So let's do a bit of compassion practice if you would sit quietly.
Find a way to be comfortable.
It's hard to do these heart practices of loving kindness,
Which you'll do with Sharon and compassion,
If your body's killing you,
You know.
So sit reasonably comfortably.
Let your eyes close and just come back into the presence.
The only way you can be truly present is with loving awareness,
With compassionate attention.
Otherwise you can't bear the fullness of your human life with its joys and sorrows.
So breathe gently.
Just come into the presence of this body,
Seated halfway between heaven and earth in this vast sailboat,
Resting here.
And as you sit quietly,
Let yourself think of someone that you love a lot,
Someone where the love is natural and easy.
And as you think of someone where you love them and it's not too complicated,
Picture them in your mind's eye or hold them in your heart.
Envision them as if they're there in front of you,
Wherever you can see them easily,
However.
And as you think of and remember and picture them,
Feel the natural love you have for them,
The care that is there,
The sweetness when the heart opens,
The connection of love,
The appreciation.
And as you picture them now,
Let yourself also become aware of the measure of sorrows they carry.
Like all human beings,
They have a measure of hurt or loss,
Of bodily pain or fear,
Confusion.
Like all human beings,
They carry a measure of difficulty.
And as you see their struggles,
Their fears,
Their pains,
Notice how naturally the heart of compassion opens in you,
A tenderness.
And let yourself say quietly inside a kind of sweet and caring intention in words,
May you be held in compassion,
May your pain and sorrows be eased,
May you live with a peaceful heart,
And let this compassionate gaze,
May you be held in compassion and surround them,
May your pain and sorrows,
Fears be eased,
May you live with a peaceful heart.
And feeling this natural compassion and care for them,
Now let yourself sense that they are looking back at you with the same eyes of care and compassion.
And they gaze at you and see your measure of tears,
Your struggles and losses and sorrows.
And they wish the same for you.
They look at you and they say,
May you too be held in compassion.
Receive it from them,
This love.
May your pain and struggles be eased,
And may you live with a peaceful heart.
Now take one hand and put it on your heart and take these words in for yourself.
Just what they wish for you,
What your loved ones wish for you,
You now take in,
May I hold myself with compassion.
May my pain and struggles and sorrows be eased,
And may I live with a peaceful heart.
And feel what part of your body is calling for compassion and tenderness.
You can know.
Held in compassion.
And what part of your heart and mind,
The loneliness or longing,
The tears or worry,
Pain,
Is calling to be held in compassion.
Hold yourself in mercy.
May my pain and sorrows be eased.
May I live with a peaceful heart.
And inviting the great heart of compassion to awaken in you,
It is your birthright.
Stay with this compassion and let your eyes open now.
Staying with this and gaze around at the beings around you.
Pick one or two and see that they too carry their measure of sorrows.
They each have their fears and losses and struggles like all human beings.
And wish them well.
May you hold yourself in compassion.
May your sorrows and struggles be eased.
May you live with a wise and a peaceful heart.
And later we'll practice so that we let this compassion spread from the sailboat out across the seas to creatures and beings that you love and that you know and those you don't know and those you don't love and all of those kind beings everywhere.
