Hey y'all,
It's Taryn and welcome to this lovingkindness meditation.
Sharon Salzberg said,
Self-compassion is like a muscle.
The more we practice flexing it,
Especially when life doesn't go exactly according to plan,
Which is a frequent scenario for most of us,
The stronger and more resilient our compassion muscle becomes.
And I'll amend it by saying that the stronger that metaphorical muscle becomes,
The more we're able to lift others up with compassion and love too.
So first and foremost,
This is a practice of cultivating compassion for ourselves.
It's only by doing so that we can have true compassion for others.
So when you're ready,
Let's hit up that meditation gym and get flexing.
Find a comfortable and alert position,
Sitting,
Standing,
Or lying down with your hands resting in a relaxed way.
Close your eyes or keep them open with a soft gaze pointed downward.
And let's take some deep inhales and long exhales to settle into this moment and our body.
And with your next exhale,
Silently state,
Relax to your body and mind or any other points in your body that might be a little tense right now.
And notice if you melt and settle in just a little bit more.
Relax shoulders.
Relax jaw.
I got you.
And when you're ready,
Return to the natural rhythm.
Of your breath.
So to prime that loving kindness stove,
I personally like to think of a memory that generates warm,
Gentle and loving feelings.
For me,
That's a childhood Christmas.
Coming down the stairs to glittering lights,
Warmth from my parents and sisters,
Perma smiles all around,
Followed by watching the 007 movie marathon with my dad on the couch.
Once I've thought of that memory,
I like to think of the words that that memory conjures up.
I felt loved.
I felt safe.
I felt happy.
There was no past or future.
No moment,
But that one.
So when you're ready,
I'd love if you could bring to mind a memory where love and warmth enveloped you.
And once you've thought of it,
Simmer in it.
Let it permeate throughout your heart and being.
Now holding on to that sensation or those good vibrations.
Think of adjectives that made it so special.
And let those words help create the phrases of loving kindness that you will send to yourself.
I'll state mine which you can repeat or feel free to suddenly state them however feels most organic.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I know that I am loved.
May I be present to the beauty all around me.
At any moment,
Feel free to pause and contemplate what those words truly mean and try to gauge how they make you feel inside.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I know that I am loved.
May I be present to all the beauty around me.
And I get it.
Sometimes these phrases may feel as far from being a possible reality as much as the possibility of Santa actually coming down my chimney on Christmas Day.
So feel free to add as much as possible to the end of any of those phrases at any time.
May I be safe as much as possible.
May I be happy as much as possible.
May I know that I am loved as much as possible.
And may I be present to the beauty all around me as much as possible.
Next,
Think of someone you deeply love.
Furry,
Feathered,
Finned,
Or human skinned.
And imagine that they're sitting across from you and repeat the same phrases to them silently.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be present to the beauty all around you.
And continue to repeat this to them at a pace that allows you to feel their true meaning.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be present to the beauty all around you.
Releasing the image of that person or animal,
Come back to your breath.
Then think of someone neutral that you may not know to interact with.
The gentleman who bags your groceries or picks up your trash.
The woman at the coffee shop or the post office.
And let's offer them the same phrases.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be present to the beauty all around you.
Releasing that person,
Think of a person you may have some negative feelings or memories about.
This could be someone you've had a disagreement with or maybe experienced a brief moment of disrespect from.
And you're most likely not wanting to think about them right now.
But challenge yourself.
See them in your mind's eye.
And when you're ready,
Repeat the phrases to them,
Using the as much as possible addition as liberally as needed.
May you be safe.
May you be happy as much as possible.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be present to the beauty all around you as much as possible.
Continue to repeat these phrases to them,
Trying not to resist or fight any unpleasantness or thoughts that might come up.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be happy.
May you know that you are loved.
May you be present to the beauty all around you.
And releasing the image of that being,
Let's send those same phrases out to all living beings on planet earth.
I'm talking the vultures in the sky,
The roly polies under the rocks,
That person in Bali you may never meet.
Just imagine that you are some NASA telescope that's like zooming out and envelop the world in these phrases.
May all be safe.
May all be happy.
May all know that they are loved.
May all be present to the beauty all around them.
And continue to repeat those phrases at your own pace.
At your own pace.
And now releasing any and all images and phrases,
Return to following your breath and begin to bring some movement back into your body by moving your fingers or wiggling your toes.
Maybe roll your head from side to side.
And when you're ready,
Open your eyes,
Bring yourself back into your surroundings.
Back into this moment.
I thank you for your practice and for flexing that compassion muscle with me.
May the empathy,
Love and acceptance you felt and put out into the world today carry you on in your week ahead.
And until next time,
May presence prevail.
