Guided Mindfulness Meditation: Reflecting on Self-Compassion
This guided meditation on self-compassion focuses on being with our suffering, opening to our actual experience, and tapping into how we can give ourselves the same care and concern we would give to a loved one. You can learn about the science behind self-compassion here: The Healing Power of Self-Compassion.
Transcript of the Guided Mindfulness Meditation:
Thank you for joining this mindfulness meditation with a focus on self-compassion. I’m Dr. Jennifer McManus, a licensed psychologist, and I’ll be your guide. I regularly incorporate mindfulness and self-compassion into the therapeutic work I do.
For safety reasons, please only join me in this guided meditation when you can find a quiet time to relax. For example, it’s not safe to do this when you’re driving.
Now that you have found a quiet time to relax, simply find a cozy spot, listen to my voice, and follow my guidance.
To begin this Meditation, please bring your kind awareness to
➤ how your belly, chest, and head each feel when you reflect on this topic
➤ the emotions that you can associate with these visceral feelings
➤ the positive or negative impact of any stories you believe in regarding this topic
➤ the fact that many others are feeling similarly about this topic as you
➤ how you might feel with increased awareness around this topic
➤ And, when you can apply increased mindfulness to this topic in your daily life
In this exercise, I’m going to teach some mindfulness practices
for increasing a sense of self-compassion
to help you on your path of healing
and re-integration of body, heart, and mind.
Self-compassion is an essential feeling and skill to cultivate
because it helps us to manage
the pain, hardship, and suffering of living in this complex, uncertain, changing, and sometimes aggressive world.
Life can be hard.
Self-compassion allows us to be with our suffering, not to hide from it.
We’re able to stay engaged with how we actually feel, and to care for ourselves when things are difficult,
or when we don’t feel care coming in from others.
Self-compassion is rooted in love for ourselves, for knowing how beautiful we really are,
and how much we care about
our well-being, and long-term happiness.
Building self-compassion can be done in a variety of ways.
Practicing mindfulness,
the art of being with and opening to your actual experience, in the present moment, and without judgment,
will strengthen your ability to be with your feelings and emotions during hardship.
Bringing awareness to your physical sensations,
emotions, and thoughts
will help defuse any negative energy…
making room for more spaciousness, perspective, and calm.
It will also give you practice withholding harsh judgment about your experience, softening the inner critic that so often just fuels anger, sadness, fear, and stress.
In addition to bringing mindfulness
to your actual experience without judgment,
there are also other ways to help cultivate self-compassion.
When you experience a time of struggle,
ask yourself how would you feel toward a dear friend or loved one who was experiencing similar things...
you’d probably feel sympathetic and caring, and wish that your friend did not suffer, no matter how subtly.
Can you feel this way toward yourself? ....
It can also help to say or think compassionate well-wishes to yourself, such as…
May I feel better.
May this pain pass.
This well-wishing is integral to compassion. It’s not the same as empathy…
For compassion also includes wishing for the alleviation of our suffering.
So, with that in mind,
let’s try this guided mindfulness meditation practice focused on building self-compassion, for when things feel very difficult.
....
Keep returning to these feelings of self-compassion,
not letting yourself get hijacked by upsets or pain.
Embody this experience by placing a hand on your heart or cheek, or by patting your arm gently as you would for a friend in need.
Open to self-compassion…
and let it fill you.
Help it last and become more intense. Notice any resistance to self-compassion and try to make room in your heart for it.
Feel self-compassion sinking into you, becoming a part of you,
a resource inside wherever you go.
Sense inside, a growing warmth toward yourself and a sweetness, caring, and strength on your own behalf.
As self-compassion sifts down into you, see if you can feel a growing ease and peace.
Remember:
self-compassion allows us to be with our suffering, not to hide from it.
We’re able to stay engaged with how we actually feel, and to care for ourselves when things are difficult.
Practicing mindfulness,
the art of being with and opening to your actual experience, in the present moment, without judgment,
will strengthen your ability to be with your feelings and emotions during hardship.
Ask yourself, how would you feel toward a dear friend or loved one who was experiencing similar things...
can you feel this way toward yourself? ....
Thank you for your courage to bring self-compassion to yourself
when things get tough.
And thank you for joining this guided mindfulness meditation!
Dr. Jennifer McManus is a licensed psychologist who regularly integrates the practices of mindfulness and self-compassion into her therapeutic work with psychotherapy clients. If you think you may benefit from psychotherapy, please contact the practice of Dr. Jennifer McManus to learn more about available support. You can schedule a complimentary consultation, email, or call the office at 866-706-3665.
