Close your eyes and get into a comfortable position.
Allow your hands to rest comfortably in your lap or on your sides as you feel supported and relaxed in your chair or on the floor.
You can be sitting or lying down or you may choose to move your body by walking slowly or just rocking back and forth in a soothing manner.
What's most important is that you don't try to do anything perfectly,
But rather just allow yourself to find the posture that feels most comfortable and supportive to you in what you need right now in this moment.
Bring your awareness to your breath and notice how it feels to breathe as you notice your chest expand and contract in a natural and comfortable way.
Allow yourself to be open to whatever you're experiencing in this moment.
In this practice,
We'll be cultivating loving kindness.
We all have within us this natural capacity for loving kindness or friendship that is open,
Gentle and supportive.
Loving kindness is a natural opening of a compassionate heart to ourselves and to others.
It's a wish that everyone should have.
It's a wish that everyone should be happy and safe.
We'll begin by expressing loving kindness to ourselves,
Allowing our hearts to open with tenderness.
Allow yourself to remember and embrace your basic goodness.
You might remember times that you've been kind or generous.
You might recall your natural desire to be happy and not to suffer.
If acknowledging your own goodness is difficult,
Look at yourself through the eyes of someone who loves you.
What does that person love about you?
It may help to picture yourself as a young child standing before you.
As you experience this love,
Notice how it feels in your body.
Maybe you feel some warmth or tingling in your face,
Your arms or your chest.
You may notice a faint smile or a sense of expansiveness.
This loving kindness is a natural feeling that's accessible to all of us anytime.
Resting within this feeling of open,
Unconditional love,
We'll pause for just a few moments.
Allow yourself to soak in the energy of loving kindness,
Breathing it in and breathing it out.
Inviting feelings of peace and acceptance.
We'll start our meditation by sharing gratitude and appreciation with words of loving kindness to ourselves.
I'll be sharing the phrases that I've chosen to use in my own practice.
You can alter these phrases and choose whatever words express your wishes of loving kindness towards yourself and others.
Now,
Offering these words in your mind for yourself.
May I be happy,
May I be safe.
May I be healthy,
May I be free.
May I be happy,
May I be safe.
May I be healthy,
May I be free.
May I be safe,
May I be healthy,
May I be free.
Next,
I invite you to open the loving kindness invitation by bringing to mind someone you care about.
Reflect on this person's basic goodness,
Sensing what it is in particular that you appreciate about him or her.
In your heart and in your body,
Notice the energy of gratitude for this person as you begin your simple offering.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you be free.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you be free.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you be free.
And finally,
Allow your loving kindness to open out in all directions,
Yourself,
Someone you care about and now to all beings.
Staying aware of all of the joys and sorrows that we each experience at times.
Imagine radiating this energy of abundance,
Support and kindness to our community as a whole.
May we be happy May we be safe,
May we be healthy,
May we be free.
May we be healthy.
May we be free.
May we be happy.
May we be safe.
May we be healthy.
May we be free.
And now as we bring this practice to a close,
Let's come back to extend kindness to yourself.
Take a moment to appreciate yourself for dedicating precious time and energy to sending out an intention for expansion through loving kindness for the world.
Sit for just a few more moments and soak in the energy of loving kindness that you created.
And let's take a moment to appreciate yourself for dedicating precious time and energy to other people.
You you And when you're ready gently open your eyes Take a moment to reorient yourself to the current moment and to your environment as you bring with you now a new level of peace and comfort Knowing that you contributed to a field of greater love appreciation and abundance for us all namaste You
