Cultivating Self-Compassion
Getting Ready
| Duration | 18 minutes |
| Materials |
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| Treatment Modality | Individual and Group |
| Frequency | We recommend practicing this activity at least 3 times a week. |
| Other helpful topics to use this activity for |
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The What
Cultivating Self-Compassion is a quantum-based mindfulness activity to help develop a positive attitude, raise self-confidence, and become more compassionate as well as empathetic. The importance of self-care cannot be underestimated. Increasing research suggests self-nourishing practices can prevent or reduce the duration of colds and the flu, improve recovery from cancer treatments, promote focus and attention, and most importantly, promote healthy self-esteem. To get started with self-care, the mind-body connection needs to be strengthened. The stronger the mind-body connection is, the more responsive and effective self-care practices will be. Therefore, mindfulness practices greatly help self-care become a habit while aligning the energies of the body.
The How
When you first begin this meditation process, you may feel your mind wandering, certain parts of your body experiencing discomfort, thoughts distracting you, twitching, etc. These are all completely normal and natural reactions in the beginning. When you find yourself feeling uncomfortable or distracted in any way, bring your attention to your breathing. With enough practice, you’ll become an expert at this! Until then, just do what you can and keep returning your attention to your breath. Also, when breathing, remember that with each inhalation, fill your lungs to capacity, expanding your belly and diaphragm to take in as much air as possible. Then slowly exhale, gently contracting the muscles in your abdomen to remove every last bit of
Location: Choose a space with a minimum of distractions. If possible, make the area dim. If using this meditation process at home, choose a private place in the house where you could return to practicing this meditation all the time. There’s no problem with background noises or music in your location, just as long as you hear it more so as background noise rather than active noise that you find distracting. As you continue to develop your practice, your ability to tune out background sounds will likely improve. One day noises that you find distracting may even become completely
Position: Sit upright/straight on your chair with your feet touching the ground or limbs crossed (Indian style) on the floor. You can grab your headphones if you have them. If not, play this meditation on your electronic device so that you can get the best sound system.
Let's Begin
Gentle reminder: This is a guided mindfulness activity using audio and video. You do not need to print or read the following instructions. The steps to this activity are provided to you in written form, only should you wish to read through them voluntarily. In other words, reading the following activity instructions and steps are optional. They are written in ‘casual’ and ‘conversation’ language in which it was recorded.
Thank you for choosing this quantum mindfulness session. We’re so grateful and glad you are here.
This activity is designed to help you cultivate compassion for yourself and others. This activity is constructed so that it is emotionally and mentally transforming, as well as promoting healthy self-confidence and self-worth. The more you keep doing this meditation, the stronger and faster the effects of it will be in raising your confidence! You will physically, mentally, and emotionally feel confident, excited, happy, joyful, and clear-minded at the end of this session!
When you’re ready, take a seat on a chair in a quiet and safe place.
Tap the top of your head three times with your right hand: you are acknowledging and activating your mind/brain energy.
Tap the center of your chest with your left hand: you are acknowledging/activating your heart energy.
Squeeze the center of both of your hands and your fingers: you are acknowledging/activating the energy of your ‘giving- and receiving’ hands.
Place your hands on your lap with palms facing up. Keep your legs uncrossed at all times.
Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth/ your pallet behind your front teeth.
Close your eyes, sit upright, with your arms resting on your thighs or onto the arms of the chair.
Let’s begin and to turn off all distraction by doing a quick relaxation exercise first.
When you’re ready, bring your awareness to the natural rhythm of your breath. By having your eyes closed, your attention moves inward. Begin this meditation with the intention to fully accept who you are now, where you are right now in life. Most importantly, have the expectation that you are only going to feel stronger, happier, clearer, braver, wiser, and thousand times more confident and excited about yourself at the end of this activity.
As you focus your attention on your breath, begin this process of relaxation. Take two deep breaths, in through your nose, move the breath all the way up to the top your head and exhale out of your mouth.
Accept all your strengths, weaknesses, your perceived flaws, your mistakes, your failures, your emotions, and thoughts. Know that you are enough just as you are.
The key to making this activity powerful is to silently repeat them to yourself while imagining every word is true for you right now. You can say them silently in your mind or speak them out loud, it doesn’t matter which. What’s important is to say the words with sincerity, with love, with trust, and confidence.
In your mind, imagine a waterfall of brilliant white light with little golden sparkles on the inside of this waterfall flowing from the ceiling or the sky above you. Imagine this waterfall of dazzling bright white light covering your whole body. This liquid light is flowing down your arms and coming out of your hands and fingertips like a beam of a flashlight.
With your eyes closed, begin to see yourself on a beach at night. The moon and the stars are giving you the perfect amount of light that you need to feel safe. You are alone on this beach sitting on a chair, and you are very safe, and you know this. Wiggle your toes to feel the sand beneath you. The sand feels a bit wet and comfortable on your toes and the soles of your feet. You can feel the warm ocean breeze on your face and the smell of the salty ocean water. You are so relaxed. With your eyes closed, using your hands with beaming brilliant light in them, build a tall and big bonfire. The fire is as tall as you are and you are sitting in front of this bonfire. The beach is behind you, and there are other people nearby relaxing behind you. You are safe. Keep adding wood to the fire until it is bright orange and gold and you can see it flicker and spark. Smell the smoke and feel the heat coming from it. In your mind, keep staring and gazing at this big fire. Take two deep breaths, in through your nose expanding your belly and chest, all the way up to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
You do not need to know how to spell words in this activity. Just spell them however way you imagine the words to be.
- When you’re ready, gently place both of your hands on your chest and silently repeat these words in your mind with sincerity, love, and trust: “Hello Universe, I have been blaming other people, other things, and myself. Today I understand that: I am to take responsibility for my OWN actions and words. Today, I am willing and ready to take responsibility for my own actions. “Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
When you’re ready, imagine the word “BLAME” on your forehead. Using both hands, pull the word “BLAME” off your forehead and silently repeat after me: “I release myself from BLAMING others and myself with love and compassion now.” And gently release the word “BLAME” out of your hands into the bonfire. Silently repeat after me: “I am grateful that my mind and the entire body is now clear of all negative and diseased energies.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “Responsibility” floating in front of you with big bold white and golden letters. Take the word “RESPONSIBILITY” in your hands and gently place it onto the center of your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome taking responsibility for my actions. Responsibility is part of me now.”
- Gently place both of your hands on your chest and silently repeat these words in your mind with sincerity, love, and trust:
“Hello Universe,
I have been Judging
other people, other things, and myself.
Today I understand that:
I have been judging others
to make myself feel
good about myself.
Today I understand that:
By judging,
I have caused unnecessary
Pain and suffering
To myself and others.
Today I am willing and ready
to be empathetic
and loving
and compassionate
and forgiving
towards others and myself.”
When you’re ready, imagine the word “Judgement” on your forehead. Using both hands, pull the word “Judgement” off your forehead and silently repeat after me: “I release myself from Judging others and myself with love and compassion now.” And gently release the word “Judgement” out of your hands into the bonfire. Silently repeat after me: “I am grateful that my mind and the entire body is now clear of all negative and diseased energies.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “Empathy” floating in front of you with big bold white and golden letters. Take the word “Empathy” in your hands and gently place it onto the center of your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being empathetic. Empathy is part of me now.”
Imagine the word “LOVING” floating in front of you. Take the word “LOVING” in your hands and gently place it onto the center of your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being LOVING. Being LOVING is part of me now.”
Imagine the word “COMPASSIONATE” floating in front of you. Take the word “COMPASSIONATE into your hands and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being COMPASSIONATE towards myself and others. COMPASSION is part of me now.”
Imagine the word “FORGIVING” floating in front of you. Take the word “FORGIVING” in your hand and gently place it on your chest. And repeat after me: “I welcome being FORGIVING towards myself and others. FORGIVING is part of me now.”
- Place both of your hands on your chest and silently repeat these words in your mind with sincerity, love, and trust:
“Hello Universe,
I have been feeling insecure
About myself.
Today I understand that:
I can only feel confident and secure
when I stay myself,
when I accept myself
when I respect myself
when I am kind to myself
when I love myself for exactly who I am now.
Today I understand that:
I can also feel confident and secure
When I DO NOT ALLOW:
Negative beliefs
Negative feelings
Negative people
Negative comments
Negative messages
Influence me.
Today I am willing and ready
to be LOVING towards myself and others
to be Forgiving towards myself and others
to be ACCEPTING of myself and others
to be KIND towards myself and others
When you’re ready, imagine the word “INSECURE” on your forehead. Using both hands, gently pull the word “INSECURE” off your forehead and silently repeat after me: “I release myself of feeling INSECURE with love and compassion.” And release the word “INSECURE” out of your hands into the bonfire. Silently repeat after me: “I am grateful that my mind and the entire body is now clear of all negative and diseased energies.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “ACCEPTING” floating in front of you floating with brilliant golden letters. Take the word “ACCEPTING” into your hand and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being ACCEPTING of myself in every possible way. I welcome being accepting of how I look now, how I feel now, how I live now. I accept that I have a purpose in this life and that I am accepting of all the adventures the Universe has waiting for me. ACCEPTING is part of me now.”
- Place both of your hands on your chest and silently repeat these words in your mind with sincerity, love, and trust:
“Hello Universe,
I have been feeling UNWORTHY
Towards myself.
Today I understand that:
I have been born
With a GREAT Purpose.
I am worthy of having goals, dreams, and desires.
I may not know my purpose right now, and I trust that I will when the time is right.
And for now, I feel purposeful and excited to discover.
Today I understand that:
There is a greater purpose
For my presence here and now.
Today I understand that:
Who I am matters and makes a difference.
Today I understand that:
Only I can choose to love me
Only I can decide to respect me
And today, I am willing and ready
to be Deserving of Joy
to be Grateful for my existence
to be Respectful towards myself
to be Kind towards myself
To care for myself
to Love my AUTHENTIC and Unique self
to Recognize my natural beauties.
When you’re ready, imagine the word “Unworthy” on your forehead. Using both hands, gently pull the word “INSECURE” off your forehead and silently repeat after me: “I release myself of feeling unworthy with love and compassion.” And release the word “Unworthy” out of your hands into the bonfire. Silently repeat after me: “I am grateful that my mind and the entire body is now clear of all negative and diseased energies.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “JOY” floating in front of you with bright pink and golden letters. Take the word “JOY” into your hand and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being JOYFUL. I welcome finding and including joy in my body, in my desires, in my goals, in my personality, in my school, in my home, in my community. Joy is such a beautiful part of me now.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “Grateful” floating in front of you floating with brilliant golden letters. Take the word “Grateful” into your hand and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being Grateful for all of my good and bad experiences. I welcome being grateful for my existence, my home, my school, my family, my friends, and everything in between. Gratitude is part of me now.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
Imagine the word “Authentic” floating in front of you floating with brilliant golden letters. Take the word “Authentic” into your hand and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being authentic. There is only one person like me in this life, and that is me. No one can be exactly like me. I can never be someone else. Who I am makes me authentic and purposeful. Authentic is part of me now.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
And now, imagine the word “IMPORTANT” floating in front of you floating. Take the word “IMPORTANT” into your hand and gently place it on your chest. Silently repeat after me: “I welcome being important to myself. Who I am matters to me and that is what counts. I respect and accept myself and my values. Being important to myself is part of me now.” Take a slow deep breath all the way to the top of your head and out through your mouth.
Keeping your eyes closed, rest your arms on your lap and carefully listen with sincerity:
- You have a Purpose!
- You are a Leader!
- You are a Healer!
- You are Responsible!
- You are Courageous!
- You are Powerful!
- You are Original!
- You are AUTHENTIC!
- You are Confident!
- You are Loving!
- You are Kind!
- You are Grateful!
- You are Accepting!
- You are Joyful!
- You are Compassionate!
- You are beautiful!
- You are LOVING! You are Loved. You are Love.
A. Take TWO slow deep breaths… in through your nose and out through your mouth…. Make a BIIIG SMILE on your face and open your eyes when you’re ready.
B. Please write down any answers, clarity, new understanding, new experience, a new lesson, or anything different you may have gained during this meditation.
C. Congratulations! And welcome to your new compassionate and compelling self! We are so excited for you!