Take 3-5 deep breaths, bringing each one all the way down to your belly, and then gently releasing it. Pause for a little while in silence.

Now bring to mind an image of compassion that represents for you love, caring, wisdom, and strength. Take a little while to let this thought of your compassion image permeate your mind. It's not necessary to literally have a visual image of a person in the photorealistic sense; but to have the felt sense of the person's presence.

Now imagine that in the presence of this image you feel completely yourself – nothing more, nothing less. There is no need for pretense; there is no need for you to try to be someone other than yourself. There is no judgment, no critical voice; instead, what you find is simply acceptance, warm and tender. Dwell on this feeling of receiving unconditional acceptance. What does this feel like? Do you feel the slowing of your heart, a release of tension somewhere in your body, a sense of letting go?

Retain this compassion image as you breathe. Then, as you breathe in, visualize warm light rays emerging from your compassion image that touch all parts of your body. As these light rays touch you, imagine that they soothe you, ease your suffering, and give you strength and wisdom. Remain with this thought for a while in silence.

Repeat this sequence of imagining light rays emitting from the image and touching you, inspiring feelings of safety, serenity, and total ease in you

— Thupten Jinpa in A Fearless Heart