Hello and welcome to this guided meditation to help you cultivate greater compassion for your emotional experience.
As humans,
We all experience a range of emotions,
From those that uplift us to those that challenge us.
Sometimes,
We judge certain emotions.
We might believe that we shouldn't be angry or jealous or sad.
Today,
We will soften our judgments of these more difficult emotions and hold them with care instead.
To get started,
Find a comfortable seated position.
Let your eyes close gently when you are ready.
Or you can let your gaze soften towards the floor.
And now,
Take a moment to connect with the seat or other surface beneath you.
Know that this surface is supporting you now and throughout this practice.
Now scan your body gently from the base of your spine all the way to the very top of your head.
If you encounter any areas of tension that can be gently softened,
I invite you to soften them or to offer a loving breath in their direction.
When you are finished with this gentle scan,
Call to mind a time when you experienced a difficult emotion.
On a scale from 1 to 10 of intensity,
This should be an emotion that you would rate at a level 3,
4,
Or 5.
If at any point this practice feels destabilizing,
Return your attention to the felt sense of the surface beneath you or any other anchor that supports you.
As you hold this situation and emotion in mind,
Notice if there are any judgments attached to it.
Is there condemnation or self-criticism,
Either strong or subtle?
Is there righteousness,
Either strong or subtle?
Notice whatever judgments might be there and see if you can soften them as you exhale.
You might repeat and as you inhale,
Welcome self-compassion into your experience.
So instead of judging your emotions to be good or bad,
Right or wrong,
Notice the sheer fact of their presence and then invite a caring attitude to bathe them.
You can welcome self-compassion into your emotional experience by resting a tender palm on your heart or by offering yourself words of support and care.
You might repeat,
I witness my emotions without judgment.
I love,
Honor,
And care for myself.
I am here for myself through all of life's experiences.
Let these words or the loving presence of your palm on your heart help to soften the stories and judgments you hold about this emotion.
Rest in this self-compassion,
Continuing to soften your thoughts about the emotion at hand as you continue to cultivate care.
I witness my emotions without judgment.
I love,
Honor,
And care for myself.
I am here for myself through all of life's experiences.
Offer yourself a word of gratitude for this practice now.
It is not always easy to offer ourselves compassion.
And now take two or three clearing breaths.
Taking your time,
Whenever you are ready,
You can slowly open your eyes to come back to the room.
