Welcome to our Loving-Kindness Meditation.
This meditation is also known as Metta Meditation and it helps to cultivate compassion,
Kindness,
And love for ourself and others.
So I invite you to find a comfortable seated position and allow your hands to rest on your lap or your knees and then close your eyes or take a soft gaze down to the earth.
Take a few deep breaths,
Inhaling deeply through your nose and exhaling slowly through the mouth.
So nice deep inhale through the nose,
Fill all the way up and then open the mouth slowly exhaling and letting everything go.
Allow your body to relax and your mind to settle here in this present moment.
Begin by directing loving-kindness towards yourself.
Silently repeat the following phrases allowing them to resonate with you.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be safe.
May I live with ease.
As you repeat these phrases imagine yourself being enveloped in a warm glowing light,
Feeling compassion and love filling your heart.
If your mind begins to wander,
Gently bring your focus back to these phrases continuing to send yourself kindness and compassion.
Next,
Bring to mind someone you care deeply about.
This could be a family member,
A friend,
A loved one,
A pet.
Picture this person in your mind and as you do silently repeat the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe and may you live with ease.
Visualize this person surrounded by warm light feeling your loving-kindness reach them and bring them peace and joy.
Now think of someone you don't know very well.
Someone that's just neutral in your life like a colleague,
A neighbor,
Or a stranger you've seen.
Begin to visualize this person and silently repeat the same loving-kindness phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live with ease.
Allow yourself to feel genuine compassion for this person.
Sending them your kindness and well-wishes.
Finally,
Imagine expanding your loving-kindness to all beings everywhere.
Picture the entire world including yourself,
All people,
Animals,
And living beings surrounded by the same warm compassionate light.
Repeat these phrases once more extending love to everyone.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings live with ease.
Feel your heart expand with kindness,
Compassion,
And love for the world.
Begin to bring your awareness back to your room.
Gentle wiggle of your fingers and toes.
When you're ready,
Gently open your eyes,
Carrying this sense of vitality and energy into the rest of your day.
Thank you.