Put your feet flat on the ground,
Put your hands in your lap and we're going to go straight into a practice again where just allow your eyes to close and if you don't feel comfortable closing your eyes just allow the focus to fall down to maybe a meter,
Meter and a half in front of you.
Let's just start by taking three just gentle breaths,
Just slow gentle breaths just to settle into things.
On the third breath just consciously allowing yourself to relax a little bit.
Now I want you to imagine that you're sitting just directly in front of somebody that you deal with every day,
Somebody that you feel moderately connected to,
Somebody that you feel pretty positive with and quite connected to.
I want you to imagine they're sitting directly facing you.
They've also got their eyes closed.
Now just imagine that you take a few moments to open your eyes and just look at that person.
So just imagine that you're looking at that person.
See them in your mind's eye.
So then again letting the eyes close.
Let's just consider a few things and as I talk through this just allow these sentences to echo in your mind.
So the person I'm visualizing in front of me has a body and a mind just like me.
The person I'm visualizing in front of me has feelings,
Emotions and thoughts just like me.
The person in front of me has at some point in his or her life been sad,
Disappointed,
Angry,
Hurt or confused just like me.
The person in front of me wishes to be free from pain and suffering just like me.
The person in front of me has experienced many joys and times of happiness just like me.
The person in front of me wishes to be healthy,
Loved and have fulfilling relationships just like me.
The person in front of me wishes to be happy just like me.
So now let's bring some positive thoughts to this person.
May this person have the strength and the resources to navigate the difficulties in life.
May this person be free from pain and suffering.
May this person be happy because this person is a fellow human being just like me.
So let's extend those positive thoughts,
Those connections to others.
Let's start with ourselves.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be at peace.
May everyone on this call be happy.
May they all be free from suffering.
May they be at peace.
Now bring into mind all of those people you love and care for,
So your family,
Your closest friends,
Maybe close co-workers.
May they all be happy.
May they all be free from suffering.
May they all be at peace.
And let's extend it out a little bit further to co-workers and acquaintances.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they be at peace.
Now thinking of somebody that you don't get on quite as well as you'd like to,
Somebody where there's a slight bit of friction.
May they be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they be at peace.
And now let's extend it out to everybody.
May everyone be happy.
May they be free from suffering.
May they be at peace.
Finally,
Let's bring it back to ourselves.
Never forget yourself.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be at peace.
So letting those thoughts fade a little bit,
Let's just take three breaths just to relax.
And when the bell rings,
Just bring your attention onto the bell.
Allow it to settle there until such time as it disappears.
Then we'll carry on.
Breathe.
