Hello my friend!

All month I’ve been offering up journal prompts to guide you in your practice of RADICAL SELF COMPASSION. These are meant to bring awareness and kindness to how you speak and treat yourself.

Today I want to add that practicing a mindful SELF COMPASSION routine in the morning, every morning, will definitely change your life for the better. When we are our own best friend, we sleep better, make better decisions, and mindfully create habits that support and nourish your body-mind-and heart.

Here are a few suggestions. As with everything in yoga, choose what works and leave the rest.

1. Loving Kindness Metta Meditation–this is an established, well beloved guided meditation that takes you through a process of developing loving kindness for yourself and the world around you. You can search youtube, Insight Timer, Spotify, or any other audio directory for Metta Meditation and find several options to use. I particularly like THIS ONE. Davidji has a wonderful way of guiding you through both metta and tonglen practice.
2. Dinacharyra–this is the ayurvedic practice of cleansing your senses and energy when you first awaken in the morning. A great breakdown of dinacharya activities can be found here: https://cdn.banyanbotanicals.com/info/uploads/Elements_of_Ayurveda_Daily_Routine_Guide.pdf (if you want to learn more about ayurveda, Banyan Botanicals has a ton of educational resources)
3. Journaling PIES–We went through this practice a couple of weeks ago, but the DR/TL is a very simple check-in in each area: physical, intellectual, emotional, spiritual. Draw your paper into quadrants, four spaces, and just free write sensations, thoughts, feelings, insights, whatever comes up for you in each area. Spending a short time each day becoming aware of your whole existence will help you stay present and mindful throughout your day.
4. Affirmations–simple positive statements help us to rewire our brains for self compassion. You can choose whatever resonates for you. Here are just a short list of examples:

• I love you, [[your name here]]!
• I am enough
• I am worthy
• I have ebb and flow, everything will be okay soon.

If these are all new to you, try one out for a week. If you like it, keep it. If not, try something else. When you feel ready, add a 2nd self compassion activity, testing it out like the first. Refine and adapt for days when you have more or less time. And above all, be kind to yourself.

NEW VIDEO ON DEMAND

This week, I’ve recorded a new Chair yoga class. This class focuses on Self Compassion and Ahimsa, using the chair in various ways to support you as you practice.

Check it by CLICKING HERE

FREE ON YOUTUBE

For the final class in February’s Radical Self Compassion series, we slow it WAY down to release any remaining tension or stress so that you can truly relax and let go of any self-doubt, any negative self-talk, and truly float in a space of self love and kindness. Combining restorative poses with a guided Metta Meditation means the ultimate sense of peace and compassion.

CLICK HERE

That’s it from me! I truly hope your week is full of ease, peace, and love.

From my heart to yours,

–Viviane Wolfe

www.vivianewolfeyoga.com

500RYT, yoga-therapist-in-training