Take a few moments to get comfortable.
You may want to sit upright or lean against a cushion.
If you prefer you may want to practice lying down.
Just find a way to position your body that allows your breathing to be relaxed and natural.
This practice is dedicated to cultivating the quality of equanimity which can help us to quiet our inner critic.
Equanimity is the power to retain a balanced state of mind when responding to a variety of experiences.
Our inner critic is quieted when we develop this power.
We are then able to stop labeling our experiences as positive and negative.
We are able to stop picking on ourselves and find stillness.
Let's start by becoming aware of the experience of stillness.
Allow your breath to settle into a natural rhythm without forcing it to be any different than it is.
Breathe in and feel the sensation of breathing.
Breathe out and feel the sensation of breathing.
Don't try to force a certain experience,
Just breathe.
Now draw your awareness to the small space between your inhalation and your exhalation.
It may be easiest to do this by taking a short pause between breathing in and breathing out.
Inhale,
Pause,
Exhale.
Inhale,
Pause,
Exhale.
Continue breathing in this way,
Focusing on the sensation of the pause between breathing in and breathing out.
Inhale,
Pause,
Exhale.
Inhale,
Pause,
Exhale.
Return to your natural breath without pausing between breaths.
As you breathe,
Explore ways to experience the same stillness in your body as you found in your breath.
Settle on a point of stillness to focus on for the remainder of our practice.
It may be the ease found in your breath or you may experience a sense of calmness in a physical place in your body.
Take a moment to identify this sensation.
As you keep your focus on this point of stillness,
Bring to mind someone you have criticized recently.
For this practice,
Choose someone that is neutral to you over someone who elicits a strong response in you.
Once you've identified this person,
Remind yourself of your critical thoughts of them.
Now,
Keeping this person in your mind,
Can you picture them being embraced by the sensation of stillness that you have found?
Without labeling your interaction as good or bad,
Can you simply envision this person held safe in a place of well-being and peace?
Next,
Bring to mind a time you have been critical of yourself.
Holding this experience in your mind,
Can you picture yourself being embraced by the same sensation of stillness?
Without labeling your interaction as good or bad,
Can you picture yourself held safe in a place of well-being and peace?
For the next few breaths,
Bring to mind recent judgments made against yourself and others.
As each criticism arises,
Allow your point of stillness to expand and envelop each experience.
Rather than seeking to transform each experience,
Simply observe the sensation of staying calm and balanced.
If you become lost in thought,
Simply repeat,
May I connect to the calm sensation of equanimity and return your focus to the sensation of stillness?
May I connect to the calm sensation of equanimity?
For the next few moments,
Continue to practice by allowing your criticism and judgments to come and go,
To pass through the point of stillness without causing waves.
As we end our practice,
Remember that this point of stillness is always present.
When you feel critical or harmful thoughts arise,
Shift your focus and perceive the sensation of equanimity with appreciation and gratitude.
May you connect to the calm sensation of equanimity.
May you feel peace.
May you feel loved.
