Hi and welcome.
This is Heather Shada Cicado and I'll be offering the meditation Loving Kindness for a Loved One from the Mindful Self Compassion program.
So to begin I invite you to find a comfortable position for your body which could be standing,
Walking in your space or maybe you're seated or even lying down.
As you come into that positioning for your body maybe starting to feel the connection between your body and the surfaces below you,
The soles of your feet on the floor or your back against the chair,
Maybe your whole back body being held here if you're lying down.
And then if you wish starting to take a few rounds of deeper steadier breaths,
Seeing how fully and deeply you might breathe without straining.
As you breathe maybe there's a kind of a natural inclination to soften in your forehead,
Softening the muscles in the cheeks or around the jaw,
Softening through the belly.
Maybe even see if you might invite those toes to soften here too.
And if you wish you could place a hand somewhere on the body that feels supportive,
Comforting or a friendly place for the hand to rest,
Maybe over your heart,
On your face,
On your shoulder.
This physical reminder that we're not only bringing awareness to our experience but this kind awareness.
As we start to move into our meta or loving kindness phrases,
It's really anchoring in softening any expectations.
There's no requirement that you feel any particular way.
This meditation is designed to help train the mind,
Orient the heart toward goodwill,
Generosity,
The sense of unconditional friendliness.
And that happens over time and with practice.
So again,
No pressure to feel a certain way.
But rather seeing if you could intentionally bring your attention anytime the mind wanders off back to these phrases of goodwill.
When you feel ready,
I'll invite you to bring to mind a person or another living being who naturally makes you smile.
This could be a child,
A grandparent,
Your cat or dog.
Maybe it's a bird who lives nearby.
And if many people or living beings arise,
As can sometimes happen,
Just for now choosing one.
And letting yourself feel what it's like to be in that being's presence.
We'll call this being your loved one.
Allowing yourself to enjoy the good company.
Maybe there's a vivid image of this loved one in your mind's eye,
Or maybe it's a sense of what it's like to be in their company.
And that way you could start to tap into the knowing that your loved one wishes to be happy and free from suffering.
Just like you,
Just like every other living being on the planet.
Offering your loved one these good kind things.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
And you could use your own words or images,
Even a felt sense to capture and express your wishes for your loved one.
Or maybe continuing to repeat these phrases.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
And anytime you notice your mind has wandered into thinking,
Planning,
Remembering.
Knowing this is just what minds do,
See if you could return your attention on purpose to your body,
To your breath.
And beginning again with these kind words or images.
Taking a few more moments here,
Offering your loved one good kind things.
And then when you feel ready,
An invitation to add yourself to your circle of goodwill.
Maybe imagining yourself in the presence of your loved one,
Visualizing you both together.
Or again,
Maybe it's a sense of being in each other's company.
And now offering these good kind things to you both.
May we be safe.
May we be happy.
May we be healthy.
And may we live with ease.
Just as before you could make these wishes your own,
Your own language,
Imagery,
A felt sense.
What do you wish for the both of you together?
May we be safe.
May we be happy.
May we be healthy.
And may we live with ease.
Taking a few more moments here offering both of you together.
These good kind things or wishes of your own.
Now maybe thanking your loved one.
See if just for now you might say goodbye or let go of the image,
Let go of the felt sense of you both together and see if you could allow your attention to rest with yourself.
Maybe you're revisiting that soothing or supportive touch or feeling your body.
However,
It's positioned in space feeling the breath in your body.
Remembering you too,
Like all living beings on the planet,
Likely also wish to be safe and happy and free from any unnecessary suffering.
And trying on offering yourself these good wishes too.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
And may I live with ease.
And again,
Wishes of your own or repeating these phrases.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
And may I live with ease.
And again,
Taking a few moments and quiet here offering yourself these wishes once again or wishes of your own.
When you feel ready an invitation to release from these words or phrases.
Maybe sitting back taking a few rounds of those deeper steadier breaths.
Resting back.
Noticing your experience in this moment.
Maybe pausing to acknowledge your own good efforts in practice.
When you feel ready,
You could gently open the eyes if they had been closed.
Maybe offering your body a stretch or another moment here in stillness.
Thank you so much for practicing together with me.
