Welcome to this guided meditation on self-compassion.
As human beings we're often so quick and easily able to provide love,
Support and encouragement to our friends,
Family and loved ones.
But how often are we able to truly stop and develop self-compassion towards ourselves?
Take a few moments right now to think about this question.
You'll probably notice that it's way easier to be self-critical than self-compassionate.
So in this meditation we'll practice giving ourselves some tender love and affection,
One moment at a time.
We'll learn to develop a compassionate voice to ourselves during moments of difficulty.
Start by getting into a comfortable position,
Sitting upright or lying down.
Settle into your body posture and allow your body to melt into the surface you're sitting or laying on.
Lower your gaze or gently close your eyes.
Take a deep breath in and deep breath out.
Deep breath in and deep breath out.
One more time,
Take a deep breath in and deep breath out.
Tune into the sounds around you and acknowledge them.
Allow them to simply bleed.
Don't get attached to them or wonder where they're coming from.
Simply become aware of the sounds around you.
Next,
Bring your attention to the sensations of your body.
Pleasure,
Pain or nothing at all.
And allow every sensation to be just as it is.
Now bring your attention inwards to your thoughts and emotions.
What are you experiencing right now?
Is there a difficult situation you're in?
Is there any emotional pain attached to these thoughts?
Maybe even a physical pain?
A tightness in your throat?
An uneasy feeling in your chest?
Bring your attention to whatever you are experiencing right now and watch them.
Allow them to arise and fall.
Notice how easily each thought gets replaced by another.
That is impermanence.
No feeling,
No emotion,
No thought and no pain will last forever.
Continue to breathe in and breathe out.
Now,
Imagine yourself in your mind and ask yourself,
How are you?
Really and truly ask yourself,
How are you doing right here in this very moment?
There may be a whole slew of emotions that arise when you ask yourself this question.
And that's okay.
Understand that every human experiences these exact emotions on a daily basis.
While you continue to imagine yourself in your mind,
Ask yourself,
What is it that I need at this moment?
What is it that I need at this moment?
Offer yourself some words of compassion.
Say the following phrases to yourself softly and gently.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am in this moment.
Continue to repeat these phrases or create your own phrases depending on what you need right now.
If you'd like,
You may bring your hand over your heart to remind yourself that you are bringing not only attention,
But compassion to your current experience.
Feel the warmth and gentle pressure of your hand and feel how your chest rises and falls beneath your hand with every breath.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am in this moment.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am in this moment.
During moments of difficulty where you find yourself being harsh or self-critical,
Where you find that you're not quite at your best,
Offer yourself these words of compassion one moment at a time.
We can always be kind to ourselves,
But if we're able to cultivate just one moment of our day to practice self-compassion,
It can truly go a long way.
Always remember what we feel we can heal.
