Welcome.
Thank you for joining me in this meditation to encourage more self-kindness and self-compassion.
Let's begin with breathwork and body check-in and end with a clear decision to practice embodiment,
Being ever-present to and in your body today.
Now bring your attention to your breath.
Feel your breath coming in and out of your nose.
As you take your next breath,
Feel your breath coming in and out through your throat.
And on your next breath,
Feel the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe in and out.
And now on your next breath,
Sense the rise and fall of your belly as you inhale and exhale.
And now on your next breath,
See if you can glimpse the breath in your nose,
In your throat,
In your chest,
And in your belly as you breathe in and out.
Now notice how your shoulders feel,
And let them soften as you exhale.
And on your next breath,
Notice how your jaw feels,
And let it relax as you exhale.
And now bring your attention to your head,
To your mind.
Take a deep breath in and out.
As you keep your attention up here.
How does your face feel this morning?
Is there anywhere tense,
And can you soften it as you exhale?
How do your head and your mind feel right now?
What word or words describe what you're sensing?
Maybe heavy,
Maybe clear,
Or light.
Relaxed or tense?
Just notice and breathe.
What kindness does your mind need from you today?
Has it been busy or anxious?
And if so,
Have you given it a rest from comfort?
Or have you been in constant busy-ness lately?
Just notice.
The mind needs free time.
It needs to not focus on anything or a part of the day.
To be present to the moment,
But without agenda.
Without looking at a phone or listening to anything.
Instead,
It needs the freedom to wander and wonder.
A time to just notice thoughts as they come and go,
Without becoming fixated on any of them in particular.
The mind needs time to just notice and relax.
What might you do today to offer your mind a bit of rest or a break from the usual grind or routine you keep?
Consider for a moment what would help your mind feel clearer and more relaxed.
You might offer this kindness to yourself,
To your family,
To your friends,
To your family to your loved ones,
To your loved ones,
To your loved ones,
To your loved ones,
To your loved ones.
And on your next breath,
Bring your attention now to your heart,
To your chest.
Take a deep breath in and out from here.
How does your heart feel today?
Just notice.
Invite your heart to relax and to let go for a moment.
The heart needs space and time to process any emotions that arise throughout the day.
That way you can release them,
Not carry them,
And instead move through them and make sense of them.
The heart needs space to process and reflect,
To move emotion.
What's happening in your heart right now that needs some kindness from you?
And what would that kindness look like?
Take these next moments and breaths to keep your awareness with your heart and consider what kindness would help your heart today.
You might offer this kindness to yourself today.
Now bring your attention to your belly,
Down to your abdomen,
And take a breath in and out.
Imagine the rise and the fall of the belly as you breathe in and out.
See if you can feel an expansion on the inhale and a contraction on the exhale.
Now just notice,
How does your belly feel today?
See if you can allow your breath to drop naturally into your belly as you inhale and relax your belly as you exhale.
Can you feel your belly soften enough to expand and contract with your inhale and exhale?
A constant tightness in the belly causes increased tension.
It restricts your access to the wisdom that resides deep,
Deep within you.
What's happening in your belly,
In your abdomen right now,
That might need some kindness from you?
Let your attention rest here for a few breaths and consider what kindness might be helpful for you so that you can relax your belly and soften into your full abdomen.
You might offer this kindness to yourself today.
Before you close this meditation,
Consider what you overdo in your life.
What you overuse in your body or in your mind.
What you take for granted.
Perhaps how you expect a lot from yourself without offering kindness back.
And see if today you can offer yourself some much needed kindness to your sacred body.
This body that you travel the world in.
This body that works hard for you.
This body that might receive less care than may be optimal for your best health.
Invite yourself to be kind as you consider this and then leave your meditation with a soft heart and a determination to bring more kindness to yourself this day.
I thank you for being here with me and I wish you moments of kindness today.
