Day 21: Compassion

Let's begin by taking a moment to allow your body to settle into a comfortable position (2 seconds). You may close your eyes or keep them slightly open allowing the spine to lift, the shoulders to soften (5 seconds).

Today we will practice compassion (2 seconds).
Begin by taking a full breath in (2 seconds) and a long breath out. (2 seconds)
Then allowing the breath to find its natural rhythm. (5 seconds)

Let's start by inviting compassion for ourselves.
As human beings, we all have moments of difficulty, challenge (2 seconds) of suffering.

Take a moment to acknowledge the difficulties you've experienced
or are experiencing now in your life. (10 seconds)
It may help to think of a specific difficulty or you can keep it general. (10 seconds)
Now imagine someone you know who cares about you. (2 seconds)

It can be someone present in your life now or from the past,
it can be a dear friend, family member, or a teacher (2 seconds)
or it can even just be the general idea and feeling of a caring person. (10 seconds)
Now imagine this being responding to your difficulties with warmth and understanding. (2 seconds)

Allow yourself to receive their warmth and understanding,
their wishes for your well-being and happiness. (2 seconds)
Allow their care and concern to fill your whole body and mind. (5 seconds)
As you breath in, breath in compassion for yourself. (5 seconds)

You may also want to say some words to yourself such as,
“May I be well, may I be healthy, (2 seconds)
may I find the resources that I need to pass this difficulty.” (5 seconds)

As you breath in you can think of yourself as breathing in this compassion for yourself, taking it in and really letting it sink into your body and mind. (10 seconds)

Now bring to mind someone you know who is having a difficult time.
It could be someone at work or in your personal life, someone you care about. (5 seconds)

Bringing this person to mind (2 seconds),
along with the awareness that their struggling right now (5 seconds),
now let yourself feel what you would wish for them. (5 seconds)

You may wish them health, happiness, contentment (2 seconds),
or it may not be specific words but more of a general feeling,
general wish for their well-being. (10 seconds)
Imagine them receiving this compassion. (10 seconds)

Now if you're able you may want to expand your wish of compassion more widely to anyone experiencing difficulty or pain. (2 seconds)

You may say to yourself, “May their suffering be relieved (2 seconds),

may they be well.” (5 seconds)
And as you breath out, breathing out compassion for others. (15 seconds)

And even if you're not able to connect directly with feelings of compassion
just bringing kind awareness to whatever it is you may be experiencing right now. (5 seconds) Breathing in compassion for myself (2 seconds),
breathing out compassion for others. (20 seconds)

Now letting the words go, returning to an awareness of the body (2 seconds),
settling on the breath (10 seconds),
notice how you feel right now. Any sensations in the body?

Particularly around the face (2 seconds), the head (2 seconds),
the heart (2 seconds), the chest (2 seconds), and the belly. (2 seconds)

As you continue noticing what happens in your body,
you may now slowly open your eyes (5 seconds),
stretching as needed (2 seconds),
returning your awareness to where you are (5 seconds)

*ding* (20 seconds).