This meditation on self-compassion will help you to be kind to yourself when you're feeling overwhelmed,
Judgmental,
Or critical of yourself or others.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position either seated or lying down in which you feel at ease and relaxed.
Feel the body.
Let your body release its weight up to the earth.
Right now you don't have to do anything or make anything happen.
You can let go and be here resting.
Now bring awareness to the difficulty you're facing.
It may be self-judgment or feeling irritated with others.
It may be feeling overwhelmed,
Helpless,
Upset,
Or sad.
It could be some fear or worry you have around the climate emergency.
Often we don't take the time to feel and be with these emotions.
We try to push them away,
But now we open to them.
So acknowledge that you are suffering.
Notice it and take it in.
Allow it to be here.
There's nothing wrong with these emotions.
They are part of being human.
See if you can even give this emotion space to be here,
Either in your mind and heart or by physically creating more space.
Maybe by leaning back if you're sitting down or softening,
Opening in the chest and belly to give this emotion or these feelings more room.
Let them take up space,
The space that they need.
Give them permission to exist,
To be here.
They are parts of us,
And like crying children,
They need our attention.
Now be aware that the painful emotions you're experiencing,
Whether climate-related or not,
Are experienced by everyone to some extent.
Remember that you are not the only one experiencing this suffering.
The suffering is not unique to you,
But belongs to all of humanity.
It can be so hard to bear pain when we feel we're alone.
So open yourself up to the collectiveness of this pain.
Maybe you know others close to you who have similar suffering or who have suffered these painful emotions in the past.
Let yourself feel the shared nature of these feelings and open to how common,
How normal,
How prevalent they are,
How they affect everyone,
Not just you.
They are part of life,
And you are not bad or wrong for experiencing them,
Nor are you alone in feeling them.
Now,
Having acknowledged our pain and touched its shared nature,
We bring kindness to ourselves,
Just as we would care for a child or baby crying in distress.
If you like,
You can bring your hand to your heart or simply with tenderness and friendliness,
Tell yourself,
I care about this suffering.
I want to be here for it and take good care of it.
Offer whatever gesture of kindness you feel is appropriate to what you're experiencing in this moment.
You might take some deep breath,
Or make soothing understanding sounds to yourself,
Or allow yourself to rock or sway gently,
Maybe even holding yourself in a kind embrace as you relate to this suffering with tenderness and care.
And when you're ready,
Allow yourself to ground yourself again in the feeling of your body sitting here,
And slowly open your eyes.
If it feels right,
You could set the intention to allow this feeling of compassion and care for yourself to stay with you throughout the day.
