Welcome,
My name is Zeal Okujere,
And I will be guiding you on this journey to cultivate more kindness and compassion.
Before we begin,
Let's talk about kindness for a moment.
What is kindness?
Kindness is the expression of compassion and goodwill through our words,
Thoughts or actions without expecting anything in return.
Kindness is being there for yourself and for other people.
It is not just about helping other people.
It is taking good care of yourself so that you stay strong and well.
This way,
You can take care of those you love.
And when you feel inspired,
You can also give a helping hand to people you don't even know.
And as we continue to practice kindness,
There is a feeling of fulfillment that comes with it because we are serving life itself.
We are taking care of each other.
And this is what makes life possible.
When we choose to serve others,
At first,
It may seem like we are simply helping them.
But in time,
We come to realize that every act of kindness we offer to other people also nourishes and transforms us.
In helping others,
We are also helping ourselves.
Kindness is natural to human beings.
But because of life's struggles,
Some of us may disconnect from this natural part of us.
Why do I say that kindness is natural?
Well,
Let me give you a simple example.
Let's imagine a child running from the sidewalk into traffic during rush hour.
How many people do you know who will ignore this child or simply look away and keep going?
Most,
If not all,
Normal human beings will either go after this child,
Try to alert drivers,
And or scream for help frantically.
This is a natural behavior.
It is done all over the world in every culture.
We will try our best,
Our very best,
To save another human being whose life is in danger.
Whether we know them or not,
It is a natural act of kindness and compassion.
So,
In this session,
We are not trying to guide you to learn how to be kind.
Because you are already kind.
It is a natural part of you.
In this session,
We are simply reminding you of something you may have forgotten.
It's like having faith.
Faith,
F-A-I-T-H.
Faith is natural.
But sometimes people forget to have faith.
Not realizing that we live life by faith.
Everybody lives life by faith.
Every day we walk boldly out of our home with the faith that everything will be alright.
Some of us take out a 30-year mortgage.
With the faith,
We'll be around to pay it.
We have children.
With the faith,
We'll be able to take care of them.
And on and on.
These are all acts of faith.
Every part of life involves having faith.
But sometimes we forget to have faith.
Just like we forget to be kind and compassionate.
So,
Let us begin to remember what we already are.
Take a moment and make yourself comfortable.
You can either sit or you can lie down.
Close your eyes and let your whole body relax.
Take a deep breath in and exhale slowly.
Now,
Gently bring your awareness to your heart.
Imagine a soft light glowing there.
This glowing light is the light of kindness and compassion.
It is warm,
Gentle,
And alive.
With each breath,
Let this light grow.
Expanding through your chest and gently filling your body.
Now,
Repeat silently.
May I be kind to myself.
May I treat myself with compassion.
May I treat others with compassion.
May I treat all life with kindness and compassion.
May I remember that I was born with kindness.
It is a natural part of me.
Feel those words settle deep into your being.
Now,
Let this kindness radiate outwards to someone you love.
Let this kindness radiate outwards to someone you don't know.
May you feel peace.
May you know love.
May kindness always be with you.
Now,
Breathe in kindness and breathe out kindness.
Breathe in kindness and breathe out kindness.
Let it be simple.
Let it flow.
As we get ready to close this session,
Gently return to your breath.
Return to your body.
Return to this moment.
Carry this kindness with you.
Let it guide your thoughts,
Your words,
And your actions.
Now,
Take a deep breath in and exhale.
When you are ready,
Open your eyes.
You are a source of kindness.
Being kind is a natural part of you.
Remember,
You can never go wrong by being kind.
Because your acts of kindness always come right back to you.
Thank you.
