Welcome and thank you for joining me for this loving-kindness meditation.
This meditation requires us to mentally send goodwill,
Kindness and warmth to both ourselves and others by silently reciting a series of mantras.
So let's get started.
Please find a comfortable seated position,
Close your eyes and rest your hands on your heart center.
Take a slow deep breath in and an even slower longer breath out.
Continue the slow smooth breath and bring your awareness to your heart center.
With each breath imagine breathing love,
Joy or compassion into your heart.
Notice any sensations in your heart center.
Can you feel your heart center expanding and opening?
With an open and compassionate heart bring your attention inward.
Visualize yourself in your mind's eye or perhaps imagine yourself as a child.
Repeat these words silently to yourself.
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful,
May I be well.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Imagine a person who is dear to you and with whom you share your life such as a friend,
Partner or child.
Picture yourself sitting across from them,
Holding their hands and saying these words.
May you be happy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be well.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Consider someone who you feel neutral towards,
Perhaps someone you've encountered in your community or a worker at a local store.
Envision them sitting before you and say these words.
May you be happy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be well.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Visualize a person whom you hold negative feelings or memories towards.
This can be the most difficult aspect of this exercise along with sending love to yourself.
If the emotions are too intense or raw select someone whom you don't have a personal relationship with or picture this individual as a child.
Imagine them sitting in front of you and silently speak the following words to them.
May you be happy,
May you be peaceful,
May you be well.
Bring your awareness back to your breath.
Let us now send loving kindness to all living beings.
Envision all loving beings and repeat the phrase may we be happy,
May we be peaceful,
May we be well.
Take a few more moments in quiet meditation focusing on your breath and any sensations in your body.
When you are ready take a few slow deep breaths and open your eyes.
This may be a good moment for you to grab your journal and jot down any emotions or thoughts that arose during this practice.
Thank you for joining me.
I hope you have a wonderful day filled with love and kindness.
Be well.
