Sending Love To Yourself And Others

Loving-kindness and self-compassion practices help us reunite with our own inner goodness, and the loving goodness of others. We'll start with a brief stretch + movement, and settle into a loving-kindness meditation practice.

Transcript

Hi there everyone.

So we're just going to begin by stretching out our muscles gently.

You can go ahead and raise your arms above your head as you breathe in and lower your arms to your sides as you exhale.

Raise your arms and stretch as you breathe in again and relax and lower them as you breathe out.

You can go ahead and roll your shoulders forward.

Roll them back and now just let them relax.

Let the tension drain from your shoulders and now that you've began to release some tension we'll prepare for meditation.

So go ahead and sit in whatever posture feels best to you.

It could be sitting cross-legged,

That's what I like.

With your feet on the ground,

Laying down if you're not comfortable sitting that's fine as well.

But it should be a posture that feels safe and rooted and one that you feel comfortable closing your eyes in for the next about 10 minutes more or less.

Once you've found that position go ahead and rest your arms and hands gently on your lap.

Once you're settled in go ahead and let your eyes shut naturally and we'll go ahead and take a big inhale together and a big exhale out the mouth.

We'll inhale together and exhale together and the last time breathe in together and this time close your mouth as you exhale breathing through the nose.

Now go ahead and let your breath return to its natural rhythm.

Oftentimes because we don't use our full lung capacity when you do deep breaths can make us a little dizzy.

So if you're feeling a little bit dizzy you need to open your eyes for a second that's okay.

And from here we're just going to take a few minutes and check in with the body.

So take a moment now just notice how you feel in this moment right now and turn your attention to the feeling of the inhalation as you breathe in through your nose.

It can be helpful to ask yourself where do you feel the breath most?

Is it in the nostrils where it enters?

Is it in the chest as it rises and falls?

Is it in the abdomen?

And now we can turn our focus to our exhales simply noticing where we feel this most prominently.

Just keeping our attention on the breath,

Inhaling and exhaling.

We spend so much of our day on autopilot our heart pumps without us needing to remind it.

Our lungs breathe in air over and over day after day without us having to do anything.

Feel the lungs fill with air as you inhale and release on the exhale over and over.

As you've settled in to the breath and noticed how you feel in this moment we're going to start with what's called a loving kindness meditation.

And so keeping your eyes closed I'd like you to think of a person close to you who loves you very much.

It can be someone from the present,

From the past,

It could be a guide or a teacher.

And now imagine that person standing by your right side sending you all of their love.

That person is sending you wishes for your safety,

Your well-being,

Your happiness.

Feel the kindness and warmth coming to you from that person.

Now imagine that you are surrounded on all sides by all of the people who love you and have loved you.

Picture that beautiful image of all of your friends and loved ones surrounding you.

They're sending you wishes for your happiness,

Your well-being,

Your health.

Bask in this love that is coming from all sides.

You are filled with love and warmth.

And now we'll bring our awareness back to that person who is standing on your right side.

Begin to send the love that you feel back to that person.

You and this person are so similar.

Just like you,

This person wishes to be happy.

Send all of your love and warm wishes to that person.

And I'd like you to repeat the following phrases silently with your intention on the person to your right.

May you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be free from pain.

May you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be free from pain.

May you live with ease.

May you be happy.

May you be free from pain.

Now focus your awareness on the person standing to your left side.

Begin to direct the love within you to that person,

Sending them back so much love.

Send all of your love and warmth to them.

You and that person are so alike.

Just like you,

That person wishes to have a good life.

Repeat the following phrases.

Just as I wish to,

May you be safe.

May you be healthy.

May you live with ease.

Just as I wish to,

May you be safe.

May you be healthy.

May you live with ease.

Just as I wish to,

May you be safe.

May you be healthy.

May you live with ease.

Now picture another person that you love,

Perhaps a relative or a friend.

This person like you wishes to have a happy life.

Send warm wishes to that person,

Repeating the following phrases silently.

May your life be filled with happiness,

Health,

And well-being.

May your life be filled with happiness,

Health,

And well-being.

May your life be filled with happiness,

Health,

And well-being.

And now we'll send some loving kindness to more neutral people in our lives.

Go ahead and think of an acquaintance,

Someone you don't know very well or towards whom you don't have a particular feeling.

You and this person are alike in your wish to have a good life as well.

And so,

Send your wishes for well-being to that person,

Repeating the following phrases.

Just as I wish to,

May you also live with ease and happiness.

Just as I wish to,

May you also live with ease and happiness.

And now,

Finally,

We'll expand our awareness and picture the whole globe in front of you,

Like a little ball.

Send warm wishes to all living beings on the globe who,

Like you,

Just want to be happy.

And repeat the following phrases to yourself.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be free from all pain.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be free from all pain.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be free from all pain.

And we'll go ahead and take a big deep breath together.

And breathe out.

We'll take another deep breath in.

And we'll breathe out.

Go ahead and bring your awareness back to the room around you.

Back into your body.

And notice how you're feeling in this moment.

Any thoughts that are passing through the mind.

Any sensations that have come up.

And above all,

Take a moment to thank yourself for being here today.

In this moment.

Remember,

You can always come back to this place by placing your attention onto it.

We have access to these loving kind feelings at all times.

When you're ready,

You can go ahead and open your eyes.

Namaste and thank you so much.

Hope you have a great rest of your day.

And I appreciate you so much.

.

Reviews

Thank you 🙏

I think someone else said it best!! Like a wonderful warm hug! Thank you! Will come back to this✨

This was exceptional! I am absolutely saving it, and it was absolutely what I needed like a big warm hug!

Charlotte is the best meditation guide. He voice is calming and soothing and I love playing her meditations in the morning right as I wake up or before I drift off to sleep.