The essence of this practice is taken from Tibetan Buddhism,
Usually called Tonglen practice.
In a world that can sometimes feel hostile or overwhelming,
I think taking time for yourself to feel compassion is really beneficial and heart-opening.
This practice is best done sitting or standing,
But of course if you need to lie down that's alright.
Allow your body to be relaxed and natural,
And once you're comfortable you could begin the practice by becoming aware of your breath and slowing your breath down a little,
Maybe four or five seconds in and four or five seconds out,
Letting the rhythm of that gradually allow you to settle and calm,
Noticing all the sensations and feelings of the breath in your body,
The sensations of it coming in and out of your nose and your throat as you breathe,
The sensations and feelings of your belly,
Lungs and ribs expanding and contracting with each in-breath and each out-breath.
By following the quality of the out-breath,
Notice how your body releases and relaxes as you breathe out.
See if you can allow your body to follow that each time,
Gradually relaxing deeper and deeper.
Know that right here you are safe.
There's nothing you need to be doing right now,
Nowhere you need to be.
It's just you in your body,
Resting on the ground or the seats supporting you.
As you rest and relax there,
Bring up an uncomfortable situation for yourself where you feel like you need self-compassion towards.
Notice how that feels for you in your body as you think of this situation.
As you breathe in with each inhale,
You could offer compassion to that uncomfortable feeling and emotions present.
If you notice them in specific areas in your body,
You could offer compassion to those parts of your body.
Keep doing that in your own time and as you offer this compassion,
Notice if anything changes or shifts.
Now with each out-breath,
You could breathe out any doubts or worries or conflicting feelings.
As you breathe them out,
They can get taken away by the air or dissolve away into the space around you,
Gradually leaving you feeling lighter and with more capacity to feel compassion towards yourself and your feelings.
If you notice any tension in your body,
As you breathe out you could let it soften and relax,
Allowing your whole body to deeply relax again into the ground or the chairs supporting you.
You could come back to breathing in compassion again,
Offering it to any thought processes,
Feelings or emotions that need it.
Let yourself enjoy these comforting feelings of compassion.
If you need more time,
You're welcome to keep going like this on your own.
Otherwise,
Whenever it feels right for you,
You can gradually begin to move your body and slowly open your eyes.
Hopefully you feel a bit more compassion towards your situation or at least feel a bit more relaxed and settled.
Thank you for spending this time with me.
See you soon.
