Giving and Receiving Compassion

This is one of the core MSC (Mindful Self-Compassion) meditations, developed by Chris Germer and Kristin Neff.

Transcript

Finding a comfortable position. Open your eyes and taking a few deep relaxing breaths. Allowing yourself to feel the sensation of breathing in and out. Notice how your breath nourishes you as you breathe in and soothes you as you breathe out. Allowing your breath to find its own natural rhythm. Continue to feel the breath as it enters your body and as it leaves your body. And if you like you can put a hand over your heart to remind you to bring loving awareness to your experience in this meditation. Now focusing on the in-breath. Letting yourself enjoy the sensation of breathing in one breath after the other. And in bringing loving awareness to the in-breath you might find a word that is carried on each in-breath such as love, Compassion, Ease or peace. Well you might imagine inhaling warmth or light. Finding whatever you need in this moment. Breathing in whatever you need in this moment and then simply exhaling. Breathing in whatever you need in this moment and then simply exhaling. Breathing in whatever you need in this moment and then simply exhaling. If you find your mind wandering just very gently bringing your focus back to the in-breath. And in bringing loving awareness to the in-breath you might find a word that is carried on each in-breath. And in bringing loving awareness to the in-breath you might find a word that is carried on each in-breath. And now calling to mind someone else to whom you would like to send goodwill. This might be someone you love or it might be someone who's struggling and is in need of compassion right now. Visualize that person clearly in your mind. And with the image of that person clearly in your mind now shifting your focus from the in-breath to the out-breath. Feeling your body breathe out and sending something good with each each exhalation to this person. This person that you love or this person who needs some compassion right now. Breathing out whatever you feel this person needs right now. And with the image of that person clearly in your mind now shifting your focus from the in-breath to the out-breath. And with the image of that person clearly in your mind now shifting your focus from the in-breath to the out-breath. And now feeling your body breathe both in and out. Breathing in something good for yourself that word or warmth or light whatever you felt you need right now. And breathing out the good thing for the other person the person you love or the person who needs compassion right now. Breathing in for yourself and breathing out for the other person. One for me and one for you. One for me and one for you. Thank you. Okay. Allowing your breathing to flow into your body and to leave your body like the gentle movement of the sea in and out. Letting yourself be a part of this limitless boundless flow. Breathing in and breathing out. One for me and one for you. And if you need to you can bring in more for yourself and a little less for the other. Whatever you need right now. Whatever feels in balance. Maybe you need to bring in a lot for yourself. And then what you have left can go out to the other. Whatever feels right. Okay. Okay. Okay. And as you breathe out now feeling free to send love and compassion to any other people you would like to send it to. Even to groups of people. Even to the world in general if you like. Whatever feels natural. Breathing in for yourself and breathing out for the others. Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. And now as the meditation is coming to a close just gradually and gently releasing the practice. And in your own time opening your eyes and bringing yourself back to your daily life.

Reviews

Thank you! Just what I needed to help me regain some self-compassion and compassion towards others in these trying times 🙏

Powerful and simple. Thank you.

Excellent guiding leaving me time to implement the concept in silence. Thank you

Breaking down the breath as you do during this meditation was really helpful for me, sometimes I can over focus and feel like I have a tight chest but this meditation really relaxed me. Thankyou

Very helpful. Thank you!