Compassionate Friend

A guided meditation

If you've never heard of or done the Compassionate Friend meditation and think you might be at all interested, I encourage you to save reading this until you've got 5-10 minutes to sit for a bit. Also if you only meditate with your eyes closed, you're going to have to find this on Youtube I guess. .
.
.

This meditation starts like any other, encouraging you to get into a comfortable position, take some deep breaths, relax. .
.
.

Now, imagine yourself in a comfortable environment. Somewhere you feel safe and supported. Maybe a real place you've been, maybe one you want to go. Maybe it's just the idea of your perfect little paradise. .
.
.

A friend joins you. A supportive friend, one you're more than happy to see. Who's there? Welcome them in. .
.
.

You feel the comfort of your friend's presence envelop you. This is a wonderful, safe space. Your friend might have something to tell you now. What is it? Do they have a message for you? .
.
.

It's almost time to say goodbye, it's been such a pleasant visit, and your friend has something for you on the way out. A gift, perhaps. What is it that you accept? .
.
.

And now we come back to our soothing environment, by ourselves. And we realize that we have been here, in our minds, this whole time. Our friends, from our mind. Their message, from our mind. Their gifts, from our mind. It came from you. .
.
.

Let that sink in. Take a deep breath. Slowly let the physical sensations of your body come back. Another deep breath or two. .
.
.

Can you be a little more compassionate with yourself? .
.
.

(The first time I did this my friends appeared Harry Potter final battle echoes from Voldemort's wand style fyi. And they told me they loved me and gave me a hug. And yeah, I guess it's right, I love me too.)