Welcome.
This meditation is called giving and receiving compassion,
Also known as loving others without losing yourself.
I invite you now to find a comfortable position that feels just right for your body.
Whether you are sitting up or lying down.
If it helps you can grab a blanket or a cushion.
Allowing yourself to make as many adjustments to your posture as needed until you have found that really sweet spot.
And now give yourself permission to either close your eyes all the way or perhaps soften your gaze into one particular spot.
Gently bringing your awareness to the breath.
Awareness to the body breathing itself.
If it feels right.
Putting a hand or two on the heart or somewhere else on the body as a way of bringing a little extra support.
A little extra soothing for yourself.
Maybe even letting this touch be a reminder to bring not just awareness,
But loving awareness to your presence to your experience to yourself.
Using the resources that are already within you.
And now taking a few deep breaths,
Deep,
Delicious,
Relaxing breaths as you fully settle into your body.
Feeling your body breathing in.
Feeling your body breathing out.
Noticing how your breath nourishes your body as you breathe in.
Soothes your body as you breathe out.
Your breath nourishes your body as you breathe in.
Soothes your body as you breathe out.
And now letting your breath find its own natural rhythm.
Continuing to feel the sensation of the in breath and the out breath.
And if you'd like,
Allowing yourself to be gently rocked and caressed by the rhythm of your breathing.
Gently rocked and caressed by the rhythm of your breathing.
And now focusing your attention on your in breath only.
Letting yourself savor enjoy the sensation of breathing in savoring one breath after another.
Perhaps even noticing how the in breath energizes your body.
If you'd like,
As you breathe in,
Breathing in kindness and compassion for yourself.
Breathing in a quality of kindness and compassion for yourself.
If you prefer letting a word or an image ride on your breathing.
Perhaps a word such as kind,
Peace,
Calm,
Safe.
Or perhaps something else.
Noticing a good quality that you may be needing in this moment.
And breathing in that good quality for yourself.
If it feels right,
Then perhaps imagining yourself breathing in warmth or light.
Allowing yourself to receive whatever it is that you need in this moment.
Filling yourself with whatever you need with each breath.
Letting it ripple throughout your body,
Throughout your body.
Whenever you've noticed that your mind has wandered,
Please know that this is absolutely normal.
All of our minds wander from time to time.
And when you've noticed your mind has wandered,
Gently bringing it back to your awareness.
Gently bringing it back to your breath.
Now gently shifting your focus to your out breath.
Feeling your body breathing out.
Feeling the ease of breathing out.
Perhaps even giving yourself permission to rest on the out breath.
You may even notice how your breath soothes your body with each out breath.
And now calling to mind someone who you love or someone who is struggling and needs compassion.
Visualize this person clearly in your mind.
Visualizing someone you love or someone who is struggling and needs compassion.
With the image of this person in your mind,
Begin directing your out breath to this person.
Offering the ease of breathing out.
And if you wish,
Sending kindness and compassion to this person with each out breath.
One breath after another.
If it's easier for you,
You can breathe out to others in general or to people in your community rather than visualizing a particular person.
And now focusing again on the sensation of breathing both in and out.
Savoring the sensation of breathing in,
Breathing out.
Beginning to breathe in for yourself and out for the other person or persons.
In for me,
Out for you.
One for me,
One for you.
In for me,
Out for you.
One for me and one for you.
As you breathe,
Drawing kindness and compassion in for yourself and sending something good out to another.
Breathing in something good for yourself.
Breathing out something good for the other.
In for me,
Out for you.
One for me,
One for you.
Notice what you need in this moment.
Feel free to adjust the balance between breathing in and out.
So you can breathe in three for me and one for you.
Or perhaps one for me and three for you.
Just letting this be an equal flow of whatever is needed.
Whatever feels right in this moment.
Letting go of any unnecessary effort.
Allowing this meditation to be as easy as breathing.
Allowing your breath to flow in and out like the calm waves of an ocean.
Flowing in,
Flowing out.
A limitless,
Boundless,
Calm ocean with its vastness,
Gentle rhythm.
Letting yourself be part of this limitless,
Boundless flow.
An ocean of compassion.
An ocean of compassion.
And whenever you're ready,
Gently,
Oh so gently,
Opening your eyes if they were closed.
Gently looking around your space.
Stretching if that feels right.
