Loving kindness for the body.
There are different forms of kindness for the body.
Healthy diet,
Sufficient sleep,
Regular exercise,
Time and nature.
Yet we can underestimate the body-mind connection and how our thoughts about our body impact our perception of it and impact its health.
The good news is that a potent habit of kind and accepting awareness can be cultivated.
Let's practice this now.
And we support kind awareness with physical relaxation.
So starting by slowly feeling into your body.
Beginning to tune into just how the body is,
Tuning into whatever textures are present.
And you can let an organic roaming of attention unfold through the body.
Tuning into the feeling of the body here and now and relaxing any places of tension you encounter.
Like un-gripping a tightened fist.
Relaxing any places of attention that you find.
And accepting and welcoming the condition of the body as it is.
Especially uncomfortable areas or tension that doesn't want to relax at this time.
We don't want to make mental tension around physical tension that we can't let go of.
And now begin tuning into the weight of the body.
As if it were a stone at rest upon the earth,
Fully surrendered to its gravity.
Simply letting the body touch the earth,
Surrender to its gravity in this way is a kind of loving kindness.
Tuning into the direct sensations of the body's weight.
And at any time,
If tension reasserts itself or anxious thoughts come and bring a sense of dis-ease into the body.
Returning to this practice of un-gripping tension,
Like loosening a tightened fist and connecting to the weight of the body.
So continuing,
I will offer you a phrase to use as a foundation for kind awareness,
But feel free to modify it in any way that suits you.
Saying or thinking the phrase with sincerity is more important than the wording of the phrase.
The phrase is really a catalyst or perhaps a delivery system for the quality of kindness.
Now saying in spacious repetition,
And whether that's out loud or internally,
A phrase such as body,
May you be at ease.
Body,
May you be free from anxiety.
As much as possible saying or thinking the phrase from this kindness within you.
Letting the phrase spark this attitude of warmth and acceptance.
Body,
May you be at ease.
Body,
May you be free from anxiety.
Body,
May you be relaxed.
Body,
May you be free from pain.
And taking a moment and noticing the quality of awareness that comes about from saying these phrases.
Again,
Saying the phrases in spacious repetition.
Body,
May you be at ease.
Body,
May you be free from anxiety.
It may be helpful to connect with the heart center as you do this.
And you may intuitively have a sense of how to open the heart.
Opening the heart to this body.
This body that works so hard at maintaining its equilibrium day and night.
Despite whatever we put in it or put it through.
Body,
May you be relaxed.
Body,
May you be free from anxiety.
And finally letting go of repeating the phrase.
And checking in that whatever tension in the body can be relaxed is still relaxed.
Renewing the quality of softening.
Renewing the quality of surrendering to the gravity of the body.
Surrendering to its weight.
And if you like,
Try smiling just a bit.
And maybe part of you says,
Well that's fake or insincere.
But in this case you can fake it till you make it.
Smile,
Whether a half smile or a full smile.
And feeling the energy of the smile.
There's a subtle warmth,
Subtle sunshine in a smile.
Perhaps you'd like to invite that to expand and fill the body using the exhalation to breathe that subtle smile quality throughout the body.
And enveloping,
Blanketing the body in this quality of warmth.
In this quality of acceptance.
As if you were a parent who beheld their child with total acceptance.
Open the same quality of total acceptance to whatever the state of the body is here and now.
Breathing the energy of the smile throughout the body.
Particularly if there are problem areas in the body.
Chronic pain.
Or areas with a tendency towards sickness.
Breathing the energy of the smile into those areas.
And just taking a couple more minutes.
Being with the body.
With this openness.
This loving acceptance.
Just letting the body be exactly what it is.
Having a kind and accepting attitude for our bodies,
I think,
Can only be beneficial.
And when we are sick or as we age,
This attitude will become even more vital.
Even more a blessing.
In an atmosphere of kindness,
Healing,
If it's going to happen,
It is deeply supported.
We can't always have an externally kind environment.
Yet we can cultivate an internal atmosphere of kindness.
That we embrace the body with,
That goes with us wherever we are.
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