This practice is called compassion with equanimity and it's actually designed to be done in caregiving situations.
So imagine that you're with someone that you care for.
This could be their professionally in your personal life and the situation is stressful right?
You're finding you're getting a little frustrated or tired or burnt out.
Imagine that you are with the person you're caring for in your mind's eye.
Maybe getting in touch with the feelings of discomfort or distress that you have.
Also reminding yourself of the difficulty of the person you're caring for.
And first I invite you to allow these words of wisdom to just simply drop into your awareness.
Everyone is on their own life journey.
I am NOT the cause of this person's suffering nor is it completely within my power to make it go away even though I wish I could.
Moments like these are difficult to bear and yet I will try to help if I can.
So just allow those words to sink in as you imagine this caregiving situation.
And start to notice your own discomfort,
Your own distress,
Kind of validating the difficulty of being a caregiver.
And please put your attention now on your in-breath.
And just notice as you breathe in.
And imagine that as you breathe in,
You're breathing in compassion for yourself.
Breathing in compassion and understanding and warmth and kindness for your own struggle as a caregiver.
It's hard.
You might also imagine that you're breathing in a golden light,
A healing light filling your entire body.
And we also want to focus on the other person that we're caring for.
So again calling the image of this person to mind and reminding yourself of their struggle.
And now as you breathe out,
Imagine you're breathing out compassion for the other.
Right,
Metaphorically you're validating their pain and giving them warmth and care and concern.
You might also imagine as you breathe out that you're filling their body with the golden healing light going to every cell.
And now breathing both together.
So as you breathe in,
Breathe in for yourself.
And as you breathe out,
Breathe out for the other.
So one for me and one for you.
And if you need to,
Feel free to adjust the ratio.
Maybe it's three for me and one for you.
You need to focus more on the in-breath.
Or maybe you're drawn to focus more on the out-breath.
But just remember we need to breathe both in and out to live.
Let your breathing be easy and natural.
Just like the waves of an ocean washing in,
Washing out.
An ocean of compassion.
More than enough for me and more than enough for you.
Unlimited.
And then once again,
Allowing these words of wisdom to just sink in.
Everyone is on their own life journey.
I am not the cause of this person's suffering,
Nor is it completely within my power to make it go away.
Moments like these are difficult to bear,
And yet I will try to help if I can.
And then letting go of the practice and allowing yourself to be just as you are in this moment.
