Welcome.
Thank you for being here.
In this practice,
We're going to cultivate,
We're going to nurture kindness,
Loving kindness,
And see how conducive for well-being kindness is.
And as always,
We start with taking a moment to find a comfortable posture,
A posture that brings ease and comfort into your body to the extent that is possible,
And also that supports you to be awake.
Letting your eyes to close gently,
You're simply lowering the gaze.
Letting your arms rest easily,
Letting your shoulders drop.
And taking a few moments here to connect with the movement of the breath,
Perhaps taking a deep breath in,
Noticing the movement that accompanies the breath as you inhale,
As you exhale.
Taking a few deep breaths here at your own rhythm,
Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly.
You might also see if,
As you bring the attention close into your body,
There is any tension that is arising that you're noticing,
Any part of your body that feels a bit tense or tight that you can easily release.
Then bring your breath to that area,
And when you inhale,
Recognize that tightness or tension,
Or simply that area that would soften a little bit.
And letting the out-breath invite relaxation,
Release.
Letting your breath be natural now.
Letting it go back to its natural rhythm,
Without trying to make the breath in any particular way.
Just resting there with your natural breath.
And you might try imagining bringing a smile into your eyes.
Bring the image of a smile into your eyes,
And notice the effect it has within you.
Maybe around the area of your eyebrows.
Notice if it softens a little.
Bringing the smile now into your mouth,
To the inside of your mouth,
And notice the effect it has.
Bringing the smile now into your heart,
As if you are smiling through your heart.
And notice the effect that has within you.
Throughout this practice,
If at any moment you notice that your attention has drifted somewhere else,
That's okay,
That's completely normal.
If that happens,
Just gently bring the attention back to where you were.
It might be helpful to notice your breath for a moment,
That inhale,
Exhale,
And then re-establish presence.
Now,
I invite you to bring your attention to an image,
Or a being,
A person,
Or an animal companion,
You appreciate deeply.
Bring to mind,
Bring to your imagination,
Someone who is close to you,
Someone who is close to you,
Bring to mind,
Bring to your imagination,
Someone who invokes love,
Kindness easily,
Where there is an uncomplicated relationship,
As we are starting where it's easy to open our hearts.
So,
Letting the image,
Even if it's not super clear,
Of this person or animal companion,
Let this image to become vivid in your experience.
You may want to put your hands over your heart or belly,
Or on any other part of your body or on any other part of your body that connects you with this sense of caring and kindness,
As you connect with the image of a being you appreciate deeply.
And breathing gently,
Begin to say inwardly the following phrases directed towards the well-being of this being.
May you be filled with kindness.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
You may try now repeating a few more times those phrases that open your heart the most,
Or any other phrase that resonates with you,
Holding this loved one in loving kindness.
As you repeat these phrases and kind intentions a few times,
Letting a felt sense of the words arise.
It might be subtle or intense,
That's all okay.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
This meditation may sometimes feel awkward or mechanical,
Or it might be that you don't feel anything at all,
And that's all fine.
It can even bring feelings of sadness or a sense of discomfort.
If any of these happens,
It is important to be patient and kind towards yourself,
Towards yourself,
Allowing whatever arises to be held in that friendliness and kind attention.
We try to hold any difficulty together with our kindness.
And we continue by bringing another being who you appreciate a lot.
Someone,
A person,
An animal companion that you deeply care for,
And extend the same wishes of loving kindness to them.
Bringing an image of that being close to you,
And offering gently,
May you be filled with kindness.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
Again,
Repeating the phrases that most resonated with you,
Or any other phrase.
Again,
Repeating the phrases that most resonated with you,
Or any other phrase.
And let yourself open to whatever arises within you as you share these phrases with this being.
And now,
Imagine these two beings looking back at you with the same wishes,
With the same kind,
Friendly eyes.
They want you two to be held in kindness.
They want you two to be safe and well and happy.
Imagine them now,
Looking back at you and saying gently,
May you two be filled with kindness.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
Receiving them,
Allowing yourself to receive,
To take their good wishes into yourself.
Even if that feels a bit awkward or difficult,
Setting the intention to receive.
Now,
You may try placing a hand on your heart,
On your belly,
Or any other part of your body where it feels comfortable for you,
And offer this kindness from yourself to yourself.
May I be filled with kindness.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be peaceful.
Connecting to that sense that we all want to be safe and healthy and happy,
We are together in this.
Honoring the intention of goodness and sincerity you have brought to this meditation,
Wishing well to others,
Receiving their well wishes.
Another invitation is to hold yourself,
These other beings,
And the whole world.
Sending wishes of loving kindness to all at once.
May we all be filled with kindness.
May we all be safe.
May we all be healthy.
May we all be happy.
May we all be peaceful.
Letting this kindness,
Friendliness,
Care,
Expand now in all directions,
And allow yourself to rest in this loving presence that arises when we are touched by kindness,
By care,
By love,
By compassion,
By love for others.
Holding whatever arises in that loving awareness.
And again,
Knowing how we are in this together,
We all want to be happy and safe and peaceful.
That's our deep longing.
As we arrive to the end of this practice,
Allow yourself to come in contact again with the space around you.
Thank you very much for practicing and cultivating kindness,
Friendliness.
May you be well.
Thank you.
