Welcome to this meditation of compassion for a loved one.
Go ahead and put one hand inside the other in a traditional meditation posture.
Put your hands on your lap,
Gently closing the eyes.
We'll start with the body.
Feel your forehead relax.
Relax your jaw.
Release the cheeks.
Nothing to do,
Nothing to express.
Relax the mouth.
Soften the skin on your face.
And feel your head supported by your neck.
Relax the neck.
Soften your shoulders.
Soften your chest.
Relax your belly.
And release the weight of your legs into the chair fully.
Feel your legs supported by the chair.
Feel your feet supported by the earth.
And for a moment,
Feel your whole body inside and out.
With care,
With tenderness,
Release your whole body.
Thanking the body for letting you be here right now.
And now just tune into the breath.
No need to change the breath or alter the breath.
Just let the breath be as it is.
And begin to feel the breath in that one spot where the air touches the nostrils.
So many things you could pay attention to.
Just place your awareness on those two points where the air makes contact with the nostrils.
What's there right now?
And feel the breath in the whole nose.
Just maybe a dryness coming and going.
And let that awareness trickle down into your throat.
Very subtle sensation of the breath moving through the throat.
Feeling that breath,
Witnessing that breath with a kind of warmth.
This breath that gives you life in every moment.
Begin to feel the breath in your chest.
Again,
Feeling the breath with tenderness.
And when your mind wanders,
Coming back to that feeling of breathing.
Just the gentle rising and falling of the breath.
As if you're on a beach,
Watching a boat go up and down with the waves.
To its own rhythm,
In its own time.
Staying with the breath for a few more moments.
And now imagine you could breathe in directly into the heart and breathe out from the heart.
Sending the breath right into the chest,
Lungs,
And heart.
And breathing out of the lungs,
Heart,
And chest.
And now we'll move into a compassion meditation.
But remember that any time in this practice,
You can always come back to the feeling of the breath.
From this awareness of the heart we were just experiencing,
Bring to mind one loved one.
The first person who comes to mind who brings a feeling of warmth.
Someone you want to send compassion to.
Someone for whom it's easy to send compassion.
And imagine this person right in front of you.
And look at this person with gentleness.
Allow yourself to see this person with eyes of gentleness.
And imagine this person truly happy.
Imagine this person smiling at ease.
See their face bright,
Relaxed.
Bringing that image right into your heart.
And now bring awareness back to your heart.
And as you breathe out,
On every out breath,
Send a warm golden light from the center of your heart that carries all your feelings of warmth and gratitude for this person.
Imagine this light physically touching your loved one.
Bringing happiness,
Bringing joy,
Bringing peace.
Bathing this person in your golden light of compassion.
And now repeat these phrases for your loved one,
Focusing on the intention behind the phrase.
May you be happy.
May you find safety and peace.
Saying for this person,
I choose to treat you with gentleness,
With spaciousness,
With kindness.
You don't need to be a certain way.
There is space in my heart for you.
Maybe finding a gentle half smile on your lips as you send compassion to this person with the wish,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with joy and feel so much joy that you bring joy to all those around you.
And just notice how you feel as you send these wishes.
May you feel supported by all that is around you in harmony with all that is around you and in you.
And when challenges come up,
May you be spacious enough for all your challenges.
Acknowledging that although you know this person,
You cannot fully know what they are going through right now.
You cannot know what their heart beats for.
All we can do is let the person be as they are and connect from the heart as they walk their path.
So setting the intention,
May my words,
May my thoughts,
May my actions support you,
Support your flourishing.
May my words,
May my actions,
And may my thoughts relieve your suffering.
And again,
Imagine that your heart is very spacious.
And as we end this meditation for the last few moments,
As you breathe out,
Imagine you extend this warm golden light,
A real positive energy from the center of your heart and see this light touching your loved one,
Bringing him or her everything they need in this moment.
Imagine this light brings joy and care and peace.
And notice how you feel.
Notice what it's like to be in your body,
Having sent this compassion.
And together,
Let's take a deep breath in and a deep breath out through the mouth.
And one more clearing breath in and a deep breath out.
Feel your feet on the ground.
Feel the air as it touches your skin.
And as you feel ready,
Begin to open your eyes.
