Compassion Practice Mind Training.
Settling yourself into a comfortable posture.
If you are seated,
Making sure your feet are grounded,
Having your hands gently resting on your lap,
Closing your eyes if you feel comfortable to do so,
And just allowing yourself to tune into the sensations of your breathing.
Allow some relaxation to naturally occur in your body as you inhale,
Scanning your body for where you might be holding any tension,
And as you exhale,
Letting go of that tension.
I'd like to invite you to bring up an image of someone you love,
And just as you feel happy when others wish you well,
With all your heart holding the image of this loved one in your mind,
Repeating these phrases silently,
You may say,
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you have peace and joy.
Now bring an image of yourself to mind.
It may be you as a young child,
Or it may be you today,
Holding this image of yourself in your mind's eye,
Silently recite these phrases,
May I be happy,
May I be well,
May I have peace and joy.
Now think of someone you neither like nor dislike,
Someone you might see often,
But have no particular contact with,
Someone at your workplace,
Someone at your gym,
Or your cafe,
And just like you,
This person seeks happiness,
Wellness,
And peace.
Just like you,
They have aspirations,
Hopes,
And fears.
Then reflect,
Just like me,
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you find peace and joy.
And should you like to extend this contemplation to someone you're experiencing some difficulty with at this moment,
You may do so now.
Bring an image of that person you're currently having some conflict with,
Or you may be experiencing some difficulty with,
And reflecting,
Just like me,
They aspire to be well,
To be happy,
And to have peace and joy.
So holding an image of this person in your mind's eye,
Silently recite the phrases,
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you find peace and joy.
Welcoming into your mind and into your heart a feeling of compassion,
An intention to be of service to yourself and to others.
Allow yourself to be in this state for a while,
And enjoy this inner silence for the next one minute.
Whenever you're ready,
Bringing your attention to your feet,
To your fingers,
The contact of your body to the chair,
The contact of your body to the chair or to the floor,
And over the next few breaths,
Letting go of the practice,
Opening your eyes,
And welcome back.
