Befriending practice.
So settling into a comfortable sitting position.
Allowing the body to be upright and awake.
Whilst also finding as much ease as is available to you right now.
Closing the eyes if that feels comfortable.
Or simply softening the gaze.
And remembering throughout this practice to take good care of yourself.
Making whatever choice is feel supportive to you.
Beginning by noticing the contact between the body and the chair.
And then perhaps bringing attention to the breath.
Or another place in the body that feels steady or grounding for you.
Feeling this breath come in.
And this breath going out.
Now allowing awareness to expand to include the body as a whole.
Just seeing if it's possible to bring a warm,
Friendly awareness to this body.
No need to feel any particular way.
And if the mind wanders,
Simply noticing that.
And gently bringing attention back with friendliness and compassion.
No judgement.
No rush.
Just returning to the body.
I'm inviting you to bring to mind someone you feel warmth or affection towards.
Perhaps a family member,
A friend.
Or just someone that's been kind to you.
It could even be an animal or a pet.
And maybe just seeing them in your mind's eye,
Or maybe saying their name silently to yourself.
And keeping some connection with your body as you hold them in mind.
And gently offering them these wishes.
May you be safe and well.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and kindness.
Safe and well,
Peaceful.
Ease and kindness.
You may notice warmth or friendliness,
Or you may not.
There's no need to feel any particular way.
Just simply inclining the mind in the direction of wishing them well.
And now allowing that being to fade from awareness and returning briefly to the body.
This body breathing.
And bringing to mind someone who's having a difficult time.
It doesn't have to be a major difficulty.
You don't have to know the person very well.
Just keeping in touch with your own body as you bring them to mind.
And offering the same wishes.
May you be safe and well.
May you be peaceful.
May you find ease and kindness in whatever you're going through.
Again noticing whatever arises in the mind and the body.
There's no need to make anything happen.
Simply turning the mind towards care.
And now letting that person go.
And bringing your attention to yourself.
Perhaps bringing to mind some small difficulty that you're experiencing.
Just something small.
And keeping in touch with the body as you do this.
Just seeing how it is to offer these wishes to yourself.
May I be safe and well.
May I be peaceful.
May I find ease and kindness with whatever I'm going through.
Perhaps placing a hand on the chest or somewhere else in the body,
If that feels supportive.
And repeating gently,
Safe and well.
Peaceful.
Ease and kindness.
And if there is resistance,
Discomfort or reluctance,
Simply noticing that too.
Just making some space for whatever's here.
And now letting go of the phrases,
And returning again to a sense of the whole body sitting here,
Breathing.
Just being with your experience with kindness and care.
And as this practice comes to an end,
Perhaps noticing whether this sense of well-wishing,
This quality of befriending,
Might be something you can return to during the day.
Whenever it feels supportive.
Or resulting for you.
