Meditation for Self-Compassion

There are those days when we feel like we’ve screwed up or are just really mad at ourselves over something we did or said. Holding ourselves hostage to our our own anger and disappointment is usually very counter-productive. Use this meditation to help practice a compassion for yourself. Remember we all have bad days and we’re all doing the best that we can.

The breath affirmation for this meditation is:

I embrace the light of compassion within me
I acknolwedge the kindness within my heart

You can say this internally and match the length of inhale and exhale to each part of the affirmation.

Transcript

Welcome to Meditation with Mary Frances.

I'm so glad you could be here today and take some time to meditate.

This meditation is to cultivate a compassion for ourselves because we all have those times when we feel out of sorts or when we feel like we've really messed something up.

Maybe something at work,

Maybe something with a partner or the kids.

We just feel we haven't done a good job or we made an honest mistake.

And whatever it is,

We're really feeling bad about ourselves,

Bad about our actions.

And that's when we need to take time the most to acknowledge that we're doing the best that we can and that we all make mistakes.

None of us is perfect.

And one of the best ways to deal with that is to cultivate a compassion for yourself so that instead of continuing to focus on what you did wrong,

You can move on.

So let's do that through meditation.

Let's just start by getting comfortable either sitting on the ground or sitting in a chair.

Whatever is comfortable for you,

Whatever it is,

Just some place where you can sit with a fairly straight back if that's a comfortable position for you.

Go ahead and close your eyes.

And just listen to the sound of your breath.

The inhale and the exhale.

Let any noises or distractions around you just fade into the background and let your focus gently be on your breath.

And let your breath slowly begin to lengthen.

Let it deepen.

Let it slow down.

Don't force it.

Just take the time to genuinely let your breath slow down.

Don't force it.

Just take the time to genuinely let your breath slow down.

And one of the best ways I found to cultivate compassion is to actually clear out our inner space.

And so I want you to imagine that you can breathe in through the front of your body.

Your inhale just comes through the front of your body.

And as you exhale,

You exhale through the front of your body.

And as you exhale,

You exhale your breath out the back of your body.

On your next inhale,

Imagine your breath that you're inhaling it through the back of your body and then exhaling it out through the front of your body.

And I'm just going to continue that pattern for a few more moments.

Inhale,

Imagining your breath coming through the front of your body,

Exhaling it out the back,

And then inhaling your breath through the back of your body and exhaling it out the front.

Just do that at your own pace.

Imagining that you're breathing in through the front of the body,

Exhaling out the back,

Then reversing it and inhaling through the back of your body,

And exhaling out through the front.

And on your next inhale,

Imagine that you're breathing in through the back of your body.

And on your next inhale,

Imagine that you're breathing in through the left side of your body,

Exhaling out the right side,

Inhaling through the right side of your body,

Exhaling out the left.

Inhaling through the left side of your body,

Exhaling out the right,

Inhaling through the right side of your body,

Exhaling out the left.

And just continue that pattern at your own pace.

If your mind wanders,

Gently bring it back to following the breath.

And on your next exhale,

Just go ahead and let that pattern of breathing dissolve,

And just go back to breathing normally.

And now I just want you to imagine that you're on a river or in a pool.

Whatever is comfortable for you,

Whatever image is easy for you,

Just imagine yourself floating on water,

Fully supported,

But there's a buoyancy underneath you.

And your body is very,

Very relaxed.

Wherever you are,

It's a beautiful day.

The temperature is perfect,

And you're completely comfortable.

And you're just floating and drifting.

And in that floating,

There's just a very strong sense of serenity.

You don't have to do anything.

You don't have to be anywhere.

There's nothing but this moment of being supported and floating along.

And as you float,

I just want you to say to yourself,

I embrace the light of compassion within me.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

I embrace the light of compassion within me.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

I embrace the light of compassion within me.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

Just repeat that to yourself.

I embrace the light of compassion within me.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

And as you repeat that affirmation to yourself,

Just listen to the sound of these Tibetan bowls.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

I acknowledge the kindness within my heart.

And as the sound of the bowls fade,

Let the affirmation fade.

Let the image of yourself floating fade away and just come back into this present time and place.

And give yourself a hug.

You can do it mentally if you want.

Or you can wrap your arms around yourself,

But forgive yourself for not doing everything right all the time.

Forgive yourself for not being perfect.

Forgive yourself for having a bad day.

Treat yourself as well as you would your friends.

And just like you would have compassion for them having a bad day or messing something up,

Have that same compassion for yourself.

Thank you so much for taking time out to meditate with me today.

I'm so glad you did.

Reviews

I enjoyed the directional focus on the breath, and the flowing sense of it. The bells were very peaceful, and transitioned me out of the meditation time, and into the rest of my practice. Thank you for the artful sensibility you shared through this, with us.

Lovely needed that good guidance really appreciate so lovely thank you for your

Enjoyed this soothing meditation.

Loved this meditation. I had tears running down my face towards the end . Thank you x

Wonderful meditation! I enjoyed the breathing exercise and the mantra. Thank you 🙏

Exactly what I needed after a rough day. Thank you. Namaste.

I am so grateful for this meditation .. thank you

Best meditation experience I've had in a long, long time! Thank you from the bottom of my heart...

Lovely, thank you! 🙏

Really enjoyed it

Wonderful. Namaste

Great journey. Loved the bowls and awareness at the end. Thank you for sharing.

This was a great meditation and I loved the visual breathing aspect.

Thank you! What a wonderful mediation! I no longer felt incredibly and worried when my direct deposit paycheck didn't show last night ontime and this helped me greatly to stay at peace while I sorted it things out. Namaste 🙏

So beautiful thank you

Excellent, soothing meditation. Good for resetting your brain.

Fantastic! Exactly what I needed. Namaste! 🙏🏻