Today we will be doing a meditation on loving kindness.
Find a comfortable sitting position and gently close your eyes.
Try to be aware of how you are feeling sitting right here right now.
Let go of any tension you feel in your body.
Soften your belly.
Relax your eyes and jaw and loosen your shoulders.
Reflect on your desire for happiness and freedom from suffering.
With every breath acknowledge your wish to be free from harm,
To be safe and protected,
To feel love and kindness.
Repeat these three phrases to yourself.
Pause after each one and feel it deep in your heart.
May I be happy.
May I be at ease.
May I be free from suffering.
As you sit on your cushion repeat these mantras.
If your attention shifts gently go back to them.
Remember be kind to yourself.
It takes persistent effort to return when the mind wanders.
May I be happy.
Pay attention to how you feel when you say this.
May I be at ease.
Notice where your thoughts go.
May I be free from suffering.
Allow your mind and body to relax into the reverberations of these mantras.
Try not to judge yourself if you don't instantly feel love for yourself and the whole world.
Remember to go easy and give this time.
May I be at ease.
Now bring your attention back to your breath and body and relax.
Bring someone into your thoughts who has been kind or beneficial to you.
Just as you want to be happy and at peace so does that benefactor.
Offer the mantras with this person in mind.
Just as I wish to be happy,
Peaceful,
And free,
May you too be happy.
May you be at ease.
May you be free from suffering.
Having spent a few minutes sending love and kindness to your benefactor,
Let her or him go and expand your wish to others such as friends or family to receive your gifts of love and kindness.
May you be happy.
May you be at ease.
May you be free from suffering.
Again,
Bring your attention back to your breath and body.
Now we will expand the practice to include difficult people in your life or in the world,
Those you may hold a resentment towards.
All beings wish to be met with love and kindness.
Even those who behave unskillful,
Violent,
Annoying,
Or unkind,
They too wish to be happy.
With the intention to free yourself from hatred,
Fear,
And ill will,
Allow someone who is a source of difficulty to be the object of your love and kindness.
May you be happy.
May you be at ease.
Now,
Let's expand our field of positive vibrations.
Start by sending love and kindness to everyone in the room.
Gradually expand to those in your town or city and out from there.
Use your imagination and let your positive intention spread in all directions.
Imagine covering the earth with positive energy.
North,
South,
East,
And West.
Radiate an open,
Loving heart and a fearless mind to all beings in existence,
From the smallest to the largest,
The seen and unseen,
Those just born or those that are dying.
With boundless friendly intention,
Repeat these to yourself.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be at ease.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings be free from suffering.
Now,
Take a deep cleansing breath and let go of the mantras.
Bring your attention back to your breath and body.
Pay attention to the sensations and emotions you feel.
Then whenever you're ready,
Allow your eyes to open and your attention to come back to your deep Plants awareness.
