Loving Kindness Practice,
Wishes for Wellbeing for Yourself.
Let's begin by focusing on loving kindness for yourself.
This practice can be done in a few ways.
One way is through repeating phrases in your mind.
Another is through imagery,
Bringing to mind an image which naturally evokes the quality of loving kindness.
We'll start by using some phrases and if you feel like an image works better for you,
That's just fine.
Feel free to switch to imagery.
We can use the phrases,
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful.
Repeating these phrases silently inwardly to yourself.
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful.
Notice if your mind starts to speed up repeating them faster and faster.
Try to repeat the phrases slowly so that you absorb the meaning.
This practice is not about rote repetition but rather about connecting to our particular experience,
That quality of loving kindness or friendship for yourself.
You could hold an image in mind of yourself and offer these qualities.
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful.
Or you can imagine what that visceral experience would be like for you.
What would it be like to be safe,
To feel at ease.
Imagine that's entirely possible for you here and now.
Not sometimes,
Not sometime way off in the future,
Right now.
May I be happy,
Right now.
May I be peaceful.
If the words that I'm offering are not exactly right for you,
It's just fine to change them.
Maybe what you want is,
May I be healthy,
May my material needs be met,
May my material needs be met,
May I be at ease in body and mind.
Find the wording that you feel represents your real desire.
You may even simplify it by choosing a single word that has meaning for you.
For example,
Healthy,
Happy,
Peaceful,
Relaxed,
At ease.
At ease.
One repeated wish may be enough,
Three or four are plenty.
More than that can be difficult to keep track of.
If at any point it becomes difficult to remember the phrases,
Don't worry,
You can always begin again or simply return to breath awareness practice.
It's important not to struggle with this practice.
If you find yourself drifting off,
Just take a break.
Perhaps that's enough for today,
Come back to it another time.
Staying with that quality of friendliness for yourself.
Whether it's through an image or through the phrases,
Opening your heart in the direction toward you.
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be at ease in body and mind.
As a support for this practice,
You might like to write your phrases or words on a piece of paper and keep them at your bedside,
Desk,
Or someplace you'll see them regularly.
Alternatively,
You could create an appointment reminder for your electronic calendar using your loving-kindness phrases,
Causing them to pop up during your day.
For some people,
Taking an image works well,
Like the image of the wide open sky to remind them of the day.
Or it could be an image that naturally evokes the quality of love in your mind and remembering to turn that back towards yourself.
A flower or a tree or a flower or a flower or a tree or a flower or a tree or a flower or a flower or a flower or a tree.
Something from nature.
What brings you ease?
What helps you to fall in love with yourself?
Know that you are completely worthy know that you are completely worthy of your own love.
May I be safe.
May I be peaceful.
May I be at ease in body and mind.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
Directing that open-hearted quality of friendship and loving-kindness towards yourself.
Holding yourself with loving-kindness.
Allowing yourself to enjoy your own loving quality of mind and heart.
Allowing yourself to enjoy your own loving quality of mind and heart.
