A Compassionate Embrace

Recorded on retreat, this is a deeply compassionate embrace of what is arising, supporting a resting in your spiritual heart. The heart within your heart. A deep bow to the teachings of Lisa Forde, Jack Kornfield, Jeff Foster, Tara Brach, David Elsey, and Julianne Eanniello.

Transcript

For some of you, Your eyes may be closed and that's beautiful. Some, Your eyes may be open. If your eyes are closed, You might like to begin this by just noticing the light, The colors and shapes behind your closed eyelids. And if your eyes are open, Taking a look around this space, Fresh look, As if seeing with brand new eyes, The different colors and shapes, The shades of light, The sunlight, The darker spaces, All embraced here. And when you're ready, If your eyes are open, Just gently closing your eyes, Supporting you to turn your attention inwards a little, Feeling that turning of attention. You might like to take two or three slightly deeper breaths down into the belly, Allowing for a release on the out-breath, Inviting your face to soften, Softening a little around the eyes, Cheeks, Jaw, Letting your shoulders drop, Soften, Settle, Inviting your belly to soften and release, And inviting your heart to soften too, Bringing in a spirit of kindness, Tenderness for your experience and for yourself, Letting your breath be natural, Feeling down to where your body is connected with the supporting surface, That meeting point between your body and the ground and the earth below, Feeling into how you're held here, Held unconditionally by the earth, Held in the palm of the earth mother, Letting yourself rest here, Feeling the sensations of the earth, Feeling the sensations where you connect and contact our health, Feeling your clothing against your skin and the temperature of the air, Perhaps there's a breeze lightly moving, Might feel warm or cool, And then letting awareness expand to the sounds around you, Without reaching for sound, Receiving the sounds, Noticing how they naturally arise, Move and disappear, Without you having to do anything, Receiving sound as sound, The prominent sounds and the more subtle sounds. With your next in-breath, Noticing any fragrances in this space, The gentle perfumes floating in the air, Noticing any tastes in your mouth, Even moving your tongue around your mouth, Over your lips, Your teeth, Swallowing, There may not be any discernible smell or taste, Noticing that, Whatever your experience is, Holding it, With tenderness, Kindness, Becoming aware again of your natural breathing rhythm, Flow of your breath, However it is, Letting your breath draw awareness deeper into the body, Feeling how you feel, Perhaps there's something that you're moving with, Some struggle, Internal struggle, Something that's arisen, Feeling or emotion, Perhaps to do with relationships or work or challenges with your path ahead, Bringing that into your body and heart, Feeling thoughts and feelings associated with it, Recognizing them, Allowing them to be here. You might ask yourself, What am I assuming this says about me? What am I believing about this? Perhaps a sense of not enough or not worthy, Noticing whatever arises for you, Feeling where you feel that, Within your body, What part of your body, Holding that feeling, The feelings, The sensation, Can you let it be okay to feel how you feel, Leaning into it's okay to feel how I feel, Perhaps there's a really tangible feeling that you're moving with or it might not be anything significant, Whatever your experience is in this moment, Feeling into your experience, Can you let it be okay to feel how you feel, Whatever you're feeling in this moment, Is it okay to feel the feelings of not enough, The feelings of unworthiness, When it's okay to feel these feelings, What opens up, Perhaps sensing some of the resistance, Some for shoulds, Shouldn't feel this way, Perhaps feeling some of that loosening, When it's okay to feel how you feel, Whether it's anxious or tired or frustrated or angry, Whatever you're feeling, Leaning into letting it be okay to feel what you're feeling, You might find there's a sense of wanting your experience to be different, That it's not okay to feel these feelings, I want it to be different, You're wanting it to be some other way, And it can be made wrong to even have those feelings and thoughts of wanting it to be different, Sometimes feelings arise that shouldn't be having those thoughts, Shouldn't be feeling that it's, That I want it to be, My experience to be different, What if you allow the wanting things to be different to be there as well, Feeling into if that's your experience, Wanting something different, Feeling where you feel that, Where do you feel that in your body, Can you allow the wanting to be here as well, There might be aversion or judgment, Just wanting to be rid of what's arising, Can you feel that within your body, The wanting to be past it, The judgment, And allow that judgment to be here, Allow the aversion to be here, What's it like when you even allow the non-allowing, Noticing again where you feel what you're feeling within your body, Where it's most prominent, The sensations, And asking those sensations, What is it you most need right now, Is it to be held, To be seen, To be loved, To be welcomed in, And if it speaks to you, You might like to place your hand on your heart, Gently, Tenderly, And allow some words to arise, Feeling where you feel those feelings, And letting some words arise, Perhaps a thank you, Or I love you, You're welcome to stay as long as you want, You're welcome here, You're home, Sensing into how those feelings are a part of you, A part of life, Moving, Honoring all the parts of you, Resting back for some time in silence with what's here, Holding what's here in your loving arms, Feeling into a sense of kindness, Tenderness, Feeling how you feel, And sensing again the connection of yourself with Mother Earth, How you're held here, Breathing in and breathing out, Breathing in this beautiful nourishing air, And letting out a nice release, With the out-breath, Tuning into the sounds around you, Bringing some movement back into your body, Moving fingers and toes, Perhaps a nice stretch, And in your own time, When you're ready, Slowly opening your eyes.