Welcome to the short compassion practice.
This practice can be used anytime when you find yourself feeling distressed or you're aware of your own suffering or the suffering of others.
It can also be used at times when you're not feeling distressed.
At these times the practice will be most helpful if you deliberately bring to mind or call up a situation that is distressing or causing you some difficulty,
Something you feel stressed about,
A relationship issue,
A conflict,
A mistake,
Or something going wrong in your life.
Inviting you to bring a difficult but not overwhelming issue to mind especially if you're new to the self-compassion practice.
And sitting with this situation,
Bringing it to mind as vividly as possible,
Really getting in touch with it.
So bringing to mind the context,
What happened or what might happen,
Who was there,
Who said what.
Noticing where you feel this suffering,
In your body,
Your heart.
What's it like for you bearing this situation?
Carrying the burden of this difficulty?
In this practice there'll be three phrases suggested and these are chosen to help us remember the three main components of self-compassion.
So when we need compassion the most it's helpful to somehow work with these three phrases.
The first suggested phrase is,
This is a moment of suffering.
So in this phrase we're bringing a mindful awareness to the fact that suffering is present.
Inviting you to repeat this phrase internally and use words that are meaningful to you.
Like,
This is really hard right now.
Just acknowledging and recognizing this as a moment of suffering.
We're turning towards our difficulty,
Acknowledging and naming it.
This is a moment of suffering.
The second phrase you're invited to repeat internally is,
Suffering is a part of life.
Here we're reminding ourselves of our common humanity.
So again inviting you to find words that are meaningful for you.
Something like,
Many people are going through similar situations.
I'm not alone in feeling this way.
Other people feel like this.
The exact details and the flavor of suffering may be different,
But suffering is a part of everyone's life.
Repeating internally,
Suffering is a part of life.
And the third phrase is,
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
And this phrase is to help you to support and develop the bringing of kindness to yourself.
So this phrase supports the bringing of kindness to yourself.
So inviting you,
If you'd like to,
To place your hands over your heart or in a place that feels soothing or comforting.
Feeling the warmth of your hands,
The gentle touch.
And letting those hands really communicate feelings of care.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
Inviting you to use words that support this sense of kindness.
Perhaps the words you would use with a good friend going through a similar situation.
Maybe words like,
I'm here for you,
It's okay.
It's going to be okay.
We'll get through this.
I care about you.
May you have ease.
You may even like to try using your own first name.
Or saying things like,
I'm so sorry this is so difficult for you.
Anything that communicates a deep wish that you be well,
Happy and free from suffering.
Continuing with those three phrases for as long as you like.
And then just letting go of the practice and noticing how the body and the heart feel right now.
Allowing any sensations just to be as they are.
Allowing yourself to be as you are in this moment.
If you like,
Returning your focus to the whole body breathing.
To the contact of the surfaces supporting you.
And perhaps thanking yourself.
Getting in touch with a sense of gratitude that you've taken this time.
