Cultivating self-compassion.
Letting yourself take three clearing breaths.
Sensing your feet being supported by the floor.
Grounding your energy by imagining a cord of energy,
A root going from the center of each foot into the earth.
Going down as deep into the earth as you would like,
So that you feel balanced and planted.
Now see if you can call into your field of awareness a challenge that you are presently facing.
Notice how your body feels.
What emotions arise.
What thoughts go through your mind.
Now placing that experience aside for now.
Invite into your mind the image of someone who really loves you.
This could be a person.
Could be an animal or a pet.
Someone who,
When you're with them,
You can feel the care that they have for you.
As much as you can,
Let yourself sense what it feels like in your body to feel deeply loved and cared about.
To feel and know that you matter.
Notice how your heart feels.
Now think of someone whom you really care about.
Again,
It could be a person,
A pet,
An animal.
And as much as you can,
Sense into that feeling of deep loving,
Of deep caring.
Notice how your body feels.
What emotions arise.
What thoughts go through your mind.
Now see if you can experience feeling loved and feeling loving at the same time.
If it works better to toggle between the two,
That's fine too.
Letting yourself touch in.
Letting yourself notice how your heart feels when you feel loving and when you feel loved.
Now see if you can return your attention to where you are holding the present time challenge.
If you like,
You can place your hand on your heart or let it rest on a place of comforting.
As you breathe,
Sensing the warmth of your hand soaking into your heart.
Letting your heart feel gently held.
Now see if you can send these feelings of being loved and loving into the heart of that tender place.
Bringing your comforting presence there.
Speaking as you would to a friend.
Acknowledging that it is very difficult to face this challenge.
That of course there are feelings of discomfort.
Be they fear,
Anxiety,
Uncertainty,
Or loneliness.
As you are facing this challenge.
These are natural human responses to difficult situations.
And with a breath just letting that acknowledgement soak into your heart.
Now letting yourself know that you are not alone in this experiencing.
That right now there are countless others,
Different circumstances.
But countless others experiencing these same feelings in this moment.
These feelings of discomfort are part of being human.
It's how your brain is wired,
It's not your fault.
Letting that recognition of I am not alone in these feelings in this moment.
Letting that sink into your heart.
And now let yourself wish yourself well as you make your way through this challenge.
Perhaps wishing that you find the strength and the support that you need.
That you find a sense of peace and steadiness when you need to.
That you find your way through even if you have no idea right now how you will do that.
Now imagine your heart soaking up this kindness,
These good wishes like sand absorbs the water from gentle waves.
May I and all others feel peaceful again.
May the pain of this moment pass away and may all hurts heal and all fears release.
Breathing it in,
Letting it rest.
Thank you.
