Welcome everyone.
This is our loving kindness practice.
Find a comfortable place where you can rest.
Usually I prefer to do this practice laying down.
And take your time as you settle in.
Allow your body to be fully supported by the surface beneath you.
Let yourself get heavy here.
Let's take a full breath in through the nose together.
Really filling the lungs.
Breathe out through the mouth letting go of the day,
Anything else that might be on your mind.
Just come back to breathing in and out through the nose.
You can let the whole face soften.
Maybe the eyes close.
You can allow your collarbones to widen.
Allow the chest and the belly to soften,
Even just a little.
And as you're here and your body is breathing for you,
Could you feel that rhythm of the breath into the chest and belly?
And could you feel that rhythm of the breath into the chest and belly?
Maybe if you listen a little closer,
You could feel your heartbeat.
It can be subtle and hard to find,
But see if you could tune in.
See here if you could feel into that whole heart space.
You can think of this physically or more energetically,
And just being aware of that heart.
And sometimes this can be a really powerful practice.
So often we try to protect our hearts.
We round forward,
Trying to close them off.
But just listening and being with that heart space can be really powerful.
Now that your mind has rested there,
If there's anything you feel you'd like to say to your heart,
You could repeat it in your mind a few times.
Maybe it's just,
I'm here with you,
Or a thank you.
Start to bring in a bit more loving kindness now.
Think of a person or animal who brings you joy and love.
A bit more loving kindness now.
Think of a person or animal who brings you joy and love,
Whose presence just warms your heart.
Maybe you can imagine them right there beside you.
Notice how it feels to be in their presence.
Think of all that love.
Maybe even feel it in your heart.
We'll just borrow it,
All the love that you share,
All the love that they bring,
And we'll send it to ourselves.
You can repeat these phrases after me or change out a word and continue to use that throughout the practice if it serves you better.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be loved.
May I be safe.
And again,
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be loved.
May I be safe.
Next,
We'll send our love and kindness to a loved one.
Bring them to mind.
Feel their presence,
Maybe the same as before or someone else.
Send this loving kindness to them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be loved.
May you be safe.
You could bring to mind a neutral person,
Someone who we don't really have attachments to either way.
Maybe a person you see often on the street,
Maybe someone familiar from a store,
A person who makes your coffee.
Send this loving kindness to them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be loved.
May you be safe.
Next,
We'll bring to mind a difficult person,
Maybe someone who brings up feelings of frustration or anger.
Push it if something is too fresh,
Now might not be the time.
And we'll send these loving kindness phrases to them only to the degree that you feel able to.
Bring that difficult person to mind.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be loved.
May you be safe.
Next,
Bringing to mind a community that you're a part of.
Whether it's a neighborhood,
An organization,
The insight timer community or anything else.
May my community be happy.
May my community be healthy.
May my community be loved.
May my community be safe.
Lastly,
We send this loving kindness out to all beings.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings be loved.
May all beings be safe.
Take a few breaths,
Slow and steady through the nose.
Maybe once more you repeat those words you sent to your heart at the start of this practice.
Thank you so much for practicing with me.
If you want to find more,
You can check out my page,
Hannah Brown Yoga,
Or join me for a live class sometime.
Hope to see you again soon.
Thank you so much.
Peace.
