Let's begin by finding a comfortable position,
Sitting or lying down,
Allowing your body to settle,
And taking this time for you,
Inviting you to close your eyes if that feels okay,
Or you can do this practice with your eyes open,
Whatever feels best for you today.
Taking a deep breath in,
And slowly letting go,
Letting yourself arrive here,
Now,
In this moment.
Then taking two more slow grounding breaths together,
Noticing the sensations of breathing,
Coming into stillness,
Allowing the natural breath to flow,
And feeling the support of the ground beneath you.
There is nothing you need to fix right now.
Now I invite you to gently turn your attention inward,
Noticing where you might have turned against yourself.
You may be experiencing uncomfortable and intrusive thoughts,
Images,
Urges,
Sensations,
Or maybe there's a feeling of tightness or a sense of urgency,
Or maybe a feeling of guilt,
Shame,
Anxiety,
Fear,
Or something else.
You might be judging yourself for the thoughts you're experiencing,
Or for having this internal struggle with yourself and your mind.
Whatever is here,
See if you can get a little closer in,
Just noticing this struggle.
And then let's begin with a gentle acknowledgement.
This is hard,
This is painful,
Something in me is struggling right now.
And recognizing that this is suffering.
You don't need to push it away or pretend it's not there.
I mean,
You don't need to figure it out right now.
Just naming it gently and know that it's okay to feel how you feel.
Allowing it all to be here.
And taking a breath.
And now we start to invite a sense of curiosity.
What's it like for me when I'm struggling like this?
You might sense what you're believing about yourself or your experience.
Perhaps it's,
I'll never get through this,
Or I'm bad for having these thoughts and OCD.
Or maybe there must be something wrong with me.
What's the core belief you're having?
I'm just noticing.
And now I invite you to bring your awareness to your body.
Observing,
What's it like to be in your body when you're struggling like this?
What sensations do you notice?
What does it feel like in your head,
Throat,
Chest,
Belly?
When you're feeling really bad about yourself?
And taking a moment here to feel your body.
Sensing the part that is hurting the most.
And see if you can tune in to find out what it most needs.
The part that is really struggling.
What are some of the things that are hurting you?
What does it need?
Does it need to be acknowledged and seen?
Or understood and heard?
Or loved and cared for?
Or something else?
And taking a moment here to acknowledge what that part needs.
And now you might like to bring your hand to your heart or anywhere else on your body that feels comforting.
And in this way we begin to turn towards ourself.
And see if you can offer yourself what you most need.
Perhaps it's words or a gesture.
Or maybe it's a soothing phrase.
You might say,
This OCD is really tough to deal with.
You're doing so well,
Keep going.
Or,
I know you're really struggling with these intrusive thoughts.
This is a moment of suffering and it's okay to feel scared and frustrated.
Or maybe it's,
I know you're really suffering right now.
It's okay sweetheart,
I'm here with you.
You're safe.
I got you.
It's going to be okay.
Or maybe you want to say something else.
So saying those words now.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
May I give myself the compassion I need.
And even though I'm suffering and I'm having these scary thoughts,
I'm still worthy of love and understanding.
Letting these words land.
And if there's a part of you that doesn't fully believe them,
That's okay.
We can also offer this part compassion.
You don't need to fully believe them,
But just offer them like a soothing balm.
As we come to the end of this practice,
Just remember that you can offer yourself some compassion at any time throughout your day.
When intrusive thoughts are loud.
When emotions are feeling strong and heavy.
When you just need a little bit of self-care.
Know this,
You are not your thoughts.
You are not your OCD.
You are the one who notices the thoughts.
The awareness behind them.
Just like the sky holds all the weather.
You hold all of your experiences.
The storms may pass through.
The winds may be so loud.
But the sky remains untouched.
You are the sky that holds all the weather.
You are whole,
You are worthy,
And you are loved.
Beginning to return to your breath now.
Feeling the rise and fall of your chest.
Feeling the body supported by the earth beneath you.
And taking one final,
Kind breath.
Letting it move through you with softness,
Acceptance and care.
And when you're ready,
Gently wiggling your fingers and toes.
Making any movements that feel light.
Feel good for the body.
And slowly opening your eyes and returning to your room.
