I'm Kate James and this meditation will help you to support a loved one who's going through a difficult time.
Being a source of support and comfort for someone who's experiencing adversity in their lives requires a great deal of patience,
Empathy and presence.
In this meditation we'll focus on cultivating these qualities within ourselves so that we have the insight and the energy to support our loved one all the way through to their healing.
Find a quiet place to sit or lie down,
Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths to center yourself.
Inhale deeply through your nose and exhale slowly through your mouth becoming aware of any tension in your body or any distractions or worries in your mind.
Allow your breath to guide you to greater stillness as you prepare to scan your body to begin to let go and relax.
Soften the muscles in your face,
Let go of any tightness in your chest,
Ease any tension in your shoulders and let go through the muscles in your back.
Soften through your arms and your hands.
Breathe out any tightness in your abdomen and relax through your legs and your feet.
Continue to breathe deeply and become aware of the parts of your body that are making contact with the surface beneath you.
Allow these sensations to help you feel grounded and here in the present moment.
Now turn your mind to your loved one,
Feel a great sense of compassion for the emotions they're experiencing.
Acknowledge the love you have for them and your desire to be a great source of support.
As you continue to breathe imagine that you can acknowledge all of their pain without any judgment or the need to step in and fix anything for them.
Remind yourself that your role is not to solve their problems or take away their pain but rather to be a loving and compassionate presence.
Feel your heart opening with empathy for their experience.
Stay with that feeling of empathy and remind yourself that while you have the capacity and the desire to support your loved one,
You're also dealing with your own feelings.
Let yourself feel a sense of warmth and compassion for your experience too.
Now imagine a warm and soothing light surrounding the emotion in your heart,
Filling you with love and nurturing.
As you breathe in imagine that this light grows brighter and warmer and as you breathe out let the light surround you and your loved one in healing.
Breathe in deeply again now and draw in the love and compassion of this light and exhale sending this healing energy to your loved one.
With every breath visualize this energy expanding offering you both comfort and healing.
Imagine yourself now holding space for your loved one.
Picture yourself seated beside them holding their hand offering patience and compassion.
You don't need to say or do anything to heal them.
Your care and your presence are enough.
Allow this image to fill you with a deep sense of peace and purpose.
Know that this meditation will continue to help you build inner strength to be with the emotions and experiences for as long as it takes for their healing.
As we come to the end of the meditation begin to guide your awareness back into the present moment and in your own time gently open your eyes.