And now we come to the fifth in our series of pilgrimage songs from the book of Psalms.
We focus this final installment with the Psalm of loving kindness,
Psalm 122.
Verses six through nine.
Pray for the well-being of Jerusalem.
May those who love you be at peace.
May there be well-being within your ramparts.
Peace in your citadels.
For the sake of my kin and friends,
I pray for your well-being.
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God.
I seek your good.
For this meditation,
I invite you to be seated or lying down.
If you're comfortable,
Close your eyes.
And I invite you to rest your hand on your heart.
I'll lead you in a mindfulness practice of loving kindness.
With your hand on your heart,
Begin to breathe.
Notice your breath.
Now I want you to silently say these words to yourself.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be physically healthy and free from pain.
May I be physically healthy and free from pain.
May I live my life with ease.
May I live my life with ease.
May I accept myself completely just the way I am.
May I accept myself completely just the way I am.
Now we turn our attention,
Our loving kindness to those around us.
Same phrases,
Just changing the pronoun.
Repeat this to yourself silently as if offering it to the world.
Or maybe you have someone in mind who needs to receive your love,
Your kindness and care in this moment.
Still with your hand on your heart,
Repeat this phrase silently with me.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be physically healthy and free from pain.
May you be physically healthy and free from pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you live your life with ease.
May you accept yourself completely just the way I am.
May you be safe and protected.
May you accept yourself completely just the way you are.
May you accept yourself completely just the way you are.
Take a moment now with your hand on your chest.
Breathe these intentions for yourself,
For a loved one and for the world.
May we be safe and protected.
May we be physically healthy and free from pain.
May we live a life with ease.
May we accept ourselves completely just the way we are.
For in all things we seek the good,
The well-being and the peaceful.
For ourselves,
Our kin and our friends.
At the sound of the bell,
Rise and meet the world with loving kindness.
At the sound of the bell,
Rise and meet the world with loving kindness.
