This is a compassion meditation by Maggie Stevens based on the work of Jack Kornfield.
Let yourself sit and be centered.
Pay attention to your breath.
Settle into your body.
You may be aware of your breath in your nostrils or your chest or in your belly.
Just feel the aliveness in your body as you settle in.
And you reflect that you yourself have joys and sorrows,
Part of the human experience.
And sometimes there are more joys and sometimes there are more sorrows.
And now bring to mind someone who is very dear to you.
When you see them,
You smile.
Picture them in your mind's eye and feel your heart open.
Notice how they're connected to your heart.
And then be aware that this loved one has their own measure of sorrows and suffering.
And feel how your heart opens in response to their suffering.
Then when you see their suffering,
Your response is compassion.
That is the way of the heart.
And inwardly we will recite some phrases.
If the words don't match your inner feeling,
Then use words of your own.
Start looking into your loved one's eyes.
Say,
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and suffering be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May you be at peace.
Then use the words that share the true feeling of your heart's intentions.
May you help be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
Now imagine that this person looks at you with their compassionate gaze and they are acknowledging your own measure of sorrow.
And they say these phrases back to you.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May you be at peace.
And look them in the eye as they offer you compassion.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
Accept their compassionate wishes for you and let them touch your heart.
If you like,
You can put your hand on your heart or your cheek,
Your brow.
Now take the compassionate wishes they've given you and direct these same wishes towards yourself.
May I be held in compassion.
May my pain and sorrow be eased.
May I be at peace.
May I be held in compassion.
May my pain and sorrow be eased.
May I be at peace.
And recognize that all of us,
All human beings have our own measure of sorrow.
And so now direct your compassion out to others.
It may be other loved ones,
Neighbors,
Friends,
Family members.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May you be at peace.
You may wish to extend it to groups like your neighbors or your community,
The people you work with.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrow be eased.
May you be at peace.
And you can also send it to groups of people.
People who are ill.
People who are in financial difficulty.
People who are homeless.
Caregivers.
Wish for them the same goodness that we wish for ourselves.
May you be held in compassion.
May your pain and sorrows be eased.
May your heart be at peace.
As we offer care,
We are not trying to fix people or the pain of the world.
We are only meeting pain and sorrow with our compassionate hearts and not looking away.
And if you feel overwhelmed by the sorrow,
Then turn back to yourself and give care and compassion to yourself.
Relax and breathe gently.
Let your breath and your heart rest naturally and centered.
Compassion is the heart's response to pain in the world.
May we all be held with compassion.
May all of our pain and suffering and sorrows be eased.
May we all be at peace.
And now take a deep breath or two and return back to your current space and time.
