The purpose of this practice is to assist you in overcoming creative blocks or inspiration blocks that are connected to being criticized too harshly either by others or even by yourself.
The antidote to this kind of harshness can be cultivating compassion.
This is a compassion practice in the tradition of mindfulness and it can help you to develop your own self-compassion which we can also call loving kindness.
Loving kindness is a very specific energy or feeling in my experience and it can be very helpful when you want to carry on with your work but you just feel inexplicably blocked.
This practice is ancient.
It comes from the Zen Buddhist tradition popularized in this country by Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Thanh.
There are many practices in the Zen Buddhist tradition.
This is the one that Thich Nhat Thanh determined is the most appropriate for the West.
Now it's incredibly popular and it's been extracted from the Zen Buddhist tradition to stand on its own.
There are many studies documenting the benefits of this practice and I'll list those benefits in the description of this track.
Let's begin the practice.
Breathing naturally and smoothly,
I encourage you to close your eyes so that you can bring your awareness inside of yourself.
Notice if during our process together some of your defenses or harshness come back.
Bring awareness into your thinking and as thoughts arise,
Witness them with open curiosity.
In other words,
Don't interact with your thoughts but watch them,
Allow them,
Perhaps label them,
Thoughts of future,
Thoughts of past,
Speculation,
To-do lists and then if you can,
Let them go.
It is always appropriate to bring your awareness fully into the now as much as you can letting go of excess thinking about the past or excessive thinking about the future.
Allow yourself to be anchored in this now through your senses,
Aware of your breath,
Aware of the taste in your mouth,
Aware of the sounds in your space,
Aware of the sensation of gravity,
Aware of clothing against your skin.
Breathing.
Bring your awareness into your belly.
Notice what you feel there and consciously allow your belly to soften.
If you've been holding your belly in,
Allow it to relax.
Allow your criticism of your belly to be suspended just for a little while,
Allowing your criticism of yourself to be suspended just for a little while.
Allow your entire being to soften,
To open and allow yourself to be perfect,
Just as you are.
Can you allow your imperfections to be a perfect part of your unique existence?
Soften your belly,
Let your belly hang out.
Soften your breath.
Allow your zone,
Your immediate energy field to be a safe zone,
A safe place.
During our practice together as much as you can,
Suspending self-criticism and criticism of this moment now.
Breathing,
Allow your breath to flow,
Settling down,
Calming down.
Notice if there's anything in this moment now that you're resisting or criticizing sounds,
Sensations,
Thoughts,
Status quo.
Can you let that go right now?
Maybe just try for a little while,
Letting go of all critical thinking.
Nothing to do right now,
Just practicing letting go of the past,
Just for a few breaths,
Letting go of thought or speculation of the future.
Becoming more sensitive to the air around you,
To the sensation of life within you as your breath flows,
Your heart beats.
Your body goes on making this magic,
This miracle of life that allows you to be here now.
Breathing consciously,
Practice relaxing,
Softening your head,
Your eyes,
Your temples,
Your neck.
You can move if you want to.
Practice consciously relaxing your shoulders,
Softening your arms,
Your hands.
You are in your own space and this is a safe space.
Breathing practice,
Consciously relaxing your chest,
Belly and back,
Your hips,
Legs and feet.
Feel your entire body softening,
Opening,
Relaxing.
Notice if your breath changes as you soften,
If your thoughts change as you soften your entire disposition.
Now we'll practice the traditional ancient,
This is thousands of years old,
It's survived because it works,
Compassion or loving kindness practice.
Begin with yourself,
You can say these words after I do silently or out loud or you can just allow them to wash through your being,
Just listening.
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful,
May I be free from suffering,
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be safe from inner and outer danger.
May I be well in body and mind.
May I be at ease and happy.
May I walk in peace.
Breathe and sit with this feeling for just a few breaths.
Now with your imagination,
Visualize someone you love or care about,
Someone who's easy to love,
See them in front of you and express these sentiments to this loved one.
May you be happy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free from suffering,
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer danger.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
May you walk in peace.
Just for a few breaths,
Notice how this feels.
Soften a little bit more.
Soften a little bit more.
Now visualize or imagine a problematic person in front of you,
Someone in your life or in your awareness.
And we'll express these sentiments to this challenging person in your life.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer danger.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
May you walk in peace.
Now sit with this feeling for just a few breaths.
Finally,
We'll open our hearts to all sentient beings.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings be filled with loving kindness.
May all beings be safe from inner and outer dangers.
May all beings be well in body and mind.
May all beings be at ease and happy.
May all beings walk in peace.
Sit with this feeling for just a few breaths.
Place both palms on your heart,
Palms touching your chest.
Sensing this energy you've cultivated flowing now from your heart to yourself and to all sentient beings.
We may call this loving kindness.
Sense how safe you are with yourself.
Drop your hands in your lap and when you're ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you for practicing with me today.
