Begin this practice by finding a comfortable position,
Maybe seated or laying down,
Taking any movements,
Any shifts or adjustments that you need to find that state of settling throughout the whole of the body.
Just take a mental scan of the body from head to toe,
Letting go of any holding,
Any effort or tension that you're carrying today.
Perhaps taking a squeeze of any muscles that feel like they're still trying to work and then completely letting them go.
Continue this as many times as you need in as many parts of the body until everything is relaxed and released.
Allow yourself to take a few deep,
Slow breaths,
Drawing that inhale all the way into the belly,
Letting go with a complete exhalation,
Emptying out that breath fully.
As you let go with that breath,
Also releasing any thoughts,
Any distractions,
Any plans or things you're preoccupied with today.
Watch as they just leave on that out breath.
I'm coming to imagine that breath now,
Just gathering and swirling around the heart space.
Feel that breath moving right through the centre of the chest,
All the way through the heart.
In this practice today,
We're going to cultivate that feeling of loving kindness,
That wish and desire for yourself and others to be happy and to be loved.
Cultivating that feeling of compassion,
Love that isn't conditional,
Isn't dependent on anything.
It's just a natural opening of the heart.
Throughout the practice,
You'll be repeating phrases,
Expressing intentions,
Sending loving wishes to yourself and others.
Be aware that sometimes through the practice,
They may feel a little bit awkward.
You may find feelings that are contrary to loving kindness,
Perhaps feelings of irritation or anger.
So just go kindly with yourself.
Observe whatever arises.
Let it just be received,
The sense of an open heart,
Finding love,
Finding compassion.
They're coming now to think of someone close to you,
Someone who loves you very much.
This could be someone who's in your life now,
Someone from the past,
Perhaps who's no longer even with you.
Imagine that person standing right in front of you,
Opening their heart,
Sending you all of their love.
That person is sending you wishes for your happiness,
For your joy,
For safety and ease in your life.
Observe as they say to you,
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from harm and free from fear.
May you feel joy.
May you find peace.
Letting these words,
These phrases,
Repeat and permeate your body and your mind,
Taking in exactly what is needed.
As you sit with those words and those wishes,
Imagine yourself now completely surrounded on every side by the people who love and have loved you.
All of your friends,
All of your loved ones,
Sending you wishes for your health,
Happiness and wellbeing.
Allow yourself to be held by that feeling of love from all sides.
Now with that love,
Begin to direct it within yourself,
For yourself.
Find love and compassion for your own self today.
See if you can connect to the feeling of that love of those phrases,
That wish of others for you.
Beginning to see if you can have those wishes for yourself.
Repeat to yourself these words.
May I be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be safe from harm and free from fear.
May I feel joy.
May I find peace.
Bringing to mind again all of those people who love you.
Coming to picture in front of you a person that you love.
Maybe a family member or a friend.
Begin to feel your love,
Your warmth and compassion for that person.
Feel it radiate from you to them.
As you wish them a happy,
Healthy,
Loving life.
Holding this person in your heart and directing these words to them.
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from harm and free from fear.
May you feel joy.
May you find peace.
Now bring to mind an acquaintance.
Someone you know of but perhaps don't have any particular strong feelings about.
Maybe a neighbour,
A colleague.
Someone you see around but you don't know very well.
Both you and this person are similar in the way that you both wish to have a good life.
You wish for joy,
Peace,
Happiness and love.
So directing to this person now these words and phrases of loving kindness.
Sending them that sense of good wishes and wellbeing.
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from harm and free from fear.
May you feel joy.
May you find peace.
Now bring to mind someone perhaps that you do not get along with so well.
Not necessarily the most difficult person in your life but just someone with whom there's been some frustration or some misunderstanding.
Try not to get caught up in the stories or those feelings of that dislike.
Remember that just like you they wish to be happy.
They wish for peace.
They wish for love.
So just bring that person to mind now.
Know that there may be some feelings of discomfort.
Let that go.
Instead with these words wish them well.
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe from harm and free from fear.
May you feel joy.
May you find peace.
Bring to mind now all of these people together.
Feel those feelings surrounding you.
Love,
Kindness,
Joy and peace.
Allow those feelings to extend further.
Gradually extending it to include your neighbours,
Your community,
Everyone in your town,
Everyone in this country.
Allow that feeling to extend to all animals,
Creatures and beings.
Allow those feelings to extend to the whole of the world.
May we all be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May we all be filled with loving kindness.
May we all be safe from harm and free from fear.
May we all feel joy.
May we all find peace.
When you're ready,
Just begin to become aware of your physical presence.
The sense of the hands,
The feet,
Arms,
Legs,
Body and head.
Notice the movement,
The flow of the breath,
Both around and beyond the heart.
Feel yourself held by the warmth of this loving kindness.
May you take it out into the world with you today.
Take a deep breath in and a breath out.
Another full breath in and then let that go.
Notice the change and the shift in yourself following this practice.
Stay with this feeling for as long as you like.
Whenever you are ready,
You can open your eyes.
