Hello and welcome to this meditation for giving yourself compassion for failures and mistakes.
This meditation is tailored specifically to cultivate self-compassion.
Let's get settled.
Make sure you are comfortable.
Rest your hands and we will start with the breath.
Inhale and when you exhale try to relax.
Again,
Inhale.
And as you exhale let out a sigh.
One more time.
Inhale.
And gently exhale.
Relaxing as you release your breath.
Notice how your body feels right now.
The sensation of your feet.
Feel your bottom touching the cushion.
Relaxing the weight of the arms.
Be in your body right here,
Right now.
Now allow your attention to focus on your breathing.
The sense of inhaling and exhaling.
Noticing where you feel the breath.
Is it through your nose and mouth?
Or perhaps you feel it in your chest rising and falling.
We'll take a few moments just to rest with our breath.
Notice the peacefulness of being quiet.
And now I'd like you to bring to mind some aspect of your personality.
Or perhaps some mistake you made.
Or a failure that has been bothering you lately.
Something that perhaps you've been criticizing yourself for or that has made you feel inadequate in some way.
Whatever this trait or action is,
Try to get in touch with your feelings about it.
How does it make you feel?
Sad?
Frightened?
Isolated?
Inadequate?
How have you felt when you thought about this?
See if you can locate the sensations of the emotions in your body.
Perhaps it's a tightness in your throat.
A heaviness in your heart.
Or tension in the shoulders.
What emotions do you feel when you think about this mistake or inadequacy?
And where are those emotions felt in the body?
As you acknowledge them,
Allow them to be there instead of resisting feeling.
These are natural feelings that arise when we judge ourselves.
Instead of judging ourselves,
Just notice them.
What am I feeling?
Where are the emotions in my body?
We're going to get in touch with how much suffering is caused by our own self-judgments.
Due to our fears of not being good enough.
Some of our greatest suffering is caused at our own hands.
By the belief that somehow we should be perfect.
We are going to release this today.
Take your hand,
Or both hands if you prefer,
And place it gently over your heart in a calm,
Soft,
Comforting manner.
And we're going to repeat some phrases.
Loving kindness phrases designed to help you feel compassion for the fact that you are an imperfect being.
You try your best,
But no one,
No one on this planet is perfect.
We're all inadequate in some way.
We all make mistakes.
This is the human experience.
I'm going to say a few phrases out loud and then you can repeat them silently.
May I be safe.
May I be at peace.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
In the warmth of your hand on your heart.
May I be safe.
May I be at peace.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
As you repeat these phrases,
Really try to get in touch with the intention behind the words.
The intention to offer yourself kindness.
The intention to offer yourself compassion and acceptance.
As your mind wanders,
Which it will do,
Just refresh the phrases in your mind.
May I be safe.
May I be at peace.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
Picture giving yourself the same kindness and support and acceptance you would give to a good friend who was feeling bad about themselves.
Give this to yourself.
Remembering that everyone is in the same boat.
Every one of us feels inadequate in some way.
Everyone makes mistakes.
This is the human condition.
This is something we all share.
May I be safe.
May I be at peace.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
Again,
Put your hand on your heart,
Or if it's already been there the whole time,
Really feel your hand on your heart.
We've been focusing on comforting ourselves for painful feelings for suffering.
Now see if you can feel what compassion for the self feels like.
Can you feel the compassion?
Maybe your heart is tingling or feels warm.
Parts of you feel vibrant in some way.
Notice the good qualities of an open heart that's filled with compassion.
The beautiful feelings of tenderness,
Care,
And concern.
Noticing the joy of connectedness.
This is also part of the human experience.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
Now allow the mind to focus back on the breath.
Let's take a breath together.
Inhale.
Hold at the top and then relax as you exhale.
Again inhale.
Then slowly exhale.
Gently wiggle your toes and fingers.
Bringing your awareness back to the body.
And when you are ready,
Gently open your eyes and smile.
Namaste.
