This is a compassion meditation for couples.
Find an upright,
Alert,
And relaxed sitting posture,
Closing your eyes or gazing downward and bringing your awareness to the breath.
Starting with a few deep breaths,
Letting go of the past and the future.
At each in-breath and each out-breath,
Resting into the moment.
No place to go,
Nothing to do,
Nothing to attain.
Just being one with the breath,
The very best you can.
Using the breath as a refuge,
A safe place within you.
If you're feeling tired,
Lengthening the in-breath,
Becoming more alert.
If you're feeling stressed,
Lengthening the out-breath,
Becoming more relaxed.
And slowly allowing the breath to become smoother,
Feeling the rhythm of the breath moment by moment.
Breath by breath,
Practicing mindful awareness.
And if you wish,
Practicing affectionate breath,
Self-soothing hands on the belly,
Cheeks or heart,
Smiling perhaps,
Experiencing the breath itself as an inner space of nurturance.
A compassion meditation offers us an opportunity to enter deeply into the suffering of others and ourselves in order to understand and release that suffering.
The word compassion itself means suffering with.
When we suffer,
We often feel isolated and alone.
Compassion meditation is a way to suffer with,
To ease this suffering as we connect with others and ourselves in the mindful heart.
As we meditate,
We may also uncover actions that help release suffering.
Visualizing your partner sitting in front of you,
Or just sensing their presence.
Letting the feeling of connection grow.
Realizing your partner just as they are.
Bringing your awareness to this suffering,
Which may be easy to see and feel,
But may also be at more subtle levels of experience.
Realizing whenever the mind wanders and bringing your awareness back to compassion for your partner.
Using the following phrases or your own as ways to express your deep love and compassion for your partner.
May you be happy and healthy.
May you be happy and healthy.
May you be safe and free from harm.
May you be safe and free from harm.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
And may you be free from suffering.
May you be free from suffering.
Repeating these phrases or one of them over and over,
Or in silence,
Holding your partner in compassion.
Being a caring companion and friend on your joint path of life,
Supporting your partner in the face of the difficulties they face.
Compassion grows naturally as we experience happiness and health,
Safety and self-acceptance,
And freedom from harm and suffering.
As you radiate these intentions out to your partner,
You are creating more space within yourself to feel compassion for your loved one,
And you are creating pathways that deepen this connection in your relationship.
Turning now to compassion for yourself,
Visualizing yourself sitting before you,
Bringing mindful awareness to your own suffering,
Holding it in compassion as the Buddha said,
Like a mother,
Her only child.
Be careful to take in only what you can handle in the moment.
Be gentle with yourself,
Very gentle.
Repeating these phrases or your own,
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be safe and free from harm.
May I accept myself just as I am.
May I accept myself just as I am.
And may I be free from suffering.
May I be free from suffering.
Repeating these phrases,
Or one of them over and over,
Or in silence,
Holding yourself in compassion.
We often find it challenging to accept ourselves just as we are.
We can all learn to be more self-compassionate in meditation,
And then increasingly in our daily lives.
Cultivating compassion is a journey of uncovering the sources of our suffering and revealing as well the sources of our self-love and understanding.
Cultivating compassion for ourselves is a way to experience and trust in our inborn capacity to take care of ourselves,
No matter how challenging life may be.
Bringing your focus now to compassion for your partner and yourself as a couple.
Seeing the two of you sitting together,
Perhaps smiling in recognition of your deep connection.
Setting a strong intention to feel compassion for this special relationship as a couple.
Repeating these phrases,
Or your own.
As a couple,
May we be happy and healthy.
May we be safe and free from harm.
As a couple,
May we accept ourselves just as we are.
And may we be free from suffering.
May we be truly free from suffering.
Repeating these phrases,
Or one of them over and over,
Or in silence,
Holding your relationship as a couple in compassion.
Sending this meditation with gratitude that you have brought compassion to your partner,
To yourself,
And to your relationship as a couple.
Thank you.
