Compassion with equanimity.
This meditation is especially useful for you,
Dear caregiver.
In this short guided practice,
You will be caring for yourself and for the other.
There will be an ending bell.
Let's begin.
Close your eyes and imagine that you are caring for your neurodiverse child or child with special needs.
Call it up in your mind's eye and imagine that you are currently with your child as a caregiver.
Allow yourself to get in touch with some of the stress and difficulty being their primary caregiver.
The highs and the lows.
Yes,
It's hard.
You often feel overwhelmed and tired.
Some days are not as hard as others.
Some days are completely joyful and hopeful too.
But allow yourself to feel all your feelings.
Yes,
Even the ones you think you shouldn't be having,
Like anger and irritation.
Let everything arise.
Although we may seem superhuman,
We have our limitations.
We are only human.
So please let these words drop into your awareness.
Everyone is on their own life journey.
I am not the cause of my child's suffering.
Nor is it completely and solely in my power to make it go away.
Although I wish I could.
Moments like these are difficult to bear and yet I will help wherever I can.
Let those words settle into you.
Now,
Settle in on your breathing,
Particularly your in-breath.
Realizing how the breath nourishes you and gives you oxygen.
And as you breathe in,
Imagine you're breathing in compassion for yourself.
This can look like a white or a golden light filling your body with each in-breath.
As you breathe in,
Breathing in care and concern for your own struggle and difficulty as a parent.
Giving yourself what you need.
Maybe that's strength.
Maybe it's courage,
Peace or simply compassion.
Breathe in for yourself.
Breathe out for yourself.
Now turn your focus on your child.
Call the image of your child to mind and what they're going through and start to focus on your out-breath.
As you breathe out,
Imagine you're breathing out compassion for them and their difficulties.
You might imagine that as you breathe out,
You're filling their body with a golden healing light.
Using the breath metaphorically,
Send your well wishes so that they have what they need.
Acceptance,
Peace with themselves,
Kindness from the world.
And bringing both together so that you breathe in for you and you breathe out for them.
So breathe in for you.
Breathe out for your child.
In for me and out for you.
One for me and one for you.
It may be appropriate to adjust the ratio depending on how you're coping with stress.
So feel free to breathe in more for yourself if you need to.
It can be one for me and one for you.
Or ten for me and one for you.
Maybe your child's suffering is really salient so feel free to breathe out more for them.
But make sure that you always include yourself and your child in your breathing,
In your circle of compassion.
Remembering that the source of compassion is unlimited,
Is like a vast and boundless ocean.
There is more than enough for you and for your child.
Once more remembering these words of wisdom,
That everyone is on their own life journey and I am not the cause of my child's suffering nor is it completely and solely in my power to make it go away even though I wish I could.
Moments like these are difficult to bear and yet I will try to help in whatever way I can.
Remember you can practice breathing while you are actively caregiving and parenting for your child.
It only takes a few moments.
Although you and your child are living individual journeys,
You are both on a healing journey together.
Use this breath as your vehicle.
As much as you want to give a hundred and ten percent of yourself as that loving and selfless parent that you are,
You need to know when it is time to deliver that abounding care to yourself as well.
You are human.
Embrace your humanity with compassion and vulnerability and everyone will benefit.
Sending you a compassionate hug from afar.
You are on the right path.
