How to Slow Your Racing Mind

During our month of Loving Compassion, one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves is the gift of meditation.  

Even if for a few minutes a day, or in those moments when we need a few breaths for mindfulness and reflection.

I am currently taking an online Brene Brown CourageWorks course, in which she discusses Kristin Neff’s work on self-compassion, which I found inspiring for this weeks post.

Kristin identifies three key components to self compassion as 1) self-kindness 2) common humanity and 3)mindfulness.

In the course Brene goes on to discuss how self-kindness begins with checking in that we are talking to ourselves, as we would speak to a loved one.

Often times the harshness with which we speak to ourselves, and the criticism, is not something we would ever dare say aloud to a loved one, and often time is something we wouldn’t say to an enemy!

By honing in on our self-talk in meditation we can combine 1 with 3, learning to be mindful of our judgements of the self, and beginning to change the conversation to one of love and kindness.

One breath at a time.

In Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation by Sharon Salzberg, her recommendation for a loving-kindness meditation involves the repetition of mantras or affirmations, that are kind and loving. Here are the beginning mantras provided by Sharon Salzberg.

Please feel free to create or choose your own to create your own loving-kindness meditation, and perhaps try it out for the next week

• May I Be Safe
• May I Be Happy
• May I Be Healthy
• May I Be at Ease

After this becomes comfortable, then we can begin to offer this meditation outward, switching the I’s to You’s and directing the meditation to someone inspiring or in need of our love and attention.

Find a space for some compassion for yourself today. You are worth it!

References:

– Living Brave semester

Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation Sharon Salzberg