This is a guided visualization for empathy and compassion.
Get comfortable with your chest and back upright,
Straight but soft.
Now raising our hands.
And we drop into our body,
Allowing the hands to drop,
Letting out a sigh.
Repeating this,
Raising our hands and letting them fall onto our thighs,
Letting out a sigh.
Repeating this one more time,
Raising our hands.
Just dropping into the body,
Letting the hands fall to the thighs,
Letting out a sigh.
And for a few minutes,
Your mind may still be running.
Just let it slow down gradually.
Don't try to force anything.
Breathing in and out.
Feeling your presence here in this space.
Just watching the thoughts run by or float by without getting caught up in them.
If it helps telling your thoughts,
I'll get back to you.
I'll come back to you.
Symbolically putting a pin in them and coming back to the present right here.
We're not trying to stop the thoughts or empty our minds,
But rather just letting go of the story.
Letting go of our attachment to the tasks.
Or the events that happened just before we sat.
Just creating some space in the mind to watch.
What's happening?
Feeling the ground firmly under your feet.
Or if you're lying down,
Feeling your body supported.
Just allowing the monkey mind to.
Slow down on its own.
As we've said before.
Just allowing the mind to slow,
Bringing the attention back to the present.
Flexing that muscle of attention.
Every moment the mind wanders is just another opportunity to practice flexing that attention muscle.
Letting go of judgment.
Evaluation And even at this point,
If it's helpful.
Letting out a sigh.
Helping to center the body.
Center the attention here.
Once you feel those thoughts and chores and obligations,
Growing a little bit further away,
Perhaps getting a little quieter in the mind.
We'll bring our attention to someone that you've interacted with either today or yesterday.
You don't have to think of anyone in particular.
There's no right or wrong in terms of who you pick for this exercise.
But just consider someone neutral.
Someone you don't like or don't dislike.
So not someone you have an intense hatred for,
Not someone you're madly in love with.
Just somewhere neutral.
Maybe someone at work.
Maybe someone who helped you at the store or a restaurant.
Maybe someone you passed at the gas station.
Or just someone you saw taking a walk outside your house.
To bring that person.
Into your mind's eye,
Visualizing them standing before you.
This isn't someone that you know very well.
But consider that they may be suffering in some way.
Perhaps they are suffering from.
A medical condition.
Maybe they're suffering financially.
Maybe they're suffering from a mental health issue or.
Addiction or Maybe they have a troubling relationship.
Most likely going through something.
Maybe they had a recent disappointment in their life.
Just imagine a time when this person was suffering.
And notice what's happening in your heart.
Just notice if you're feeling any.
Stronger emotions.
The heart can feel.
More warmth or tenderness.
Maybe there's a heaviness.
If you find.
You have a.
Healthy imagination,
Perhaps you identify very easily with this person suffering and the heart feels heavy or burdened.
Just notice if there's anything happening.
In your gut.
Is there an instinct?
To avoid.
To judge how you're feeling,
To evaluate how you're feeling.
Maybe you don't feel any strong emotions.
There's a temptation to judge.
Why you're not having a reaction.
Just notice what's happening as you imagine their suffering.
And just visualize them as best you can.
Now imagine compassion.
Extending from your heart.
Reaching them.
Almost through golden threads.
As you inhale and exhale.
Threads of compassion reaching their hearts.
Sending a desire for them to be free from pain.
And you can silently recite to them.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be happy.
May you have joy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be happy.
Me you have joy.
Just notice what feelings are coming up for you as you send this wish to them.
And now we'll visualize.
Drawing back from this person.
Not drawing back the wish rather reclaiming those threads.
Just imagine gently tugging the threads back.
On loosening the threads from that person.
Bringing that energy back to yourself.
Focusing back on the self.
This visualization,
Loosening the threads and.
.
.
Reclaiming the threads is particularly helpful if we've given a lot of ourselves throughout the day.
We may have multiple threads,
Extending to multiple people that we've encountered throughout the day giving of ourselves,
Giving of our time,
Our energy,
Our compassion.
And so at the end of the day,
We start to gather those threads back.
And turn that compassion and that empathy back on the self.
And just as we were able to give compassion to that neutral person,
We offer it to ourselves.
Silently reciting,
May I be free from suffering.
May I be happy.
May I have joy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be happy.
May I have joy.
And visualize those golden threads wrapping gently around you,
Offering you compassion and empathy.
Understanding you can return to this moment of peacefulness at any time.
Closing your eyes.
Placing your hand on your heart.
And reminding yourself.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be happy.
May I have joy.
Now begin to make.
Small movements with your hands and your feet.
Perhaps stretching.
Bringing your focus back to the room.
When you're ready,
Opening your eyes.
