Welcome to the practice of Affectionate Breathing,
Which comes from the course on Mindful Self-Compassion by Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff.
Please find and feel into a posture in which your body is comfortable and will feel supported for the length of the meditation.
Softening your eyes,
You can allow them to close or just gaze softly downward.
I invite you to take a few slow,
Easy breaths,
Noticing and letting go of any tension in your body.
If you like offering yourself soothing or supportive touch as a reminder that we're bringing not only awareness,
But affectionate awareness to our experience and to ourselves.
You can leave your hand there or release your hand and keep the energy of kindness.
In this meditation,
We will be feeling the breath in our bodies.
However,
Focusing on the breath can be uncomfortable for some people.
If you feel that way,
It's perfectly fine to simply return your attention to the sensation of soothing or supportive touch,
Or rather than focusing on the breath,
Feeling into your entire body,
Swaying gently back and forth as you breathe.
Only if it feels right,
Please begin now to notice the sensation of breathing within your body,
Feeling the body breathe in and feeling the body breathe out.
Perhaps noticing how your body is nourished on the in-breath and relaxes with the out-breath.
Just letting your body breathe you.
There is nothing you need to do.
Now noticing the rhythm of your breathing,
Flowing in and flowing out.
Take some time to feel the rhythm of your breathing,
Perhaps inclining your attention toward your breathing as you might toward a beloved child or pet or a dear friend.
Feeling your whole body subtly moving with the breath,
Like the movement of the sea.
Your mind will naturally wander like a curious child or little puppy.
When that happens,
Just gently return to the rhythm of your breathing.
If you notice that there's a sense of watching your breath,
See if you can let that go and just be with your breath,
Feeling it.
If it feels right,
Allowing your whole body to be gently rocked and caressed.
Caressed from the inside by your own breathing.
Just breathing,
Being breathing.
And now,
Gently releasing your attention to your breathing,
Sitting quietly in your own experience,
Allowing yourself to feel whatever you're feeling and to be just as you are.
We'll end with a poem titled My Balm by Jane O'Shea.
I close my eyes and sigh,
And here I am lying in the hammock in my heart,
Moving gently with the soft air of my breath.
When I fall from my head past my words,
I'm caught lovingly by the hammock of my heart,
And rocked to its rhythmic beat.
It is my peace,
My rest,
My quiet,
Cradled in the hammock of my heart.
It is constant.
It is safe to be held in the hammock of my heart.
No place to go,
Nothing to do,
Nobody to please.
It is my altar,
My blessing,
My balm,
Here in the hammock of my heart.
I invite you to take a breath in and out,
Gently begin to wiggle your fingers and toes,
Moving your body in a way that feels good to you in this moment,
And then gently opening your eyes and returning your awareness to the space where you are.
