Loving-Kindness Meditation
by Cat Valadez
Loving-kindness is a Buddhist teaching, and this meditation guides you through the practice of cultivating the feeling and sensation of loving-kindness through all the layers of your existence in this world. If you are feeling run ragged by your day-to-day or the trials of the world today, struggling with anger or frustration with others or yourself, this is the meditation for you. Over roughly 17 minutes, take a seat to shift your energetic and mental state from a lower vibration to a higher one, through the simple practice of cultivating loving-kindness.
Transcript
Welcome to your loving kindness meditation.
Sit in a comfortable position,
Tall and relaxed.
Close your eyes and bring your attention to the heart region of your body.
Now take three slow,
Easy breaths from the heart.
Soften your shoulders down as you breathe.
Relax the space between your eyebrows.
And stay fully erect,
Sitting up tall.
See yourself and your mind sitting down.
Note your posture as if you were seeing yourself from the outside.
Feel your heartbeat in your chest and fingertips.
Feel the sensations in your body as you sit.
Recall that every living being wants to live peacefully and happily.
Connect with that deep wish.
Just as all beings wish to be happy and free from suffering.
May I be happy and free from suffering.
Let yourself feel the warmth of that loving intention.
Now keeping an image of yourself sitting and feeling goodwill in your heart,
Repeat the following silently and gently.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
Let each phrase mean what it says.
If necessary,
Repeat one phrase a few times for the sake of clarity.
Take your time.
Keep an image of yourself in your mind's eye.
Enjoy your loving heart and savor the meaning of the words.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
When you notice that your mind has wandered,
Which it will do after a few seconds,
Repeat the phrases again.
If the words become meaningless,
Revisualize yourself sitting and offer yourself the phrases again.
If both the image of yourself sitting and the words become vague or blurry,
Put your hand on your heart and recall your intention to fill yourself with loving kindness.
Just as all beings wish to be happy and free from suffering,
May I be happy and free from suffering.
Then return to the phrases.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
Let this exercise be easy.
Don't try too hard.
Loving kindness is the most natural thing in the world.
Distractions will always arise and when you notice them,
Let them go and return to the phrases.
When your attention wanders,
Return to giving love to yourself.
Sitting with yourself is like sitting with a dear friend who's not feeling well.
You may not cure your friend,
But you'll have offered the kindness he or she deserves.
Now bring your attention to a loved one in your life.
Someone you love,
Have a close personal relationship with,
Or perhaps a teacher or guide who has positively changed your life.
Someone who is supportive and meaningful.
Stay connected to your breath as you see this person in your mind's eye,
With all their characteristics and qualities,
Physical and emotional.
Connect with that deep wish now directed at this person.
Just as all beings wish to be free and happy from suffering,
May you be happy and free from suffering.
Imagine you are sending the warmth of that loving intention to this person.
As you visualize this person in your mind's eye,
Repeat the following in your mind as if you are speaking to them right now.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Let each phrase mean what it says.
If necessary,
Repeat one phrase a few times for the sake of clarity.
Take your time.
Keep an image of this special person in your mind's eye.
Enjoy your loving heart and savor the meaning of the words.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from suffering.
When you notice that your mind has wandered,
Which it will after a few seconds,
Repeat the phrases again.
If you are ever overwhelmed with emotion,
You can always return to your breathing.
You can also name the emotion or find it in the physical body and soften that area.
Then when you are comfortable,
Return to the phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Let this exercise be easy.
Don't try too hard.
Loving kindness is the most natural thing in the world.
Distractions will always arise and when you notice them,
Let them go and return to the phrases.
Now bring your attention to a person you don't know.
Perhaps a recent acquaintance or someone you see regularly in passing without actually knowing them.
A stranger toward whom you feel neutral.
Stay connected to your breath as you see this person in your mind's eye.
Connect with that deep wish now directed at this person.
Just as all beings wish to be happy and free from suffering,
May you be happy and free from suffering.
Imagine you're sending the warmth of that loving intention to this stranger you are visualizing.
As you visualize this person in your mind's eye,
Repeat the following in your mind as if you are speaking to them right now.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Take your time.
Keep an image of this stranger in your mind's eye.
Enjoy your loving heart and savor the meaning of the words.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
When you notice your mind has wandered,
Which it will after a few seconds,
Repeat the phrases again.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
If you're ever overwhelmed with emotion,
You can always return to your breathing.
You can also name the emotion or find it in the physical body and soften that area.
Then when you're comfortable,
Return to the phrases.
Let this exercise be easy.
Don't try too hard.
Loving kindness is the most natural thing in the world.
Distractions will always arise,
And when you notice them,
Let them go and return to the phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you bring your attention to a person in your life who has been difficult recently,
With whom you have argued or fought,
Or perhaps even a public figure you strongly dislike.
Someone you might consider an enemy or currently see in a negative light.
Stay connected to your breath as you see this person in your mind's eye with all their characteristics and qualities,
Physical and emotional.
Connect with that deep wish now directed at this person.
Just as all beings wish to be happy and free from suffering,
May you be happy and free from suffering.
Imagine you're sending the warmth of that loving intention to this antagonizing person you're visualizing.
As you visualize this person in your mind's eye,
Repeat the following in your mind as if you're speaking to them right now.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Let each phrase mean what it says.
If necessary,
Repeat one phrase a few times for the sake of clarity,
And observe the sensations in your body as you repeat the phrases and keep the individual in your mind's eye.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
If you're ever overwhelmed with emotion,
You can always return to your breathing.
You can also name the emotion or find it in the physical body and soften that area.
Then when you're comfortable,
Return to the phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Take your time.
Keep an image of this difficult person in your mind's eye.
Enjoy your loving heart and savor the meaning of the words.
Let this exercise be easy.
Don't try too hard.
Loving kindness is the most natural thing in the world.
Distractions will always arise,
And when you notice them,
Let them go and return to the phrases.
Now bring your attention to the world as a whole,
Imagining the span of billions of humans on this humble planet.
Connect to the vastness of humanity,
Our many differences and similarities,
Our heartaches and joys,
All of us yearning for survival,
Love,
And peace in our lives.
Stay connected to your breath as you see humanity in your mind's eye,
With all our characteristics and qualities on this special planet.
Connect with that deep wish now directed at the planet as a whole,
Just as all beings wish to be happy and free from suffering,
May our whole world be happy and free from suffering.
Imagine you're sending the warmth of that loving intention across the entire globe,
To people of all countries,
Backgrounds,
And faiths.
As you visualize this in your mind's eye,
Repeat the following in your mind as if you're speaking to them right now.
May we be happy.
May we be safe.
Let this exercise be easy.
Don't try too hard.
Loving kindness is the most natural thing in the world.
Distractions will always arise,
And when you notice them,
Let them go and return to the phrases,
May we be happy.
May we be safe.
May we be healthy.
May we live with ease.
If you're ever overwhelmed with emotion,
You can always return to your breathing.
You can name the emotion or find it in the physical body and soften that area.
Then,
When you're comfortable,
Return to the phrases,
May we be happy.
May we be safe.
May we be healthy.
May we live with ease.
Finally,
Take a few breaths,
And just sit,
Resting quietly in your own body,
Savoring the goodwill and compassion that flows naturally from your own heart.
Know that you can return to the phrases anytime you wish.
Gently open your eyes.
