You can begin by finding a comfortable,
Upright position that is both relaxed yet alert,
Allowing the eyes to close or softly focusing on a spot in front of you.
Taking a deep breath,
Inhaling through the nose and exhaling out of the mouth.
Relaxing with the exhale,
You can allow the belly to soften,
Breathing naturally.
Allow yourself to let go of any expectations,
Any demands,
And bring your attention to whatever is present.
Beginning to notice the sensations where your body meets the chair or cushion.
Allowing sounds to pass through your awareness,
Perhaps noticing smells or tastes.
And in a moment,
You can bring your attention to the sensations inside the body.
Noticing the feeling at the crown of the head,
Relaxing the brow,
And now continuing to scan downward throughout the body,
Relaxing into whatever is felt,
And noting each sensation with as little judgment as possible.
Once you have scanned the body,
You can begin to observe the natural rise and fall of the breath,
Like waves in the ocean,
Coming and going,
All on their own.
If you find yourself distracted by thoughts or feelings,
You can firmly but gently return your awareness back to the breath.
You can now deepen your concentration by resting your attention at the spot where the breath is most noticeable to you.
This might be the sensation of coolness as you inhale,
The warmth of the exhale,
Or the rise and fall of your chest or stomach.
Still allowing the breath to be an anchor,
You can begin to imagine your heart softening and opening,
Much like flowers bloom in sunlight.
You may even begin to notice sensations of warmth or soft light emerge within your body.
If it's comfortable,
You can place your hand over your heart.
In a moment,
You can silently recite the following phrase,
I offer myself as much compassion and love as I can in this moment.
Or you can alter the phrase to whatever feels right,
Repeating the phrase again and offering it just as you would to a friend.
As you continue to recite this phrase,
You may feel love and compassion for yourself.
If it's difficult to feel,
It's not a problem.
The feeling is a common side effect,
But it's not the point.
Making the effort is the most important part.
I offer myself as much compassion and love as I can in this moment.
And now for a moment,
You can savor any positive experience you've had in this meditation.
As you again begin to notice the sensation where your body meets the chair or cushion,
Allowing sounds to pass through your awareness.
Perhaps noticing smells or tastes.
Well done showing up for yourself today.
Even if this was difficult,
You can appreciate the fact that you tried.
We don't change overnight and often need to move toward neutrality before acceptance.
The further along you move,
The more you'll recognize that you are much,
Much more than what your inner critic says.
After all,
You've already shown that you can make it through a lot.
So be easy and kind to yourself as you go throughout the rest of your day.
