And this guided compassion practice can be supportive in increasing our sense of compassion and kindness towards ourselves.
Many times including ourselves and the wholeness of who we are in our circle of compassion can be challenging.
This practice may support you in reducing the stress and anxiety that resides in the body,
In the mind,
And in the spirit.
It can support us in reducing spiraling negative thinking that can chip away at our peace,
Our balance,
And the core of who we are.
Taking a brief moment to establish yourself here.
Rooting into this moment and leaving the other moments worries,
Judgments,
And distractions behind.
Just acknowledging and noticing the breath and sensing where the breath is in the body.
Coming into a comfortable,
Easy seat or a reclined position on your back.
The soles of the feet can be on a mat.
Knees can gently touch at the midline,
Allowing the body to feel energized and alert with this sense of relaxation.
The spine is long,
Back of the neck lengthened without strain in the shoulders.
Again settling in with the breath.
Reconnecting and recognizing the breath and the body.
Taking a couple of deeper,
Fuller breaths and sensing that there is a fullness and abundance here along with the areas that may feel weak or depleted.
Perhaps closing the eyes or lowering the gaze.
Beginning to turn your attention inward.
Enjoying an intention with a heartfelt sense of genuine kindness to yourself.
Allowing yourself to truly be held in your own circle of compassion and empathy.
Bringing your palms together in self-connection and really feeling into this intention.
Sensing into the body.
Perhaps lowering the hands down to the thighs and sensing the weight of the body in the chair or the mat.
The soles of the feet in contact with the floor.
Your hands resting,
The vibration in the palms.
Letting go of any tension in the face,
The jaw,
The space between your eyebrows.
Feeling your body relax.
Trusting in your awareness of your breath in your body.
Visualize yourself breathing in and out an attitude.
A quality of calm,
Balance,
And kindness towards your precious self.
Perhaps a quality or feeling of appreciation or compassion.
Whatever quality or attitude that serves you at this present moment.
Cultivate and generate these authentic feelings of calm,
Balance,
And kindness with authentic feelings.
Noticing any vibrations or energy in the body.
Perhaps noticing where there is no sensation.
Not judging,
Just noticing.
Notice any clenching or tightening.
Perhaps considering if you can slightly release and then slowly and gently return your attention to the breath in the body as a felt sensation,
Assuring yourself and bringing comfort to the whole body here breathing.
Perhaps repeating to yourself silently,
I am inhaling calm.
This is my breath in my body.
I am exhaling kindness.
This is my exhale.
My whole body is here breathing.
Breathing when your attention drifts to your thoughts,
Allowing yourself to acknowledge the thoughts,
And consider giving the mind permission to rest.
Perhaps slightly loosening and releasing around the judging.
Any negative labeling.
Perhaps any residual feelings of regret or resentment.
When and if these thoughts or difficult emotions arise,
Find the place in your body where you feel this emotion or this loss.
Notice the quality of this space.
Does the area feel restricted or tight,
Heavy?
Perhaps imagining just a sliver of space or light as you breathe.
Can you make this space expand just slightly,
Bringing some release or more spaciousness into these areas of tightness,
Allowing for a softening?
Now drawing your attention to the heart space.
If it feels comfortable for your shoulders,
Placing a hand on your heart.
Perhaps allowing the mind to visualize your healing breath,
Your healing energy,
The breath that radiates from the heart.
Sense into the rise and fall of the chest,
Sensing this on the inhale and on the exhale.
Feel into the expansion and feeling of the ribs and the expansion of the mid-back.
Breathing this spaciousness into this open and receptive heart.
A sense of calm,
A sense of balance,
A sense of restoration and compassion for yourself into this expanding space.
Realizing your breath,
Moving through this heart space,
Cultivating this attitude or quality that you are bringing into your whole being.
Breathing here through your heart space,
Centering the body,
The mind,
And the spirit,
And cultivating a quality of kindness,
Compassion,
And balance.
Re-connecting with your natural breath and bringing palm to palm at your heart space.
Reconnecting with the intention that you set at the beginning of this compassion practice.
Slowly and slowly allowing your chin to release towards your chest and honoring your inner wisdom,
Your inner light,
And the kindness and compassion that resides within.
And this concludes our practice.
