Loving Kindness

Let's use imagery to quiet the mind. It is time to check in with our internal body and let go of judgments. Let a breath count and body awareness take you to a quiet space that will bring a peaceful light to your life.

Transcript

Make any final adjustments so that you are extremely comfortable.

And of course,

It doesn't mean that we need to be stuck through the meditation at any point.

If you feel like you need to move or shift,

Please allow the body to do so.

As we begin today,

Let's take a big picture of how we're doing this evening.

And I mean,

Presently in this exact moment,

Because that might be different than how we're feeling this morning,

Even an hour ago.

So right now,

Just noticing how you feel.

And when I asked you that question,

Did anything come up when I asked you to presently check in with how you're doing?

And as we presently check in with how we're doing,

I want you to notice how the physical body is also doing.

So this is that opportunity to shift our awareness from the chattery mind into the physical body.

And I find that if I had a busy day or my mind might feel a little busy,

Sometimes this is a little harder.

So just take your time.

And as you check out your physical body,

Maybe you want to just scan starting at the top of the head and going down.

Or maybe you want to begin with areas that are the most obvious.

And I want you to now pause.

On one area that you're exploring right now,

I want you to notice that.

If you are gripping this area,

If it feels open,

Is there pressure?

Is there a color associated with it?

And so think if you describe an object,

The same sort of idea we want to do with our internal body.

And so let's not get up,

Caught into thinking the emotional aspect of it.

So,

For example,

If your chest feels tight,

Let's release any of that analyzation to the emotional aspect.

Just say it feels tight.

It's tight in this specific area.

I can find the edge of the tightness.

It's at a level three.

And as you're continuing to explore this area,

I want you to say to yourself,

If this is not mine,

I let it go.

And notice if it feels the exact same or if it changed at all.

And we'll do this two more times.

So I'm going to give you the option to stay with that one place if you really want to explore more or maybe move on to a different part of the body where you can pick up some sort of sensation.

And just like we did right before noticing,

What is the sensation associated with it?

How large or small is it?

Does it have solid edges?

Is it smoky?

Is there a color?

How would you describe this to somebody else so they could visualize it and then decide if you'd like to stay there or move somewhere else and do the exact same thing?

And also asking if this is not mine,

I disconnect,

I let it go.

And seeing what happens.

Let's go ahead and move on to the breath to start to calm our nervous system and quiet our mind a bit more.

We're going to extend our exhale so that it is double the length of an inhale.

I want you to begin either inhaling to a count of three or four.

And when you exhale,

Double whichever number you chose.

And sometimes it takes a couple rounds to get the speed and the pattern correct.

So allow yourself to take that time so you don't feel like you're struggling to breathe.

And then once you feel like you have got the nice speed that feels comfortable in your body,

We're going to stay with this.

Doubling that exhale and then just do two more rounds of that breath pattern.

And letting go a little bit further,

Noticing any parts of the body.

Noticing any parts of the body that feel like they're still holding on.

And you release a little bit further.

You soften and let go.

I want you to now call to mind someone that has crossed your path this week.

Someone who you don't know very well.

Maybe it's your mail person or somebody on a Zoom call that was in a meeting that you don't know.

Or even someone at a grocery store or someone who dropped off something at your house.

When you call upon that person,

Sending them loving kindness.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

And imagine sending them light and love.

Now I want you to call to mind someone whom you might have a bit difficulty with.

Maybe you don't want to start with the most difficult person in your life right now.

Maybe it's just someone that you're not getting along with presently.

With them in your intention.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

Sending them love and light.

And now calling to mind someone you love very dearly.

Sending them the same wishes.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

Sending them love and light.

Sending them love and light.

And now calling to mind someone who might be suffering.

And you don't even need to know them.

You can just send it to a general place or whatever just popped in your mind when I said that.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

And send them love and light.

Now thinking about a community for which you are part of.

It could be this meditation community that we've created.

Or if you belong to a church or your neighborhood.

Maybe even the whole world.

May you all be happy.

May you all be healthy.

May you all be at peace.

Sending love and light.

And we cannot truly send love to anyone else if we can't send it to ourselves.

I want you to draw your attention to your heart center.

Check in with this area.

Check in with this area.

What do you notice?

Does it feel open or closed?

Is there a color associated with it?

Does it feel heavy or fluid?

Is there pain?

Does it look like a specific object?

Is it smoky light?

And I want you to incorporate all of you.

Not just who you are right now.

Who you were five years ago.

Who you were as a young adult.

Who you were as a teenager.

Who you were as a child.

Who you were as a baby.

And who you were many lifetimes ago.

May I be happy.

May I be healthy.

May I be at peace.

And if you could give love and light a color.

Place that in your heart right now.

It's a brilliant color.

It sparkles.

It's so very radiant.

Place it in each of the hearts of you all the way back.

And that bright light in your heart space heals you.

It heals any trapped emotions.

Any pain in this area.

Any experiences that we haven't quite released.

Or any memories.

They're all part of you.

They're all part of your body.

And maybe some are in your heart center.

Or in another place of the body.

And so that light is going to begin to expand from your heart center.

Maybe you watch it grow in this circular motion.

It'll expand upward.

Up the top of your head.

It expands down through your hands to your fingertips.

The light fills the entire torso.

Your whole back.

Radiating down through your waist and your hips.

Down into the soles of your feet.

Healing you.

Maybe beginning the first steps of acceptance.

And really feeling deep love for ourselves.

Feeling deep gratitude for ourselves.

For who we are.

For who we were.

For who we are.

For who we are.

For who we were.

Those experiences that made us this person today.

Expanding this true acceptance and love for ourselves.

No matter what.

Taking away any of those negative thoughts.

Those doubts.

Fully trusting ourselves.

And I want you to stay here for a couple moments.

Feel this light radiating.

Feel yourself healing.

Or fully immersed in love for yourself.

And then directing your attention back into that heart center again.

I want you to create an affirmation for yourself.

Something that you might need to hear.

So that you can always remember this place.

And it might even just be,

I love you.

And then your name.

I am enough.

I trust myself.

Or maybe any other version that you might need.

Place your hands on this place.

Your heart center.

Or even bring your hands to prayer.

This is a little bit of an acknowledgement that you're going to place that affirmation right here in your heart center.

And it'll stay with you.

And whenever you need it,

You can bring your hands to prayer.

Or you can just stack your hands in your heart center.

And just recite it to yourself.

And keep reciting it.

Until you don't need that one anymore.

And then create a new one.

So before we end,

I want you to say it three times to yourself.

And each time,

Placing it deep in that heart center.

And leaving it tucked right there.

And from my heart center to each of yours.

I'm deeply grateful you joined me this evening.

Namaste.