Hey there,
Amanda here.
Welcome to this practice of loving kindness.
I thought I'd just kind of preface the practice with an idea and it comes from a quote by Rumi who said there are a thousand ways or a hundred ways to kneel and kiss the ground and I'm guessing that you're here and that you already offer loving kindness out into the world in many ways,
Numerous ways.
One of the things about our human experience is that our relationships with ourselves and with others are sometimes tempered with a little bit of discord and loving kindness I have found in my own practice is a way of navigating the uneasiness or the confusion or the discord in relationship.
It can clear us energetically,
It's really powerful and this is just one way of navigating our way through that energy field within ourselves,
So the way we love ourselves but also in the way we love others.
I hope you enjoy this practice,
Remember intention is everything and it is oh so powerful so sense into your reason for practice,
It can really inform the direction in which the energy flows.
I hope you enjoy it,
I hope it is of service to you and to the world out there.
Thank you so much for joining our practice,
Let's dive in.
So find a comfortable position to receive the practice.
Your eyes can be open or closed,
Sit or lie down in a way that feels relaxed and open to receiving.
Settle into this moment by sensing and feeling the breath moving in and out of your body,
Tuning into the flow.
Letting your breath find its most natural rhythm,
Soft,
Easy and gentle.
With each exhalation allow your body to get a little more heavy,
Feeling the support beneath you.
And with each inhalation open to this moment,
Totally as it is.
During this practice we will be repeating some simple phrases.
As I guide you through notice what comes into your awareness,
Allowing the entire experience to be as it is.
As I suggest people or beings that you might like to call in,
Let whoever comes,
Come.
Let them be here now knowing that you can practice loving kindness as many times as you want for anyone,
For all beings.
First bring to mind an image of yourself,
Sitting right in front of you right now.
See yourself clearly,
With kindness,
With compassion.
And now begin to offer these phrases silently or aloud to yourself.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
And let's offer these phrases to ourself two more times.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
Take a moment here to notice what that feels like,
To offer these phrases to yourself.
Next bring to mind someone you love very much.
This is someone who is easy for you to love.
Picture them in front of you,
Clearly in your mind's eye.
Let's repeat these same phrases three times for this person.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
Notice how that feels,
To send the warmth of loving kindness to someone you care deeply for.
Next bring to mind someone who you find challenging.
This might be someone who feels a little more difficult to love easily.
They could be friend or family.
Picture them before you now as clearly as you can.
And let's repeat the exact same phrases for this being.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
One more time,
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
Notice what comes through for you.
Notice if you can,
Without choking,
Judging yourself or the other.
Just letting whatever comes through,
Come through.
And now bring to mind someone you don't know very well.
Perhaps a stranger.
Perhaps someone you see on your daily round.
See them clearly.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
Notice what it feels like to offer the phrases to someone you don't know very well.
Expanding the boundaries of loving.
Now bring to mind an image before you of all of these beings.
Yourself,
The one you love,
The one you find challenging,
The one you don't know very well.
And let these beings begin to multiply into all beings everywhere.
And let's recite the phrases for all beings now.
May you all be filled with loving kindness.
May each of you be safe and well.
May all of you be happy and at ease.
May you all be filled with loving kindness.
May each of you be safe and well.
And may all of you be happy and at ease.
May you all be filled with loving and kindness.
May you all be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
May you be happy and at ease.
Sense the vastness of your loving kindness expanding.
Extending out.
Touching every living being.
Everywhere all at once.
And then zoom back into yourself.
Feel your tender heart.
And offer the phrases to yourself once more.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and well.
And may you be happy and at ease.
Breathe here.
Sensing into your own expansive awareness of loving kindness.
Breathe smoothly and gently.
And when you're ready,
Begin to deepen your breath.
Bringing your awareness back into this living body.
This kind heart.
Slowly open your eyes.
Coming into the now.
Observe any shift or change that has occurred within you during the practice of loving kindness.
Know that this practice is always available to you whenever you need it.
Thank you for joining me.
May all beings everywhere be happy,
Safe and at ease.
Namaste.
