Compassionate Friend Meditation

• Please find a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. Gently close your eyes. Take a few deep breaths to settle into your body. Put one or two hands over your heart for a moment to remind yourself to give yourself loving attention.

• Now imagine yourself in a place that is safe and comfortable—it might be a cozy room with the fireplace burning, or a peaceful beach with warm sun and a cool breeze, or a forest glade. It could also be an imaginary place, like floating on clouds…anywhere you might feel peaceful and safe. Let yourself enjoy the feeling of comfort in this place.

• Soon you’ll receive a visitor, a warm and compassionate presence—a compassionate friend—who embodies the qualities of wisdom, strength, and unconditional love.

• This being may be a spiritual figure, a wise, compassionate teacher, or a person from your past like a grandparent. He or she may not have any particular form, perhaps just a presence or warm light. Your compassionate friend cares deeply about you, and would like you to be happy and free from suffering.

• Imagine this being in as much detail as possible, especially how it feels to be in his or her presence.

• You now have a choice to go out from your safe place and meet your compassionate friend, or to invite him or her in. Please take that opportunity now.

• Place yourself in just the right way in relation to your compassionate friend— whatever feels right. Then allow yourself to feel what it’s like to be in the company of this being. There is nothing you need to do except to experience the moment.

• Now allow yourself to recall a difficulty that you have in your life right now. Your compassionate friend is very wise and would like to tell you something, something that is just what you need to hear. Please take a moment and listen carefully to what your compassionate friend has come to say. If no words come, that’s okay, too—just experience the good company. That’s a blessing in itself.

• Perhaps you would like to say something to your compassionate friend. Your friend listens deeply, and completely understands you. Is there anything you’d like to share?

• Soon your friend will be leaving again, but before that happens, your friend would like to leave you with a gift—a material object. This object will simply appear in your hands, or you can put your hands out and receive the gift— something that has special meaning to you. What is it?

• Now, enjoy your friend’s presence for a few last moments, offer thanks for the visit, and then bid your friend farewell.

• You are now alone again in your safe place. Let yourself savour what just happened, perhaps reflecting on the words or the object that was given to you.

• Before this meditation comes to a close, please remember that your compassionate friend is part of you. The presence you felt and the words you heard are a deep part of yourself. Compassion and wisdom are always available, especially when you need them the most. You can invite your compassionate friend back anytime you wish.

• Now let go of the meditation and focus on your body as a whole.  Allow yourself to feel whatever you feel, to be exactly as you are in this moment.

• Gently open your eyes.