The practice of forgiveness is our most important contribution to the healing of our world.
Marianne Williamson
Last Driftwood and Grace newsletter we gave the invitation to take a moment to truly sit with what rests within us and what wrests within us, in Finding the Pen Again - Beginning With a Poem.
Check it out here if you missed it.
An Invitation
Today I’d like to practice, and encourage, self-compassion.
My invitation to you is to sit with me, and sit with yourself as we realise how desperately our world needs the gift of compassion.
AND, to truly understand it must begin with self compassion.
We make mistakes. We fall short of the mark sometimes, even if we’ve given our best.
Every single one of us.
Even those we put on pedestals or like to think of in lofty thoughts that make them some how more than, or perhaps less than human.
We are fallible.
We are the only creature on earth (to my knowledge at least) that is born so completely vulnerable and dependent on others for life.
We come into this world deeply dependent on those who can met needs we are not even equipped to articulate except through grasping fists and squealing lungs.
May I suggest there is a beauty in this.
This dependence that we didn’t choose. That later can grow into an independence we fiercely defend. Until we finally grow in grace and generosity to embrace an interdependence that serves us all.
Vulnerability. Dependence. Need.
When we allow it, they bring humility.
If we aren’t diligent, they can bring self-despising and a drawing-in through shame.
When we choose to open ourselves to humility rather than shame and self-criticism, we can welcome self-compassion.
We can offer to our own imperfect selves, that generous, loving compassion we would extend to another.
Shall we?
Shall we shuffle a little? Shift our position? Straighten or soften our spine?
Find our base.
Give yourself a moment to find your base.
Allow yourself to not force, or over-do
the next steps.
Just allow a breathing in that says “Yes, I’m here. Yes, I belong”
Allow a gentle rocking from your base if that feels nurturing. A slight rocking as you once would have been rocked against a love one’s chest.
Breath into that gentle rocking. Allow the rocking to deepen or lighten as feels natural to you.
You are held. You are both the holder and the held one.
Feel how intrinsically precious you really are. How loved. How valued.
As the holder, you can transmit that loving, valued care to your precious one.
As the held, you can melt into the gentle loving rocking as you are valued, as you are held to be precious.
You are valued.
You are precious.
You are loved.
The holder is you. The held is you.
Please, as the holder, don’t withhold from yourself all the loving, gentle, compassion and care you would so generously bestow on another.
Please, as the held, don’t resist and reject this beautiful generous gift of loving compassion that you would welcome from another.
Be hold. Be held.
Hold yourself in self compassion.
If it feels nurturing and natural to you place one or both hands across your chest as you rock together. This holder who is you, and this held-one who is you. Unite together in a loving gift.
You are worthy of love. You are worthy of compassion.
You are precious.
Whatever thoughts or words, or deeds (or lack of) you may be holding against yourself, let them fall to the floor around you as you, oh so precious you, are held, and rocked, and valued, gently with love.
Let all of the doubts about your worthiness of compassion fall to the floor.
Let all of your fears of not being enough, fall to the floor.
Let it all fall.
Not one of us can make it through life alone. We all need. We all depend. We can be lovingly interdependent.
At times the holder of compassion for another.
At times the held one in the arms of someone else’s generous compassionate, heart.
It starts here.
Allowing ourself that loving, generous gift. Opening ourself to self compassion.
We open within ourself a wellspring of compassion for others.
When we count ourselves unworthy of compassion, we limit how generous we truly can be with another.
Compassion. A gift our world so desperately needs.
Self-compassion. The floodgates of generosity.
May we prove today that welling up and pouring out of self-compassion that frees us, within ourselves to be the most loving version of ourselves we can be.
Thank you for you. Thank you for sharing time. Thank you for your loving heart.
Welcome here.
Welcome to living your life.
Consciously.
Lovingly.
Gently.
Be kind to you.
Be kind.
Have a wonderful day.
Lovingly,
Melanie Williams de Amaya
Driftwood and Grace