As always,
It's my pleasure to connect with you today and to continue to explore the power that compassion can have on our lives.
In particular when we face the inevitable challenges that will come our way.
So beginning as always by closing down your eyes and settling in.
Breath rolling in and rolling out.
Like the vast seas that populate planet Earth.
And now creating a sense of balance with this ebb and flow of breath.
As you breathe in for the count of four and breathe out for the count of four.
Breathing in for the count of four.
Breathing out for the count of four.
Continuing to breathe in this balanced way for a few more rounds of breath on your own now.
Allowing this breath practice to fade.
And inviting this sense of equilibrium to land on your body.
As you imagine a sense of balance between the left and right hemispheres of your brain.
Balance being created between your left and right shoulders.
Shoulder blades.
As you breathe in and out.
Left and right ribcage expanding in perfect timing.
Balance landing on left and right hip and pelvis This energy of balance and equilibrium moving all the way down your legs,
Knees,
Ankles and feet.
Great work.
And now from this energetic place.
Seeing,
Feeling or imagining that you are sitting on the beach.
You gaze out to the water and notice how rough it is.
Sets of waves roll in.
They are messy,
Uneven and unpredictable.
White foam rushes onto the sandy shore.
The sky is dark.
Holding the promise of rain,
Or maybe even a thunderstorm.
And you sit on the sand,
Noticing it all with a sense of peace and ease.
You don't feel concerned or like you need to leave.
In fact,
There is something strangely beautiful about this tumultuous sea and this heavy sky.
And in this moment you realise that just as you can feel at ease here,
You can also feel this same sense of balance and ease when you experience the darker,
Messier moments of your own life.
And so you sit,
Feeling your feet in the sand.
Tasting the salt water as it ever so slightly sprays on your lips.
You breathe into your heart.
This place of inner refuge.
And hear in this moment a challenge that you are facing.
A part of your life that feels uncomfortable,
Unresolved or messy appears in your mind's eye.
And you offer it your compassion.
Breathing a deep sense of compassion into the tender parts of you.
Offering this same compassion to anyone else in this story.
And finally,
Breathing a deep sense of compassion into the ever-changing nature of your one precious life.
And noticing if through this commitment to compassion something has shifted within you.
Have the internal waves of worry,
Blame,
Regret or resistance softened?
Have the clouds parted and can you locate an inner warmth that feels like rays of sunshine?
Really seeing if you can locate a sense of movement or a change within you.
This is the power of compassion.
Taking a nice deep breath and a full body stretch if you like.
As always,
Allowing yourself a little time to move into the journaling aspect of our practice together.
Perhaps rubbing your hands together,
Really feeling into sensation,
Friction,
Energy.
Maybe casting your eye around the room you are in as a way to reorientate yourself.
And now together,
Let's explore three journaling prompts as a way of understanding our challenges with greater clarity and compassion.
Writing prompt one.
Take a few minutes to identify and describe a challenge that occurred in your past.
Perhaps an incident in a relationship.
A hard time at work,
Or a period of anxiety or low self-esteem.
Describe the challenge in terms of its impact on your thoughts,
Emotions and actions.
Well done.
Now take a moment to breathe.
And to remind yourself that this challenge was in the past and that things have changed.
Now,
As best you can,
Taking some time to explore any possible gifts that emerged from this hard time.
Perhaps in the form of self-care.
Compassion,
Friends and family supporting you or even a change in career or lifestyle.
These gifts don't have to be shiny,
They can be more subtle.
A growing experience of resilience or authenticity,
For example.
Good luck.
I'll leave you here for a few minutes.
Now to the final writing prompt.
How have you used these gifts in different aspects of your life?
For example,
If a gift was learning to practice self-care.
How are you continuing to practice this in your present life?
Well done.
Taking a few deep breaths.
Really acknowledging your ability to be with the challengers,
To learn from them.
And understand them through the lens of compassion.
Breathing deep into a sense of trust in the natural unfolding of life.
Great work.
I hope you enjoyed this opportunity to offer your challengers space and compassion.
Remember,
Far from soft,
This ability to be with the hard times with tenderness and perspective is a courageous act.
Looking forward to meditating with you again tomorrow.
