Begin by noticing your breath.
You might notice where the breath moves in the body.
Maybe the belly,
The ribs,
Or the chest.
Allowing the breath to be really natural,
Not forced.
Easily inhaling and exhaling as you do each day.
But for these moments,
Perhaps with a little bit more attention.
You can make the breath a little bit longer.
That helps you to settle deeper into your physical body,
Into this moment.
Sitting up tall and also relaxing any muscles or tension that feel stuck or gripped.
As though the breath could move into these places and create space there.
So that in this spacious container of the body,
The breath can move,
The muscles,
The organs,
The blood can all flow and work with ease.
If you ever lose your attention,
You can always invite your awareness back to your breath.
Even simply by saying to yourself,
Inhale,
Exhale as it happens.
That doesn't feel appropriate for you,
Your anchor could also be your physical body.
Somewhere that helps you to feel grounded and in the moment to return the attention to yourself.
Allow the thoughts to settle into the breath,
Whatever that means or looks like for you.
Begin to bring to your awareness a situation that feels difficult for you right now.
It feels too challenging,
You can think of someone or something to support you in this space.
Or just let that go and bring up something else that feels a little bit safer for you to work with today in this meditation.
As you witness this situation in your mind's eye,
Notice again where you might feel it in your body,
Just like we began with the breath.
For example,
Is there any tightness anywhere as this situation is in the forefront of your mind?
It might be the belly or the chest,
Maybe even the hands or the neck,
The throat,
The shoulders.
Just noticing if there's any physical reactions.
You can also put a name to how you're feeling about this situation,
Any emotions that arise.
For example,
Angry,
Frustrated,
Sad,
Confused,
Helpless.
Whatever words or emotions come up for you.
However,
This current difficult situation is making you feel.
Recognizing this.
Seeing it clearly.
And in this first wing of awareness,
Recognizing.
Allow this situation to be seen as clearly as possible in your mind's eye,
In your body if that feels safe for you today by noticing where in the body you might feel any tension in relationship to this circumstance.
As though you've cleaned the lenses of glasses that help you to witness this situation more fully,
With more and more clarity.
And this wing of awareness is a space for you to see what exactly is going on with more attention,
A sharper vision.
Sometimes helpful you can bring others into your mind's eye that are part of the situation or a location.
Whatever you're comfortable witnessing today.
Recognizing even if it feels difficult to allow this difficult situation to be seen like this.
Bringing us to the second wing of awareness.
Recognizing everything to exist,
The situation itself,
The people involved,
The emotions and physical sensations attached to this circumstance.
The past,
Present,
Even the future of what will unfold.
And allowing all of this to be here with a sense of loving attention,
With kindness and compassion.
Just like a mother bird might wrap its wings around a baby bird,
Allowing these wings of awareness,
Recognizing and allowing the sense of compassion to hold whatever it is you're going through with love.
Nurturing the situation,
Your emotions,
The physical sensations,
With gentleness and kindness.
If you're not sure how to nurture and allow the situation to exist with compassion,
You might remember another time when you or someone you loved has suffered,
How you might feel that love in your heart or that experience or that person.
Realizing that suffering is compassion,
Being able to hold that with love,
Wishing well-being for yourself in that situation or someone else.
Perhaps infusing that sense of compassion into your practice in this moment or your difficult situation or the challenges that you are facing.
And if it feels difficult to offer a sense of love and compassion to yourself right now or to this circumstance or to the people involved,
You might note that as well,
Recognizing that this feels difficult to do so and allowing that sense of frustration or uncertainty to exist.
Recognizing existing in this wing,
Both of these wings of loving awareness.
Recognizing with clarity and allowing it to exist with a sense of gentleness and kindness.
Remembering that you can always guide the attention back to the breath.
Inhale,
Exhale.
You might envision these wings expanding to hold yourself and others,
Whether that's your immediate family or friends,
The people you care about,
Expanding further to whatever you feel comfortable with today.
Perhaps your neighborhood,
Your city,
As infinite as the world and beyond.
These wings representing a vast infinite sense of loving awareness in which everything and everyone can exist.
Recognizing all difficult situations with a sense of clarity and kind,
Compassionate awareness.
Remembering that we all encounter difficult situations in our lives.
Perhaps relating in this sense to other beings and their challenges,
Their suffering.
Seeing clearly that we all struggle with the sense of loving and compassionate awareness.
If that doesn't feel comfortable for you today,
Stay with yourself.
Guide the attention to the breath over and over again.
If you haven't already,
Do guide the attention back to yourself,
Allowing the attention now to move back to your breath and body.
If it feels comfortable for you to do so,
You can bring the hands together at the center of the chest.
In gratitude for yourself for showing up in this way today,
For being willing to witness yourself and your situation without judgment,
Being open to see clearly so that you may move forward more consciously and courageously.
Recognizing that you have these tools to access whenever you need and that you will always be held in this sense of loving awareness in these two nurturing wings of awareness.
Namaste.
