Smiling Kindness Practice (Loving Kindness): 20 Minutes

This is a twenty minute practice on compassion; a variation on the Loving Kindness practice, where we imagine each person we are thinking of during the practice, with a bright, smiling face, full of joy. Do this practice seated, with your eyes closed or gazing low. This practice was recorded live at the Hare Krishna Retreat in Co. Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Note: Chris's practices are recorded using a simple headset so the quality and sound level may be minorly compromised.

Transcript

Hello,

This is Chris and today we're going to be doing a 20-minute meditation called Smiling Kindness and today I'm sat up at the Hare Krishna temple in county Fermanagh up in Northern Ireland.

I'm here with my friends Olive,

Carol and Sarah Kate and we've just been dancing and eating in the temple so we're full of love and food and happy to share this loving kindness based metta practice with you.

So this practice is going to be focused on five different people in your mind's eye,

Four people in one group and we're going to be focusing on those people smiling,

So full of joy and I'm going to be narrating throughout and then in between each person I'll be ringing a bell.

So before we start just make sure you're nice and comfy,

So whether you're seated or lying down and then just gently close the eyes or if you're not comfortable closing the eyes just bring your gaze nice and low just to start to calm the mind.

And we're going to start by thinking of somebody random that we've just seen,

So a stranger that we might have bumped into the shop or on the bus.

We're just walking down the street in the last 24 hours just think of that person,

See them standing in front of you and just become aware of their presence just being there and see them smiling and as they smile feel yourself smiling emanating that wonderful love and happiness between you and in your mind's eye say to them may you be happy,

May you be well,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

And as you say those words see their smile deepen maybe if they have dimples or start to see their teeth more as their mouth opens and see their face light full of joy,

Full of happiness.

They might be waving at you,

Might be doing a little dance just to celebrate the fact that they're enjoying your company and look into their eyes once again very slowly saying to them stood in front of you,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

And now with that person stood in front of you just think of yourself,

Think of your own physical being stood in front of them opening up so maybe just slightly opening the chest and moving the shoulders back so you being more open to them and you being open to share the joy,

Share the happiness.

And we're just going to sit in silence for a brief period after we say those words again looking into their eyes may you be happy,

May you be well,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

Very slowly now just coming back to that appreciation of that other wonderful human being stood in front of you,

You looking into their eyes sharing that wonderful experience of pure human connection between the two of you.

Slowly now shifting your attention onto the next person we're going to spend time focusing on today and that person is you so this is you thinking of you standing in front of yourself.

So once again before we think of anything too specific just see what it feels like to have you stood in front of yourself and make sure that when you're thinking of you you're thinking of you smiling.

So just slowly come to terms with that and as with any of these people and groups you're thinking of if any feelings arise that don't feel comfortable just back off a little bit don't force anything here.

So just be conscious,

Be aware of you stood in front of yourself,

You full of happiness,

Full of joy and look into your eyes mirroring yourself and say to yourself in your mind's eye hello may you be happy,

May you be well,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

As you say those words just see your own face light up even more so your eyes brightening maybe your smile deepening so dimples appearing or your face just generally becoming more open and happier.

And once again we're going to say those words but this time we're going to have that silent practice just afterwards just for a minute.

So looking into your eyes really feeling you as a wonderful human being a beautiful human stood in front of yourself say those words looking into your eyes may you be happy,

May you be well,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Now,

Very slowly just bringing awareness back to your body.

Once again,

Just feeling a slight shift in your upper body as you open your chest,

Your shoulders go slightly back,

Just really opening your body to yourself stood in front of you.

So you can do this physically if it feels right or just mentally imagining your chest opening.

And one final time for you looking into your eyes,

Seeing that beautiful smile of yours and saying to yourself,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

May you be happy,

May you be well.

Slowly shifting your attention now to the third person.

So this is somebody who is dear to you.

So it could be a member of your family,

It could be your partner,

It could be a friend.

And this is somebody who has either helped you and you want to give back,

Or it's somebody who really needs some help at the moment.

Somebody who's helped you with a challenge or somebody who's going through a challenge themselves.

So first of all,

Just picture that person in your mind's eye.

Again,

Just settling into that sense of how you feel with that person in front of you,

Trying to vision them and imagine them with a smile on their face.

And just go just to how that feels again,

If any strong feelings arise,

Maybe just back off just a little bit.

Maybe having them stood slightly further away or not any extreme emotions on their face.

And then as you look at them,

See their smile deepen and say to them in your mind's eye,

Hello.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

As you say those words,

Deepen your focus on them.

Look into their eyes,

See that pure authenticity,

That warmth.

Warmth that has grown since you've been looking at them.

Since you've said those words,

Sharing compassion and love,

Seeing their face glow with happiness.

And once again,

We're going to say those words and then offer some silence as we just look into that person's eyes.

So saying the words,

May you be happy.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

Very subtly now bringing awareness back to the body.

And just either physically or physically or just mentally,

Focus on opening your own chest,

Shoulders coming slightly back,

Really opening your body,

Your heart centre to that person who's so dear to you,

Stood in front of you.

Offering them your own energy,

Positivity.

As you do that,

Looking into their eyes,

Smiling even more.

Remember,

You can always smile physically yourself,

It feels lovely.

And just look into their eyes and feel that connection.

Now slowly shifting on to the next person.

So this next person is somebody who you are challenged with.

So somebody who you might have fallen out with,

Somebody that you're slightly uncomfortable with.

And for this next practice,

Really go easy on yourself.

So don't necessarily have them stood so close.

They don't have to be beaming with a smile.

And do remember,

This isn't forgiving.

It's not forgetting.

It's just slowly letting go and try to warm the connection that you have with this person.

So very,

Very slowly just trying to rebuild what you had before.

So more so than with the previous people,

Really be aware of how you feel when you imagine this person stood in front of you.

And if there's a strong sense,

Strong emotion that rises just go easy on yourself.

So think of the person stood in front of you.

And you don't have to make eye contact with this person.

But just say to them,

And see a little smile on their face.

A little bit of happiness.

Say to them,

May you be happy.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

As you say those words,

Just see their body relax.

See them appreciating the connection that you're offering to them.

The openness and kindness that you are offering to them.

See that emanate in their body just by a little bit of joy in their face.

Maybe their eyes brightening.

And we're just going to say those words again and then settle into silence for around a minute.

So with that person stood in front of you,

Say the words once again in your mind's eye.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you be well.

Very,

Very gently now just bringing your awareness back to your physical body.

And again,

If you want to do this physically or just mentally,

Just slightly open your chest,

Really opening your body to this person,

Offering them you as a connection.

You as love.

You as compassion.

And again,

You don't have to look into this person's eyes.

It's optional,

But look at them and see them smiling.

See them offering and sort of accepting your offer of warmth,

Of connection.

Very subtly now moving on to the last group.

So this is a group of people this is as many people as you want to think of.

So you might go through the people that you've already had in your mind's eye.

You might just think of as many people as you can.

Family,

Friends,

Work colleagues,

People in your hobbies,

People you meet on the street,

Your neighbours,

People you've seen in recent trips whilst you've been travelling at home or overseas.

Just think of all those people stood in front of you.

Such a warm,

Wonderful energy of joy and happiness.

And with them all stood there smiling,

Just first take notice to how it feels looking at them all smiling at you,

You're smiling at them.

Such wonderful beings resonating the joy and love and connection that you're offering to them and they're offering back.

And look into their eyes and feel that connection and say to them,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

May you be happy,

May you be well.

And as you say those words,

See all of their faces light up,

See all those smiles,

Those dimples.

You might see them moving with a little bit of joy as they're happy just to be sharing this group positive energy.

We're going to move back to the silent practice now as we say those words once again and then just have a minute of silence just to really resonate on the pure connection,

The authenticity.

So looking at that group of people,

Say to them,

May you be happy,

May you be well.

May you be happy,

May you be well.

Very slowly now.

Bringing awareness back to your body and just slightly opening your chest again,

This can be physically or just mentally feeling that lovely radiance of warmth coming out of your chest towards all of those people.

So opening your body up to a wonderful human connection and feeling the energy and the connection between you as you see them all smiling,

Looking back at you,

Full of joy,

Full of happiness.

Very,

Very slowly bring awareness back to the body,

Just moving the fingers and toes,

Gently opening the eyes and welcoming the room,

Trying not to rush back into anything.

So as always thank you very much for listening.

If you'd like to know anything more about the Hare Krishna retreat up in Northern Ireland go to www.

Lakeisleretreats.

Com.

I highly recommend it.

It's a beautiful,

Beautiful retreat.

Once again from me thank you as always.

May you be happy,

May you be well.

Reviews

It’s a great meditation. I wish silent parts were longer.

Smooth, heart opening meditation. Thank you Chris!

I enjoyed this meditation Very much! Thank you!

May you be happy, May you be well 🙏😀

Beautiful guidance! Thank you for sharing this practice.

What a great opportunity to share compassion and gratitude for others. Beautiful led. Thank you!