In this meditation, we will practise opening up towards our experiences with kindness.
When we have an unwanted experience, maybe a physical discomfort or an uncomfortable emotion,
our impulse is to push it away, try to switch the channel and distract ourselves.
But for those of us who deal with discomfort more regularly in our everyday lives,
these strategies of pushing it away, resisting, distracting ourselves can be draining.
These strategies end up making us feel exhausted and tense,
so that we aren’t fully connected to what’s going on or who we are with.
This practice will help you respond differently when those uncomfortable experiences arise.
Instead of resisting or bracing against discomfort,
we will practise adopting an attitude of softness towards it,
trying to soothe what we are experiencing and allowing it to just be.
Please take a moment to find a comfortable position.
If you are sitting, keep your back tall but relaxed.
Gently close your eyes or rest your gaze on a spot on the floor in front of you.
Notice the ground as it provides support beneath you.
Now, gently open your awareness to include
any pleasant or unpleasant sensations you are experiencing.
Let them enter into your awareness with an attitude
of tenderness and curiosity, much like a scientist.
Just exploring.
Remember to keep breathing, and see if you can envision yourself
breathing into a location in your body where you are feeling some resistance.
Breathing into that resistance and softening.
You know where your breath needs to go.
As you find this place in your body that needs some softness, begin softening into that location.
Letting the muscles be soft, without the need that they become soft.
Like adding heat to sore muscles.
Softening
No need to make the sensation go away. You are just holding it softly, tenderly.
If you wish, just imagine yourself softening around the edges.
Just soften around the edges like a pancake.
There's no need to go all the way in.
Just soften all around the edges.
If you experience too much discomfort with an emotion,
just stay with your breath until you feel ready to move on.
Now, start to soothe yourself because you are feeling discomfort.
Perhaps putting your hand over your heart and feel your body breathe.
Perhaps bringing kind or encouraging words to mind, such as, “It’s so hard to feel this",
“may I be kind to myself”,
“may I hold myself with love and kindness”.
If you wish,
direct kindness to an uncomfortable part of your body by placing your hand over that place.
Breathing
Thinking of your body as if it were the body of someone you care deeply about,
and gently soothing,
soothing,
soothing.
Allowing the discomfort to be there, let go of the wish for discomfort to disappear.
Allow the discomfort to come and go as it pleases, as a guest in your own home.
Allowing,
allowing,
allowing.
Softening,
soothing,
allowing.
Softening,
soothing,
allowing.
Repeat these words, like a mantra.
Remind yourself to be tender towards your suffering.
As you practise this exercise, you may find that an emotion
moves in your body or changes to another emotion.
Try staying with your experience.
Continue to use the technique to soften, soothe, allow.
Softening, soothing, allowing.
Soften, soothe, allow.
Soften,
soothe,
allow.
When you are ready, slowly and gently open your eyes.
Thank yourself for the time you took for this practice today.
Take note of how you feel now before re-entering your day,
and know that you can always return to the practice at any time.