A warm welcome to Day 5 of this 7-Day Compassion Challenge.
I hope you are getting a sense that far from soft and easy,
Real compassion involves a level of groundedness and resilience.
To be able to hold our own vulnerabilities and the challenges of others in our hearts without feeling knocked about or overwhelmed is indeed a practice that requires courage and a regulated nervous system.
Today's practice is an invitation to extend compassion to others,
Including those we often compare ourselves to.
So,
In your own time and in your own way,
Closing down your eyes and settling in.
And enjoying three deep and compassionate breaths.
Each breath softening your body,
Whispering to your nervous system that it's okay to relax.
And now thinking of someone you often compare yourself to.
Perhaps it's a friend whose marriage is strong,
A colleague who is receiving more recognition,
A friend who has more holidays than you.
Trust whoever emerges,
And over the next few rounds of breath,
Picturing the clothes they wear,
The things they say and do.
Without judgement or criticism,
Recall all the stories you create in relation to this person and offer yourself a smile as you do.
Now,
Imagining that this person is sitting next to you,
Side by side,
Sensing into both your beating hearts,
Looking up at the sky above you both,
And imagining that all the comparisons,
All the stories you make about this person in relationship to you are like clouds moving across the sky.
You don't need to get rid of them,
You don't need to go to war with them,
But here in this moment you can create a sense of spaciousness between you and all these stories.
And as you create this space,
As you connect with both your beating hearts,
You can see that the sky is smiling at you both.
This sense of warmth and possibility shines down on the two of you.
It helps you see that within both of your hearts is a deep desire to be seen,
Heard,
Recognised and loved.
And you repeat silently in your mind,
I let go of all the stories,
And instead I acknowledge you.
And in this moment,
As you sit side by side,
It feels easy to remind yourself that this person,
Simply by being human,
Will experience both joy and sorrow in their lives.
They will go through periods of self-doubt,
Insecurity,
Disappointment,
Regret and grief.
They will also experience times of great happiness and success.
Repeating silently in your mind,
May you face your challenges with an open heart.
May you enjoy the good times.
I wish you well.
Noticing any feeling of expansion or relaxation within your body,
Mind or heart.
Taking a nice deep breath,
Opening your eyes when you're ready.
May you move through today aware of your habits of comparison and willing to move into the energy of shared humanity.
Looking forward to meditating with you again tomorrow.
