Loving kindness meditation.
Sit comfortably either in a chair with your feet flat on the floor or on a cushion,
Your spine straight but relaxed,
And close your eyes.
Now take a deep breath in,
And a long relaxing breath out.
Bring your focus inward.
Feel your whole body as a field of awareness,
Of energy,
Warmth,
Aliveness.
From your head,
Down your neck,
Out along your arms and into your fingers,
Down your back,
Into your hips,
Down your legs,
Past your knees and calves,
And into your feet.
Feel the energy passing through your feet or your backside,
Rooting you into the ground beneath you.
Now,
Think of a person close to you who you love,
And who loves you very much.
It could be someone from the past or the present,
Someone still alive,
Or maybe it's someone dear to you that is past or.
It could be a spiritual teacher or guide or a family member or a close friend.
Imagine that person standing next to you on your right,
Smiling,
Holding your hand and looking across at you in the eye.
Feel the warmth and love coming from that person towards you from their heart.
From their heart,
Down their arm,
And out through their hand and into yours and deep into you.
Love and wishes for your well-being and happiness.
See the sparkle in their eyes,
The warmth of their smile.
Imagine that person who cares about you deeply.
Imagine that person standing on your left side,
Holding your other hand.
They're also smiling at you,
Looking you in the eye,
And sending wishes for your wellness,
For your health and happiness.
Feel the kindness and warmth coming to you from that person's heart,
Around and down their arm,
Through their hand and into yours and deeply into you.
Feel the warmth from both these people flowing into you.
Feel the warmth from both these people flowing into you.
Now imagine you are surrounded on all sides by all the people who love you and have loved you.
Picture all of your friends and loved ones around you,
Surrounding you.
They're standing there,
You can feel the warmth of their hearts pulsating out towards you.
Sending you wishes for happiness,
Well-being and good health.
Bask in the warmth and love coming in from all sides.
Feel your own heart warming and feel free to come into your own.
And feel filled to the point of overflowing with that warmth and love.
And now bring your awareness back to the person standing on your right.
Begin to send the love that you feel back to that person.
Imagine that warmth and love that has been overflowing from you passed down your arm through your hand and flowed deeply into that person.
Repeat the following phrases,
Silently.
S call for the love coming in from you.
And the loving and loving love coming out of that person.
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
Turn your attention to the person standing on your left side.
Begin now to direct the love within you to that person.
Imagine the warmth and love that has been overflowing from you.
Pass from your heart down your arm,
Through your hand and flow deeply into that person.
And again,
Repeat the following phrases silently to that person.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be free.
And now imagine those people standing beside you and all around you slowly,
Gently and peacefully wandering away.
Now think of someone you don't know very well and toward whom you do not have any particular feeling.
Maybe a work colleague or a local shop owner you see from time to time.
Imagine them standing in front of you,
You're looking at each other,
Eye to eye,
A small smile on your lips.
And now send wishes for well-being to that person from your heart,
Repeating the following phrases silently.
May you live with ease and happiness,
Good health and love surrounding you.
May you live with ease and happiness,
Good health and love surrounding you.
May you live with ease and happiness,
Good health and love surrounding you.
And now imagine that person smiling at you,
Turning and walking away.
And now think of someone that up until now you've not really liked.
Maybe they're someone you've always argued with,
Maybe they're someone who's done you wrong.
Imagine them standing in front of you,
You're looking at each other,
A neutral look on your faces.
And now you both break into a smile.
And now send wishes for well-being to that person from your heart,
Repeating the following phrases silently.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease and in peace.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease and in peace.
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease and in peace.
And now imagine that person leaning in and giving you a hug,
Smiling at you,
And you smile back at them.
And then they turn and walk away.
Now expand your awareness and picture the whole world in front of you as a globe bathed in sunlight,
Turning slowly.
And send warmth from your heart to all living beings on the planet who,
Just like you,
Want to be happy.
And repeat the following phrases silently.
May you all be happy.
May you all be healthy.
May you all be peaceful.
May you all be free.
May you all be happy.
Feel the warmth from your heart pulsating out across the earth,
Surrounding it.
And now see the earth dissolve into space.
Take a deep breath in,
Breathe out.
And another deep breath in,
And then let it go.
When you're ready,
Start to bring your attention back into the space you're sitting in.
Sense your place in the room or outside.
And again,
When you're ready,
You can gently,
Softly,
Slowly open your eyes.
