In this meditation,
We'll be directing compassion and loving kindness towards ourselves,
Those around us,
And to all beings.
During this meditation,
I'm going to ask you to recall three people in your life,
A friend or benefactor,
A neutral acquaintance,
And a person with whom you've had difficulties.
As you get settled,
You should choose which people you're going to place your attention on.
Someone you have warm feelings for,
Someone you feel neutral about,
And someone with whom you feel difficult emotions.
It's often most challenging for people to be compassionate and direct loving kindness towards themselves.
So this is where we will start.
We'll start by directing love to the self,
And then move outward in our field of relationships,
Expanding our sphere of love and compassion.
Let's begin.
Sit comfortably.
This means both literally and physically in your body.
Remain upright,
Shoulders relaxed,
Jaw relaxed,
Face relaxed.
And symbolically be at ease in your mind.
Don't try to force anything special to happen.
Just relax and be at ease.
Close the eyes.
Sit comfortably and let the body settle.
Feeling the natural state of the body.
The natural state of the breath.
Not judging,
Just allowing it to be.
Feel the breath rising and falling.
The simple natural structure of the breath.
Easy and as it is.
Now picture yourself sitting as though you were looking from an outside perspective.
Picturing your body.
The form of your body.
Imagine the outline of your body,
Seeing your face clearly.
As you see yourself,
Start to direct some loving,
Benevolent attention towards yourself.
We can start by saying this simple phrase.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free from pain.
May I live my life with ease.
Let the phrases come naturally.
Don't try to make anything special happen.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free from pain.
May I live my life with ease.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free from pain.
May I live my life with ease.
Now expand your breath and awareness towards someone who is very close to you.
Someone who loves you.
Someone who cares for you.
Whether that person is still here or has gone out of your life.
Imagine they are sitting with you right now.
Sitting to your left,
Looking at you,
And sending their nurturing intentions towards you.
Loving you.
Caring for you.
Imagine this person sending those same positive nurturing intentions towards you.
Imagine them saying,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now picture another positive person sitting to your right.
It can be the same person as before,
Or another friend or benefactor.
Picture them clearly.
Now directing that same intention of loving kindness back towards them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now picture an acquaintance in your life.
Someone you know,
But you don't have a very deep relationship with.
A colleague at work.
A neighbor.
A person that serves you at your store.
Or anyone that you see occasionally that you do not have a deep relationship with.
Picture that person.
See their face clearly.
Remember all beings everywhere just want to be happy.
And so does this person.
So we wish for this person,
The love,
Freedom,
Happiness and joy that we wish for ourselves.
In our mind,
We repeat the same simple phrase.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now picture someone in your life with whom you've had some difficulties.
Picture someone whom you've had an argument with,
Who you disagree with,
Who you find irritating or annoying.
Picture their face clearly.
Can we send them compassion?
We're not saying that we excuse their behavior,
Or feel any different than what we truly feel.
Whether we recognize the feeling of oneness in our desires.
That all beings everywhere just want to be happy.
So does this person.
Visualize yourself along with that person.
Putting yourself at equal footing with them.
In your mind,
Repeat that same simple wish.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now expanding ourselves just a little bit further.
Going out from the people we know,
Whether it be for good or bad.
Expanding ourselves to all beings.
All beings everywhere.
Without exclusion or distinction.
This means every living being.
We move to a sense of boundlessness.
And we direct that same simple wish.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your lives with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free from pain.
May you live your lives with ease.
Now sit with yourself.
Wherever there's an area in your life,
Some relationship,
Whether it is with yourself or with others,
That you feel strain.
Direct this phrase towards that part of your life.
Towards that relationship.
Breathing in silence.
As you feel fully nourished by that intention,
The loving intention,
Gently let go of the intention.
Come back to the body.
Realizing the sensations in the body.
You may shift the body.
Feel comfortable in the body.
And in your own time,
When you feel ready,
Slowly open the eyes.
