natural state is ease and happiness.
My interconnectedness allows the compassion within me and around me to be within everything I think and do and feel.
Everything I touch and experience allows me to know I am kind.
I deserve to be kind to myself and to others.
With another deep and full breath,
Let this thought sink into your heart.
You're not alone in your struggles.
You're not alone in your compassion.
Take a moment now to take another full,
Deep breath.
With your inhale,
Feel the kindness filling your body.
With your exhale,
Release any heaviness that remains.
It's okay to let go.
It's okay to be kind,
Even in your hardest moments.
With one last breath,
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and bring your awareness back to the space around you,
Filling the light,
Filling the warmth to take forth with you in this moment.
Not only today,
But each day that you have the privilege to wake and experience your beautiful humanness.
Anytime you need to remember that you are doing your best,
That kindness exists within you,
Come back to this practice.
The journey will be waiting for you again.
With one final breath,
Together we say,
The light in me honors the light in you.
Namaste.
