This is a Be Friending practice.
Establishing a posture that allows you to rest into the support of the chair and ground,
But also to embody a sense of upright wakefulness and dignity.
A sense of interest in your present moment experience.
For this practice especially,
It is helpful to sit in a way that allows a sense of comfort in the body.
As best as you can.
Holding the body within a warm attitude of friendliness and compassion.
Letting this be the ground to which you keep returning during the practice.
If you wish you can even lie down for this.
Within this ground of the body,
Steadying and anchoring the attention in the sensations of breathing.
Breath is in the foreground,
The body in the background.
Noticing and appreciating.
Serving any sensations of lightness or pleasure in the body.
And breathing as you do this.
Breathing in peacefully.
Breathing out peacefully.
Bringing an attitude of friendliness and care to your experience.
As best as you can.
Practicing allowing your experience to be just as it is.
However that is.
Now bring into mind someone with whom you have an easy,
Positive and relatively uncomplicated relationship of goodwill.
Maybe someone who has been generous to you.
Towards whom you have warm feelings.
This could be a friend,
A mentor,
A former teacher,
Even a pet.
As you bring this being to mind.
Noticing the body sensations that arise.
The feelings.
Thoughts,
Images that are here.
Allowing things to be as they are.
Now holding the person in mind,
Connect with the sense that you wish them well.
And saying these phrases as expressions of this well wishing.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
And now when you're ready.
Just letting go of the phrases and of the sense of this person.
And coming back to the warm sense of the body as it sits here and breathes.
Taking a few appreciative breaths.
Letting things be as they are.
Now bringing to mind someone who's having some difficulty or struggle that has touched or moved you.
Perhaps a manageable two kilo difficulty rather than a 10 kilo overwhelming one.
As you bring this person to mind.
Feeling the body sensations that arise.
Thoughts,
Images or moods.
Allowing things to be as they are.
As you hold this person in mind.
Again connect with the sense of wishing them well.
And letting the phrases be an expression of this well wishing.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
In the midst of what you're going through.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
In the midst of what you're going through.
When you're ready.
Letting go of the phrases and of the sense of this person.
And coming back to the warm sense of the body.
As it sits here and breathes.
Taking a few appreciative breaths.
Letting things be as they are.
Now bring into mind some recent difficulty or struggle.
Or one that you are currently facing.
Again please a manageable two kilo difficulty rather than an overwhelming 10 kilo one.
Noticing the body sensations that arise.
The feelings,
Thoughts,
Images.
Practicing,
Allowing things to be as they are.
Breathing with your experience just as it is.
And now sensing your body as it sits here.
Saying the phrases.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
In the midst of this.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
In the midst of this.
Safe and well,
Peaceful,
Ease and kindness.
In the midst of this.
In the midst of this.
Noting what arises in the mind and body as you do this practice.
Just allowing whatever arises to be here.
To be as it is.
Returning the attention to the body.
Sitting breathing.
Into the phrases.
Each time you notice that it is wondered.
When you're ready letting go of the phrases.
Coming back for a few moments.
To a simple sense of the body sitting.
And breathing.
And now becoming aware of the group of us sitting here doing this practice together.
And if you're doing the practice at home on your own.
Aware of the many people all around the world doing this practice.
Seeing what it's like to practice wishing well.
To all those here around you.
In this moment.
Some of whom you may know well.
And others who you may scarcely know at all.
And offering your goodwill.
To all these beings.
Safe and well.
Peaceful.
Safe and well.
Peaceful.
Ease and kindness.
Noticing that in this moment you're both offering goodwill and well wishing.
And also receiving it from others.
Exploring what it's like to really let this in.
To let yourself be nourished.
If possible.
By the sense of being in a field of well wishing.
I know I'm really inspired and grateful.
All around the world and all different parts of the world.
There are people sending loving kindness.
And befriending good wishes.
To beings everywhere.
Safe and well.
Peaceful.
Ease and kindness.
And I letting go of the phrases.
And coming back to the simple sense of sitting here breathing.
Holding your body and heart in an attitude of care and kindness.
If you like when you're ready you can open the eyes.
Align the others in the room to be in the field of your awareness and goodwill.
A sense of sitting here together.
And I letting go of the phrases.
And I letting go of the phrases.
