This meditation was developed by Dr. Chris Germer:
Instructions
- “Please find a comfortable position and take a few deep, delicious breaths.
Allow yourself to settle into your body and your chair.”
- Soft Gaze
“Please bring to mind a face, especially the eyes, of a person whom you consider deeply compassionate. It could be a dog, a grandparent, a friend, a child, maybe even someone whom you saw a photo of that touched you. Visualize those eyes and let yourself bathe in the person or being’s gaze.”
- Soothing and Supportive Touch
“Now let’s explore different kinds of touch, searching for the one that is the most soothing or supportive:
-
- Palms gently pressed against one another
- One hand cupped in the other
- Two hands over the heart
- Cupping one hand over a fist over the heart
- One hand over the heart
- Gently stroking one’s chest, back and forth or in small circles
- One hand over the heart and one on the belly
- Two hands on the belly
- One hand on a cheek
- Cradling one’s face in the hands
- Crossing one’s arms and giving a gentle hug
- Gently stroking one’s arms
- Cupping the hands in one’s lap”
- Gentle Vocalizations
“Think for a moment what words you might need to hear right now in your life…words of encouragement, support, trust, kindness? Now whisper into your own ear words that you need to hear right now in your life. Do it in a warm and tender way, as you might to a person whom you love very much. Allow the words to saturate your being.”
- “Now let’s do all three expressions of compassion together, bathing in the compassionate gaze, giving yourself soothing and supportive touch, and offering yourself words that you need to hear right now.”
- “Finally, begin to let go of the practice and settle back into your body, feeling what’s there, allowing your experience to be just as it is and allowing yourself to be just as you are.”
- “And when you’re ready, gently opening your eyes.”
