We tend to focus our love on the people we care about but for us to really connect with others,
We have to turn our love and our care toward the one person that we keep on the shortest leash towards the one person that we're hypercritical about ourselves we can often reject or feel uncomfortable about other people's care or attention when we feel we don't deserve it you do deserve it,
But it starts with you so it's worth cultivating self compassion it's not woo woo new age or anything like that,
It's as old as the hills it's about being comfortable with yourself,
Accepting yourself with no judgement as who you are this compassion practice is going to remind you that there's nothing special you need to do to deserve love you deserve love because you're here find a comfortable position,
It doesn't matter what position eyes closed or soft gaze in your mind's eye,
Visualize yourself somewhere beautiful somewhere you feel very comfortable it might be somewhere you've been or you should bring somewhere to life,
A beautiful garden the home of someone that you feel really comfortable with and bring yourself to life in the middle of a circle the circle is made up of people who love you there might be people in the circle you've actually never met but you've been inspired by there might be people in the circle that are close friends,
Family members,
Past or present but imagine yourself in the center of a circle made up of loving beings they're all looking at you with love little old you,
With your quirks,
Your eccentricities,
Your failings they're looking at you with nothing but love no expectations,
No judgements,
They don't want anything from you they just want you to know that you're loved can you receive that?
Can you allow yourself to feel warmth,
Attention and care from this circle?
I'd like you to silently repeat whatever phrase is you most wish for for yourself,
Not just for today but in an enduring way so what do you want for your life?
It might say things like may i be safe may i be happy,
May i be healthy may i live with ease silently repeat phrases to yourself things that you'd like to see in your life allow yourself to receive love from the circle and from yourself and notice what arises you might feel grateful,
You might feel emotional you might feel shy,
Like you kind of want to hide whatever emotion arises,
Just let it wash through you and perhaps keep repeating the phrases that you've chosen to yourself absorb the warm loving energy flowing in it's for you you don't need to do anything special or be anything special to deserve this acknowledgement and care it's simply there because you exist stay in the middle of the circle absorbing the love from yourself and from those assembled thinking now about sending some love back out to the circle some gratitude and love,
So picturing yourself sending some of that love that you've received back out to the circle and then expanding to all beings everywhere a beautiful reciprocity what you take in,
You can give back and when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes and come back to the space around you
