Hi and welcome to this self compassion meditation.
Firstly find a quiet place in which you can take a seat in a chair or lay flat on a comfortable surface.
Allow your spine to be long and straight.
Once you are comfortable,
Gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Bringing your attention inward to your breath,
Notice the movement of breath in your body.
Take three deep breaths,
Within through your nose,
Belly,
Chest and breathe out through your nose.
Breathe in through your nose,
Belly,
Chest and breathe out through your nose.
Breathe in through your nose,
Belly,
Chest and breathe out through your nose.
Now squeeze your shoulders up to your ears and as you do so,
Breathe in through your nose,
Belly,
Chest and let them drop as you exhale.
Let your body fall into its natural breathing rhythm.
Breathing in,
Breathing out,
Just as you are.
Feeling the weight of your body press down,
Noticing the contact between your body and the chair or the surface beneath you.
Our meditation anchor is going to be self compassion,
Setting the tone for the rest of your day.
It is so easy for us to focus on others and compare ourselves to them.
Often we find it easier to be compassionate to others.
Focusing on sending ourselves kind compassion can be disconcerting,
Even uncomfortable.
If at any time your mind starts to wander,
Refrain from judging your practice.
Just notice the expectations you have,
The thoughts that initially pop up.
They don't define you.
Gently bring your attention back to your breath.
Begin by placing your hand over your heart.
Bring warmth to yourself and think about a time you have given yourself compassion.
It could be the time you are giving yourself to meditate right now.
Reflect on why this was so beneficial for you.
Feelings and feelings change like the weather and your mind is like the sky,
Always making space for the weather and allowing it to be there.
Reflect on your values,
What do you value in your life?
What do you value in others?
And what do you value in yourself?
Notice how you can zoom in to change what is present in your awareness.
Think about a time you found difficult and now give yourself compassion.
Gently say to yourself what you would say to a small child who is hurting or a close friend who is suffering.
Other thoughts will pop into your mind.
Your practice is just gently refocusing your awareness back to being kind to yourself.
You are a precious human being.
Reflect on your character.
Think about a time when your character shone through,
Where you lived out your values.
Take this experience as it happens.
It will be different on different days.
Now think about your general plan for the day.
Think about how you can be kind to yourself today.
Perhaps by going for a walk or scheduling some time in for deep breathing.
How can you be kind to yourself today?
As we draw our attention to our surroundings,
Notice what you can taste,
What you can smell,
Notice the sounds around you.
Notice the physical sensations as you wiggle your fingers,
Flex and point your toes.
Gently open your eyes and with a soft gaze take in your surroundings.
And finally just take a moment to observe how you are feeling before you head out into the rest of your day.
You may like to write down the ways you would like to be kind to yourself today.
