Allowing your eyes to close,
Or if you would prefer to remain partly open with a soft gaze,
Whichever is more comfortable for you.
And begin by taking a few deep breaths,
Allowing your shoulders to relax away from your ears.
And as you relax,
Taking a few moments to allow yourself to imagine a place where you feel safe,
Comfortable,
And relaxed.
And this can be a real place or a made-up place.
Whatever it is,
It's a place that allows you to breathe comfortably and let go of any worry.
Perhaps this place is in nature,
A beach,
A place in the woods near a creek,
Or maybe it's a corner of your room,
Or the comfort of a good friend's house.
It might even be an imaginary place,
Like floating on a cloud.
Wherever it is,
Imagine this place in as much detail as you can.
The sounds,
The smells,
And most of all,
What you feel like in this place.
Now soon,
You'll receive a visitor,
A warm and kind friend.
This is someone who loves you completely and accepts you exactly for who you are.
This can be a real person,
Like a friend of yours,
A grandparent,
A favorite teacher,
A character from a book you've read,
A pet,
Or even a hero or heroine from a comic book or movie.
Or it can be someone that you create in your own mind.
This is just someone,
Real or imaginary,
Living or dead,
That loves you and accepts you exactly for who you are.
Imagine this being in as much detail as possible,
Especially how it feels to be in their presence.
Soon,
You'll be greeting your compassionate friend.
You have a choice.
You can either go out from your safe place to meet your friend,
Or you can invite them in.
So,
You imagine you're doing this right now.
Allowing yourself to sit with this being at just the right distance,
Feeling completely comfortable and safe,
Completely accepted and loved.
And taking a moment to notice how you feel in the presence of your compassionate friend.
This friend is here with you now and can understand exactly what it's like to be you,
Exactly where you are in your life right now,
And understands precisely what you struggle with.
And this friend accepts and understands you completely for who you are,
Perhaps better than anyone else.
This being,
Your compassionate friend,
Has something important to say to you,
Something which is just what you need to hear right now.
See if you can listen closely for the words they want to share,
Words that are comforting and supportive.
And if no words come,
That's okay too.
Just enjoy being in the presence of your compassionate friend.
And now,
Maybe you have something to say to this friend.
This friend is a very good listener and completely understands you.
Is there anything you'd like to say?
Enjoy your friend's good company for a few last moments and wave goodbye to your friend,
Knowing you can invite them back whenever you need to.
You're now alone in your safe place again.
Let yourself savor what just happened,
Perhaps reflecting on the words you heard.
Before this meditation ends,
Please remember this compassionate friend is a part of you.
The presence you felt and the words you heard are a deep part of yourself.
The comfort and safety you may be feeling is there within you at all times.
Know that you can return to this safe place and to this compassionate friend whenever you need to.
Gently opening your eyes if they were closed.
