Enjoy this healing with self-touch meditation whenever you feel the need to bring a little extra kindness to yourself and your body.
Keeping an open,
Curious mind throughout the exercise as best you can,
Knowing there is no right or wrong way to feel.
Bringing kindness to any discomfort that might arise.
Trying to put aside any judgments and noticing what happens.
Using this opportunity to engage in kindness towards yourself through touch.
I invite you to start by finding a comfortable sitting position in which you feel relaxed but alert.
Being aware of your body in this posture.
Noticing what the body feels like both inside and out.
Noticing the body from head to toe to fingertip.
Noticing any tension or tightness you might be holding in various areas of the body.
Breathing in relaxation and on each out breath imagine the tension leaving the body as best you can.
Now closing your eyes and letting the attention rest on the breath at the belly.
Being with the direct physical sensation of the breath.
Feeling the breath flowing in and out.
The belly rising and falling.
And when the mind wanders away to a thought or a sound or to another body sensation,
Simply noticing without judgment and gently escorting your tension back to the breath at the belly.
Being aware of breathing in and breathing out.
Being alert to the moment when you become aware that the mind has wandered from the breath.
And simply knowing this as a moment of mindfulness,
Of waking up.
Enjoying as best you can this process of becoming more aware,
Centered and relaxed in the present moment with your body and your breath.
Now bringing your attention to your hands.
Noticing the sensations inside the hands.
And imagine your hands are beginning to fill up with kindness.
However you can imagine that happening.
Your hands are full of kindness,
Caring,
Warmth,
Tenderness.
Lifting one hand and placing it on the opposite arm.
Letting it be a gentle touch.
A touch that feels caring and kind.
Noticing what this feels like.
The sensation of touching.
Noticing your reaction.
What is going on through your mind.
Feeling your touch and noticing without judging what thoughts might come up.
Continuing to lovingly touch your arm with kindness.
Next moving both hands to your thighs.
Gently placing them wherever is comfortable.
Perhaps generating a sense of appreciation as you allow tenderness and kindness to flow from your hands to your thighs.
Completely relaxing and allowing tenderness for all the feelings that this touch may bring up.
If stories about a part of your body arise,
Simply noticing and letting them go.
Feeling the warmth of your hands and continue touching with kindness.
Now slowly moving your hands to your belly.
Allowing your hands to rest with the movement of your belly as you breathe in and out.
Feeling the belly rise on the in breath and deflate on the out breath.
Continuing to feel the kindness from your hands.
And noticing any reaction.
Keep coming back to a sense of holding yourself in tenderness as best you can.
Finally placing both hands over your heart.
Being aware of your breathing at the heart center.
Feeling the caring quality of your heart.
Letting it come through your hands.
Letting any thoughts that arise just come and go.
Coming back to a sense of tenderness and caring.
In the last moments of this meditation,
You can continue resting your hands where they are.
Or if you feel there's another part of your body that could use a tender,
Caring touch.
Leave your left hand on your heart and moving your other hand to that area that needs some extra care.
Breathing,
Healing with self touch and the caring energy of the heart.
Feeling the healing energy from your heart to your hands.
Continuing to rest with a sense of warmth towards yourself.
Now beginning to shift the body's position,
Taking a deeper breath.
And slowly bringing your attention back into the room.
Remembering that you can always use your own healing touch to bring a greater sense of ease and peace to your body,
Heart and mind.
Be well and savor every moment.
