Welcome dear friend.
To begin this meditation,
Please bring kind awareness to why you chose this topic.
How your body,
Chest,
And head each feel when you reflect on this topic.
The emotions that you can associate with these visceral feelings.
The positive or negative impact of any stories you believe in regarding this topic.
The many others are feeling similarly about this topic as you.
How you might feel with increased awareness around this topic.
And when you can apply increased mindfulness to this topic in your day to day life.
This meditation is called affectionate breathing and it should take about 20 minutes to complete.
So start out by finding a comfortable position.
This could be in a chair,
On a meditation cushion,
On the couch,
Or your bed.
Or you might even try laying on the floor in what's called the corpse pose in yoga.
Or shavasana.
With your limbs spread out slightly,
Feeling completely relaxed.
But only choose this one if you aren't too tired.
If you do drift off to sleep,
That's alright.
Once you're in a comfortable position,
You'll get started.
Start by getting in touch with your body in whatever position it is in right now.
Notice how your feet feel.
Your legs.
Your seat.
Your lower back.
Your middle back.
Your shoulders.
The back of your head.
Feeling the energy and relaxation sweeping across your forehead and across your brows.
Your eyes.
Feeling your eyelids growing heavy.
Your cheeks relax.
Your jaw becomes heavy,
Allowing your lips to part slightly.
Feeling the relaxation move across your chest and your biceps.
The inside of your elbows and your forearms.
Across the insides of your palms.
Down through your pinky finger,
Ring finger,
Middle finger,
Index finger,
And thumb.
Close through the back of your hand.
Up through your forearm.
The back of your elbow.
Your tricep.
Feeling the muscles of your belly relax and let go.
Feeling the breath to move your belly.
Across the front of your hips and down.
Through your quadriceps.
Across the head of your knees.
And your shins.
Just get in touch with your body right here,
Right now.
Notice any sensations you are feeling.
Tingling.
Throbbing.
Where you feel space.
Notice where you're holding any tension.
Allow the muscles to relax.
Whether those sensations are pleasant or unpleasant or neutral,
It's fine.
Just get in touch with what you're feeling right now.
Now take three deep breaths to let out any tension from the day.
Let your breathing return to normal.
And see if you can notice where you feel the breath most strongly.
It may be as it enters and exits your nostrils.
Or perhaps as it enters and exits your chest.
Or as your abdomen rises and falls.
No one spot is better than another.
Just notice where you feel your breath most strongly.
Again not trying to control the breath.
Slow it down.
Your body knows how to breathe itself.
Just try to relax and let your breathing be natural.
So now adopt a little half smile.
Very very tiny.
Just so the corners of your mouth curl up just a little bit.
You shouldn't be strained or forced.
Just let your mouth adopt a position,
A little bit of a smile with your mouth closed.
Notice how that makes you feel.
When your face adopts a position of contentment and peace.
Happiness with the present moment.
Now as you breathe in and out.
Noticing how each in breath feels.
How each out breath feels.
Try to let your breath be infused with affection for yourself and others.
With kindness for yourself and others.
Even if you don't really feel it.
Set your intention for each breath.
To breathe in kindness and affection for yourself.
And each out breath to breathe out affection and kindness for the world.
For others in the world who are suffering just like you are.
Your mind will naturally wander as it does this.
It's very normal,
Very human.
Don't judge yourself or your mind wandering.
Everyone does it.
Just notice when your mind has wandered.
This is a moment of mindfulness.
You are aware that your mind has wandered.
And bring your attention gently back to your breath.
Focusing on the feelings of affection and kindness that you're intending with each in breath and each out breath.
If it helps to get in touch with these feelings,
You might try putting your hand over your heart and feeling the warmth that's there.
Coming back to the breath if your mind has wandered.
Feeling some appreciation for your breath itself.
Without breath we couldn't stay alive.
Noticing each breath as it enters and exits your body.
Holding affection for yourself and for others.
Kindness for yourself and for others.
Remembering your little half smile.
If your mind has wandered,
Bringing it gently and tenderly back to the breath.
Letting your breath soothe and comfort your body.
Releasing any tension there.
As you notice a gentle flow of your breath.
In and out.
Your mind has wandered.
Just bring your awareness back to your breath without judgment.
Noticing the feelings of affection generated by your half smile.
Or perhaps you have your hand over your heart getting in touch with the feelings of warmth there.
And gently return to your breath.
Kindness being breathed in and out.
Returning to the breath.
Focusing on your intention of kindness for self and others.
Of good will.
Of affection for all human beings including ourselves.
The meditation will end shortly.
So take this last minute or two to really focus on your breath.
Gently and kindly breathing in.
Breathing out.
Resting in the feelings of kindness that you're generating.
Namaste.
Namaste.
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