Find a comfortable position and then gently close your eyes.
Do not listen to this while driving or operating heavy machinery.
Sense the body breathing itself and just allow yourself to feel heavy.
And be supported by the surface beneath you.
Just shifting until you find comfort in your position and allow yourself to just settle in,
Sinking deeper.
And just notice how tough it is to be tired and exhausted and not being able to sleep just yet.
It's so tough when you want to sleep but you're not able to.
Or it's tough when you're feeling maxed out or you have a busy mind.
Just acknowledge that it's difficult.
When we're exhausted and sleep-deprived,
It's hard.
And with loving and kind attention,
Notice the feelings that arise when you give yourself space to feel compassion and care for your exhausted state,
Your overworked body,
Your tired self.
Observe whatever emotions are present with tenderness and care.
Breathe and just let the emotions be and then notice how they feel in your body.
Where is the exhaustion or frustration or stress?
Where is it in your body?
Begin to start to tune into those sensations wherever you notice them in your body.
Getting curious,
Where does that feeling reside?
And just allowing yourself to label the emotions the best you can.
Fear feels like this.
Sadness feels like this.
Frustration feels like this.
Anger or disappointment feels like this.
By naming your emotions,
You become the witness of them.
You become the even greater awareness that can hold them.
And just focusing in on one emotion in your body that you notice.
And then notice the physical sensations.
Imagine you can feel that part of your body from the inside out.
Is it hot or cold?
Is it gripping or tight?
Is it throbbing or searing?
Clenched?
Solid?
Gently labeling the sensations you feel by saying them quietly to yourself.
Whatever you are noticing is okay.
You are okay.
Now invite these sensations to become stronger.
Let them grow and increase.
We often try unsuccessfully to push them down.
So tonight we'll get curious and make space for the all the little bits to do what they want.
To open.
To grow bigger.
Let the emotion expand further to fill up the space around you.
To fill the room,
Your house,
The whole sky.
Let the feeling become vast.
And notice how it changes.
It might intensify and get stronger and then start to soften.
Maybe it feels a little less personal.
More like a strong current moving through you.
Sometimes another emotion or physical sensation comes up.
Now that you've really felt this discomfort in your body,
Letting yourself feel the emotion fully,
It provides an opening for practicing self-compassion.
Compassion moves towards suffering and pain.
Now I want you to imagine cuddling with a furry friend,
Hugging a loved one,
Or pulling a warm and cozy blanket around you to snuggle with.
Or you can imagine being gently held,
Given a hug or an embrace,
Something that feels nurturing and supportive.
See if you can hold yourself in compassion and tenderness.
Saying the phrases of self-compassion to yourself gently and with kindness.
Saying,
I'm having a hard time right now.
Everyone feels this way sometimes.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
May I give myself the compassion I need.
Again,
I'm having a hard time right now.
Everyone feels this way sometimes.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
May I give myself the compassion I need.
And really accept the compassion you're giving to yourself.
Feel this energy flow through your entire being.
Just sensing this warmth of compassion flowing through you.
Feeling the compassion sink into every cell of your body.
And just noticing how the heart feels.
Getting curious again about any discomfort in the body.
Just noticing and allowing it to be there.
First,
Softening around the edges of any discomfort.
Saying,
Soften,
Soften.
And then imagine being able to soothe the discomfort.
Saying,
Soothe,
Soothe.
And then just allowing it to be there.
Just as it is.
Saying,
Allow.
This is the way it is.
Allow.
Just noticing what happens when we let the emotions just be.
And how things transform.
Hold yourself with this compassionate awareness.
Turning inward and saying to yourself,
I see you.
I love you.
I see you.
I love you.
Just noticing the emotions.
I see you.
I love you.
Whatever you're feeling right now is okay.
Turning deeper inward.
I see you.
I see you.
I love you.
You're doing a wonderful job.
You're amazing.
Look at how you created space for exactly what you needed.
This is so beautiful.
So tender.
Appreciating your body for being the home for your soul here on earth.
What a marvelous joy it is that you've inhabited this changing,
Growing,
And evolving body all these years.
And celebrating the heart beating steadily all these years,
Every minute of your life without fail.
And celebrating your emotions as a life force energy coming to teach you,
Coming to help you grow.
Remembering you experience strong emotions because you care,
Because it matters,
Because you matter.
I see you.
I love you.
I love you.
Every day expanding into more and more loving awareness.
Building compassion for yourself and others.
You are worthy.
You are whole.
You are complete.
Just rest and relax.
I see you.
I love you.
