Welcome to a loving-kindness meditation for back to school.
Recognizing during this time our mindfulness practice can be supportive of feelings of loss.
Grief.
Change.
Finding a posture that's right for you in this moment.
Perhaps that's sitting upright.
Balancing.
And contented.
Maybe that's lying down.
Feeling the support.
Underneath you.
And the sense of being held.
Or perhaps standing.
Whatever feels right for you now.
Focusing.
Gently.
On the inhale and exhale of the breath.
And maybe as we drop into meditation,
There's a sense of wandering mind.
Just noticing the mind and its habits in this moment.
And asking.
Gently.
Focus in.
That attention on the breath.
This focus on the breath may come from the gentle rise and fall of the belly.
Of the chest.
Or maybe from a sensation of coolness or warmth in the throat.
For the nostrils.
Or maybe even on the upper lip.
Feeling the body breathing itself.
Invite you to explore.
The sensation of the body.
Breathing.
Without any efforting.
And recognizing even during this season of change.
Breath is holding.
Right here.
Right now,
This present moment.
And as perhaps thoughts or emotions swirl here.
Maybe co-arising images or sensations.
That this breath is still right here.
Right now.
And then this breath.
Just this breath.
Bringing attention from the breath now into the heart center.
Inviting.
An exploration of what the heart feels like now.
Maybe there's a contraction of the heart space,
Feeling sunken.
Diminished.
Soar or maybe open.
Fast.
Or anything in between.
No right sensation here in the heart space,
Just noticing the quality of the heart.
Maybe some want coming up to judge the quality of the heart.
Maybe.
Some it should be.
Or it shouldn't be.
If that's true for you,
Noticing.
This move toward judgment.
Of what you are sensing.
And see if it's available to you.
To allow instead.
Allowing whatever you find here in this heart space to be just as it is.
Allowing those expectations,
Those judgments.
Be present.
Without action.
Allowing this heart space.
To show you.
Exactly how it is.
No need to hide from what is really here.
Moving now from this focus.
And bringing up a loved other.
That may be now returning back.
To school.
Maybe starting school for the very first time.
Maybe you are the student and you're bringing to mind a loved other.
That you're leaving from to engage in school now.
Bringing to mind this loved other for which there is now a change.
In the amount of time you're able to be with them.
And the influence you may have in their world.
In the physical space that you might share.
Bringing to mind this loved other as if they are sitting across from you.
Or lying next to you.
Imagining them in your physical space almost as if you are touching.
Noticing as you are imagining this loved other.
The ease with which Emotions and thoughts begin to arise just from having this image of this being in your space.
Maybe what arises is a warmth.
The tenderness.
Perhaps memories.
Maybe it's a sensation.
Ascent.
No wrong way to have fun.
This person within your space.
Just noticing what arises in you.
And as these images and thoughts arise about this loved other,
And the change that is happening for you both.
I'll offer some loving-kindness phrases.
Imagining you providing these phrases to your loved other.
And if it feels right for you,
Changing any wording that you need.
This is your time.
To be with this loved other.
Wishing them.
This loving kindness.
In words that you would use.
Imagining yourself saying to this loved other,
I wish you a sense of safety.
And security.
I wish you a sense of safety.
Security I wish you health.
And well-being.
I wish you health.
And well-being.
I wish you joy and connectedness.
I wish you joy.
And connectedness.
Being with whatever rises in you as you make these wishes to your loved other.
Maybe sensing Emotions arising.
If that's true for you,
Knowing you can come back to the sense of the breath at any time.
This body breathing itself.
This deeper well.
Present here and now.
Seeing if it's available to you to be gentle here.
Soft.
Connected.
When you feel ready.
Imagining now this loved other.
This being for which you are now separated more than you may have been in the past.
Turning their attention to you.
Seeking to provide.
These well wishes to you.
And here we have a meditator's choice.
Imagining this loved other saying these words to you.
Imagining you.
Receiving these words as yourself.
Or as a younger version of you?
If that helps.
Being a receiver.
Times this imagination of a younger you.
Opens.
And allows for receiving.
Imagining now this loved other saying to you,
May you feel safe and secure.
Saying to yourself,
May I feel safe and secure.
And imagining together saying,
May we feel safe and secure.
Imagining this loved other saying to you,
May you.
Feel healthy and well.
And you saying to yourself,
May I feel healthy and well.
And you saying together,
May we feel healthy and well.
Imagining your loved other saying to you,
May you feel joy.
And connectedness.
You saying to yourself,
May I feel joy.
And connectedness.
And just saying together,
May we feel joy and connectedness.
Sensing now into your body.
Being with this loving kindness.
And this sense of knowing.
This shared wish for each other.
It's common.
Centered humanity.
Sensing a job well done.
Path now separating.
And the connection.
Never severed.
Now imagining you and your loved other facing outward.
Bringing up possibly others in your community,
Friend groups.
Maybe even building larger and larger versions of this community.
Whatever feels right for you now.
Imagining you and your loved other facing outward.
And radiating this loving kindness to all those experiencing this time,
This season of change.
And wishing for all those heading back to schools,
Starting schools for the first time.
Changing.
Growing.
And all those sending them forth.
Into this change.
Sharing our well wishes here.
May we feel safe and secure.
May we feel safe and secure.
May we be healthy and well.
May we be healthy.
And well.
And may we know joy and connectedness.
May we know joy.
And connectedness.
When it's right for you.
Moving now.
Away from the image of this loved other.
Noticing if there's any grasping or fear here and allowing that to be so.
As well as any sense of renewed connectedness.
Allowing that image to fade.
Bringing forward the awareness of your breath and your body now.
Maybe noticing any changes in flows.
Of energy in your body.
Maybe a sense of fullness or warmth.
Maybe even feeling your heart beating.
And in that heart space,
Maybe there's change here too.
Maybe a sense of knowing.
Deeply.
Taking your last few breaths here in meditation.
Pouring perhaps some gratitude for spending some time in this way.
Knowing that no matter the distance,
Or the journey or the season of change.
The space this loving kindness.
Is here.
In each breath.
And now.
The sound of the bell.
