Welcome to this loving-kindness meditation on creating space for compassion and balance.
This meditation is inspired by Yoga Sutra 1 verse 33.
By cultivating attitudes of friendliness towards the happy,
Compassion for the unhappy,
Delight in the virtuous,
And equanimity towards the non-virtuous,
The mind-stuff retains its undisturbed calmness.
Come to find a comfortable seat.
Allow your spine to lengthen,
Your shoulders to relax,
And your eyes to gently close.
Begin by connecting with your breath.
Inhale deeply,
Feeling the breath expand within you,
And exhale slowly,
Releasing any tension.
Continue to breathe naturally,
Letting each inhale create space within you.
And each exhale to soften and release.
Now bring awareness to your heart center.
Feel the warmth and the openness of the space.
Allow it to expand as you breathe.
And imagine the space growing,
Creating room for kindness,
Compassion,
And understanding.
I invite you now to bring to mind someone who is currently experiencing happiness or success.
It could be a loved one,
A friend,
Or even someone you know casually.
And as you bring them to mind,
Feel a sense of joy for them,
And silently repeat the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you continue to find joy in life.
As you offer these thoughts,
Notice how this creates space within your own heart,
Allowing you to share in their happiness.
Next,
Think of someone who may be going through a difficult time.
Next,
Think of someone who may be going through a difficult time.
They might be experiencing pain,
Grief,
Or struggle.
Hold them gently in your heart,
And silently repeat these phrases.
May you be free from suffering.
May you find peace and strength.
May you feel supported and cared for.
Allow this feeling of compassion to grow within you,
Creating space for their pain without trying to fix it,
But simply allowing it to grow.
Simply holding them in loving awareness.
Now bring your mind to someone whose actions inspire you.
Perhaps it's someone you know from afar.
It could be someone who you admire for their kindness and wisdom,
Someone close to you,
Or someone you know casually.
Try not to overthink this process.
Allow the person to come to your mind's eye,
And silently repeat these phrases.
May your goodness continue to flourish.
May your heart remain open and joyful.
May you find fulfillment in your actions.
Honor the goodness in others,
And allow it to create space for your own joy,
Connecting you with the beauty of the world.
I invite you now to think of someone who may challenge you.
I invite you now to think of someone who may challenge you.
Someone whose actions or words have been difficult for you to accept.
And without judgment,
Offer them these phrases.
May you find peace.
May you be free from suffering.
May you experience ease in life.
As you offer these words,
Notice how it creates space for equanimity,
A balanced heart that neither clings nor pushes away,
But rather observes with compassion.
Now finally,
Gently bring your awareness inward.
Feel the space you've created within your own heart,
And direct the same kindness,
Compassion,
And peace towards yourself.
Silently repeat,
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be free from suffering.
May I find balance and ease.
As you offer these words to yourself,
Allow your heart to soften.
Let go of any self-judgment,
And hold it in your heart.
Hold yourself in the same loving space you've offered others.
Take a moment to breathe in this kindness,
And feel it expand,
Filling every part of you with warmth and calm.
Now return to your breath.
Feel the space you have created within yourself.
Room for friendliness,
Compassion,
Joy.
With each breath,
Feel the space expand,
Reaching both your inner world and the world around you.
Take a few moments to rest in this spacious awareness,
Knowing that by creating internal peace and balance,
You're also creating a more harmonious space in your external life.
When you are ready,
Slowly open your eyes,
And carry the sense of spaciousness and loving kindness with you into the rest of your day.
Thank you for practicing with me,
And take a moment to thank yourself for showing up for your practice today.
