Hello friends,
This is Femke and welcome to this loving kindness meditation Today we focus on the fostering of compassion and loving kindness Loving kindness meditation is one of the best meditations when it comes to dealing with stress that others might give you social anxiety difficult relationships or Whatever others might unpleasantly arouse in you by cultivating feelings of compassion and love for ourselves and For others we help ourselves to feel better and to relieve anxiety as a part of this session I'm going to ask you to recall three people in your life a friend a neutral acquaintance and the person with whom you have had some difficulties And as we get settled You should choose which people you'll put your attention to so someone you warm feelings for someone you feel neutral about and Someone with whom you feel difficult emotions It's often challenging for people to be Compassionate towards themselves and to direct loving kindness towards themselves So we will start with that we will start by directing love to the self and then move outwards in our field of relationship and By that we will expand our sphere of love and compassion Okay,
Let's begin Sit comfortably your hands in your lap Your spine upright Face relaxed So Remember don't try to force anything special to happen Just relax and be at ease Gently close your eyes Let your body settle Just feel the natural state of your body Notice the natural state of your breath Not judging just allowing it to be Feel the breath rising and falling The simple natural structure of the breath Easy and as easy as it is Easy and as it is Picture yourself sitting as though you're looking from an outside perspective Picture your body The form of your body Imagine the outline of your body and try to see your face Try to see it as clearly as possible And as you see yourself Start to direct some loving benevolent attention towards yourself And we can start by saying these simple phrase May I be happy May I be healthy May I be safe May I live my life with ease Let the phrases come naturally Don't try to make anything happen Simply say these phrases May I be happy May I be healthy May I be safe May I live my life with ease May I be safe 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,
It doesn't matter Try to picture their face clearly And imagine that they're sitting right here with you now They're sitting to your left and they're looking at you and sending their nurturing intentions towards you Loving you Caring for you And imagine this person sending the same positive,
Nurturing intention towards you Imagine them saying May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you be safe May you live your life with ease May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you be safe 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 Picture them clearly Now direct that same intention of loving kindness back towards them May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you live your life with ease May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you live your life with ease Now picture an acquaintance sitting to your left Now picture an acquaintance in your life Someone who you know but you don't have a very deep relationship with A colleague at work,
A neighbour It could be the person that serves you coffee in the morning Or someone else that you see occasionally Picture that person See their face clearly And remember all beings everywhere just want to be happy And so does this person So we wish for this person the love,
The freedom,
The happiness And the joy that we wish for ourselves And in our mind we repeat the same simple phrase May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you live your life with ease May you be happy May you be healthy May you be safe May you live your life with ease Now picture someone in your life that you've had some difficulties with Maybe someone you've had an argument with or disagreement Someone you find irritating or annoying Picture their face And as we send them compassion,
Remember We are not saying that we excuse any behaviour We're also not saying that we feel any kind of pain We are not saying that we feel any kind of sadness We are not saying that we feel any kind of displeasing behaviour We're also not saying that we feel anything different than what we truly feel Rather we recognise the feeling of the oneness in our desires That all beings everywhere just want to be happy So does this person Visualize yourself alone with the person,
Putting yourself at an equal footing with them.
And in your mind,
Repeat the simple wish.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live your life with ease.
Now expanding ourselves,
Just a little bit further,
Going out from the people that we know,
Whether it be for good or for bad.
Expanding ourselves.
To all beings.
All beings everywhere.
Without exclusion or distinction.
And that means every living being.
We move to a sense of boundlessness.
And we direct that simple wish in our minds.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you live your life with ease.
Sit with yourself.
Just sit in silence and feel your compassion,
Your love pouring out of you.
If you want you can put your hands on your heart.
May you sit in silence and feel love pouring out of you.
As you feel fully nourished by this intention,
This loving attention,
You can gently let go of it.
Come back to the body.
Notice sensations in your body.
You may shift it,
Wiggle your fingers and toes.
Feel comfortable.
And in your own time,
Whenever you feel ready,
You can slowly open your eyes.
Thank you so much for being here with me today.
Expanding our sphere of love and compassion together.
Be well.
Be safe.
Be love.
And for now,
With gratitude and in love.
Until next time.
