Hello,
And welcome to the Self-Compassion Practice.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes we can be harder on ourselves than we are on anyone else?
If this happens to you,
You're not alone.
Often the way we speak to ourselves internally can be a bit on the harsh side.
This Self-Compassion Practice can help you to shift the tone of your inner dialogue,
To be a little bit kinder,
More patient,
And more compassionate.
And this is a good thing,
Because research shows that practicing self-compassion not only improves your mood,
But also your stress resilience,
And even your performance in stressful situations.
So if you're ready,
Let's begin.
Let's start by taking a posture that is alert and relaxed,
Placing both feet flat on the floor,
And lengthening your spine so that you're sitting at your full height,
Allowing the hands to rest in the lap,
Or wherever they're comfortable.
And when you're ready,
Allowing the eyes to gently close,
Or simply looking downwards with a soft gaze.
Now noticing the fact that you're breathing,
And turning your awareness to the sensations of the breath as it moves in and out of the body.
Just noticing what it feels like to breathe,
Not needing to change or control the breath in any way.
Now bringing to mind the image of a person,
Someone that you have a close and loving relationship with.
Perhaps choosing a simple and straightforward relationship,
Not one that's too complex.
It could be a family member,
Or a good friend.
It could be a mentor.
It could be a pet,
Or a child.
And once you've chosen the person,
Seeing their image clearly in your mind's eye,
Perhaps remembering them from a good time you had together,
Seeing their features and their expression as though they were sitting right across from you.
And perhaps also remembering their felt sense,
What it feels like to you to be in their presence.
And feeling the sense of love and connection that you have with this person.
And now sending them wishes of kindness,
Love,
And support,
Knowing that this person,
As much as anyone in the world,
Deserves to be happy.
And doing so by repeating these phrases to yourself.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
And may you be at peace.
Imagining that this person is receiving your well wishes,
And noticing what emotions are present for you right now.
Just observing,
Knowing that there's no right or wrong way to feel.
And once again,
Repeating these phrases to yourself,
Or similar phrases that resonate for you.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy,
As healthy as you can be.
May you be safe,
Safe from suffering and harm.
And may you live in peace.
Resting in whatever emotions are present for you right now.
And when you're ready,
Allowing the image of this person to fade from your awareness.
And taking these same wishes of kindness,
Love,
And support,
And directing them towards another person.
And that person is yourself.
Knowing that you,
As much as anyone in this world,
Deserves to be happy.
And when you're ready,
Repeating these phrases to yourself.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
And may I be at peace.
Noticing what emotions are present for you right now.
Just observing,
Knowing that there's no right or wrong way to feel.
And maintaining the intention to connect with yourself in a way that is kind,
Loving,
And supportive,
As though you were your own best friend.
And once again,
Repeating these phrases,
Or similar ones,
To yourself.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy,
As healthy as I can be.
May I be safe from suffering and harm.
And may I live in peace.
Noticing what's present for you now.
And being open and accepting of whatever you notice.
And just resting in the intention that you've set to connect with yourself in a way that is kind,
Loving,
And supportive.
And when you're ready,
Allowing your awareness to shift gently towards the breath once again.
Tuning into the natural sensations of breathing.
And as we near the end of this period of practice,
Following three more breaths in and out of your body.
And when you're ready,
Allowing the eyes to open again.
Noticing how you feel now.
And if you felt something shift during this practice,
Perhaps setting an intention to practice it several times over the coming days.
Thank you for your practice.
