Lovingkindness Meditation + Breath Practice

This Lovingkindness (METTA) practice combines Mindfulness and Breath to help us to tap into the acceptance, love and grace that are at the heart of love and true presence.  Lovingkindness is a means of offering compassion for self and others by tuning into the unconditional love that is available to us at all times. Through combination with Breath, we amplify the energy of Lovingkindness and expand our compassionate presence.

Transcript

Welcome to this loving kindness meditation and breath practice.

Find a comfortable seat of practice.

You can either be seated or laying down.

Whichever posture that you choose,

Ensure that your body is fully supported.

And that you can give over your weight.

You can really sink into the supports beneath you.

Move and shift your body into a posture of balance.

So feel equal weight on both sides of the body.

And be really generous with your weight.

Give your weight over to the earth below.

You can feel as you release,

As you soften and become heavier.

That you are met with this constancy of support.

The earth rising up to meet you.

Lengthen through the spine.

Tuck the chin slightly.

Roll the shoulders back and down.

Opening up the chest.

Opening the heart.

You can close the eyes or soften the gaze.

Tune into the subtlety that is the breath.

Watch as the breath moves in and out of the body.

Perhaps you find as you begin this practice that you are breathing in a more shallow way.

Maybe the breath is quick.

Maybe you notice it further up close to the throat.

Tune into the breath and allow it to guide you.

To offer any subtle messages.

Any requests of support.

Now place focus on your heart space.

You can lay hands on your heart as you practice.

Or simply place your attention and awareness there.

As you breathe in,

Feel,

Sense and intend the expansion of your chest.

Of your heart.

Breathe in through your nose.

And as you exhale,

Release and soften.

As you breathe in through your nose,

Feel the energy of unconditional love begin to fill your heart space.

Every breath in,

We draw more of this energy in.

Unconditional love warming and filling your heart space.

If you'd like you can even give it a color.

Perhaps a light pink or a green.

Any other color that allows you to feel that energy of unconditional love.

Every breath in,

We draw more of that energy in.

Unconditional love,

Compassion,

Kindness,

Grace.

And now as we exhale,

Start to feel that energy of unconditional love spread outward.

Moving out in all directions from the heart space.

Beginning to fill the body.

So every breath in,

We draw more of this energy of unconditional love into the heart.

And every exhale,

This unconditional love begins to spread further and further.

Until it fills your entire physical body with the energy of unconditional love.

And as you are breathing in and with this energy of unconditional love,

Of loving kindness.

Offer yourself a blessing.

You can repeat either silently or out loud after me.

Say,

May I be well.

May I be happy.

May my heart be open and filled with loving kindness.

Continue to breathe with the energy of loving kindness.

Basking in this beautiful energy of grace.

This heartwarming,

Loving kindness.

Breathe with it and feel and see and sense and intend that you are now glowing with the energy of loving kindness.

In this practice,

We start with self.

We ignite the energy of loving kindness within.

And then we begin to share it with others.

So in your mind's eye,

Bring up the image of someone that you care for deeply.

That you hold love and appreciation and care for.

See them clearly in your mind's eye.

As you breathe in,

Draw in more loving kindness.

More of that unconditional love.

And as you exhale,

Send this loving kindness energy out to the person that you care for.

Feel,

See,

Sense and intend that this energy goes out to the person that you care for.

Breathe in to draw more loving kindness energy in.

Exhale and send it out.

Witness as the loving kindness is welcomed in.

Received by the person that you are visualizing.

Filling up their entire form with loving kindness energy.

And offer them the same blessing.

Repeating either silently or out loud.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May your heart be open and filled with loving kindness.

Continue to breathe in this circuit of loving kindness.

Receiving the energy of universal unconditional love.

And giving this loving kindness energy out.

Now releasing the image of the person that you are holding in your mind's eye.

And bringing up the image of someone that you have a neutral relationship with.

This is someone that there isn't really an emotional charge with.

So perhaps someone that you see in passing at work.

Or on your day to day travels.

Maybe someone at the grocery store.

Or perhaps on a walk that you typically take.

Whoever comes to mind first.

And now just as you did before,

Seeing them clearly in your mind's eye.

We breathe in this circuit of loving kindness.

Breathe in,

Draw in the energy of unconditional love.

Feel and sense it filling your entire body.

Exhale and send it out.

Allow yourself to be a conduit,

A clear channel of this unconditional love.

Send it out to the person that you're visualizing.

And witness it being received.

Witness it being welcomed in.

As a gift with no strings,

No attachments.

The inherent right of what it means to be human is to receive this loving kindness energy.

Allow yourself to be a conduit.

Breathe with it.

Allow it to come in and through you.

And just as you did before,

We offer the same blessing.

Repeating either silently or out loud.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May your heart be open and filled with loving kindness.

Breathe with this loving kindness energy again.

Allow yourself to be taken up in it.

To experience the connection.

The expansion of loving kindness.

And now release the image of the person that you are holding.

And bring up the image of someone that you are currently experiencing challenge or conflict with.

Someone that you are struggling to be in a caring relationship with.

Or perhaps you are simply meeting a challenge in this moment with.

Bring up the image of this person.

See them clearly in your mind's eye.

And perhaps even welcoming in the conflict.

Giving it a color,

A shape,

A form.

Allow yourself to be breathed with loving kindness energy.

And breathe in unconditional love.

Exhale and send out this unconditional love,

This loving kindness,

Grace and generosity and care.

Send it out without effort to the person that you are feeling challenged with and the challenge itself.

Inhale to continue to replenish your stores,

Your experience of loving kindness.

Exhale to send out without effort loving kindness that is moving through you.

That is available to you and for you at all times.

See and experience how this loving kindness energy is received by the person that you are feeling challenged with.

And the conflict between you.

Be with this as long as you need.

Allow the energy of loving kindness,

Of compassion,

Of grace to soften.

Continue to breathe in this circuit of loving kindness.

Bringing it in,

Allowing it to move through.

And noticing,

Feeling,

Experiencing how necessarily what you are bringing in,

This loving kindness energy,

Is a gift from them also.

Imagine what it is for them to send loving kindness out to you.

Receive it as you draw unconditional love back into your heart.

Good.

Letting go of the image of this person and any energy that you've welcomed in.

And we now hold a diffuse awareness of all sentient beings across all dimensions,

Times and planes.

Let's begin with the blessing.

Repeated either silently or out loud.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May your heart be open and filled with loving kindness.

So draw loving kindness energy into your body.

And as you exhale,

Feel,

See,

Sense and intend that this energy is sent out in all directions.

Without effort.

Every inhale you draw more loving kindness into your body.

With every exhale you send it out,

Becoming part of this endless flow of unconditional love,

Of kindness,

Of grace.

Feeling and sensing how you are part of it all.

How you are not separate from this unconditional love.

And how when you allow yourself to be with it,

To breathe with it,

You become a beautiful conduit.

A clear channel of this loving kindness energy.

Experience yourself expanding.

Allow your heart to grow bigger.

And draw either hands to heart or simply awareness there.

And offer gratitude,

Thankfulness for this unconditional loving energy that is always available.

That is a gift available to you as your birthright.

Receive it fully.

We now begin to close this practice by drawing awareness again into the body.

Feeling into the edges of your physical body.

Feeling the heaviness of your body resting on the earth below.

And sensing the support of that earth rising up to meet you.

Cradling you.

Holding you.

Start to lengthen your breath.

Drawing more air into the lungs,

Enlivening the body.

Start to visualize the space around you.

Imagining the colors,

The shapes,

The forms.

And when you feel ready,

Opening your eyes.

Coming back into the space.

And perhaps glancing around.

Taking in all of these colors and shapes and forms.

Everything in your space that is in support of you.

And how you are so intricately,

Inherently connected to all things.

Through this loving kindness energy.

Thank you so much for practicing with me today.

Sending much love and many blessings.