So just starting this practice by

settling into your meditation posture.

And when you're ready, just

allowing your eyes to lightly

close, if that feels okay for you.

And as a way of arriving and

settling in here a little more

fully, just inviting you now to

take three deep, slow, full breaths.

So breathing in, filling

the lungs with air.

And exhaling, feeling all the

muscles of the chest and the

lungs gently relax and contract.

Again, inhaling.

Exhale, allowing yourself to soften

and settle into gravity a little more.

And again, inhale.

And out.

Really arriving in the here and

now and letting everything else go.

And now, as you relax any control

of the breath, just bringing to

mind now something that maybe is

happening in your life that makes you

feel a little stressed or anxious.

Maybe something that you're worried about.

Or something you don't

want to be happening.

What does it feel like

to bring these to mind?

Does your mind start getting really

busy resisting, struggling, looking

for a way out of the situation?

If so, see, if you can now

let go of the urge to think

about it or try and solve it.

And instead, just allow yourself

to simply feel what you're feeling.

Why do you feel the sensations of that

emotion in your body, in this moment?

Can you locate that feeling in your body?

And if you're able to do so, see if

you can just be with the feeling,

exploring it, being curious about it.

Exploring the sensations of the pain

or discomfort with a kindly curiosity.

What are they actually like?

Is there pulsing or dullness?

Are they constant, or do they change?

Is there a shape to them?

And whatever's here, see if

you can allow it to simply be.

So making room for it and meeting

it with a kindly awareness.

You might even find it helpful to imagine

you could breathe a kindly awareness

into an out from your pain or discomfort.

So bringing the kind of attitude towards

your pain or discomfort that you might

have towards a loved one who is hurting.

Can you have the same attitude

towards yourself in the midst

of a difficult situation?

So bringing compassion and

kindness to yourself and your pain.

So just remaining in tune with

the sensations as best you can.

And if they change or dissolve, just

come back to following the breath.

And as this practice begins to draw to a

close, just taking another deep breath in.

And as you breathe out, gently

wriggle the fingers and the toes.

And just take a moment to notice

how you feel after this meditation.

And when you're ready, opening the eyes.

So don't worry if you found

this practice a bit tricky.

Remember, you're learning new skills

and sometimes that takes time.

But why not set an intention right

now that, you know, if you experience

something difficult or unpleasant

today, perhaps you could take a

pause and bring your awareness to

what you're feeling in the body.

And gently embrace those feelings with a

compassionate awareness, just like you'd

embrace a loved one who was hurting.

So go gently with yourself today, hey.