Welcome to this loving-kindness meditation.
Make yourself comfortable sitting or lying down.
Allow your body to relax and feel supported by the surface beneath you.
Take a deep breath in and then let it all go.
On the next breath in feel calmness spreading throughout the body.
As you're breathing out say to yourself mentally relax.
Notice your breath.
Become aware of the inhale and exhale.
No need to change it or control it.
Just notice the natural flow of breath.
Allow your eyes to gently close and notice what you see behind your closed eyelids.
Become aware of sounds in the distance.
Gently move your attention from sound to sound without attempting to identify them.
Become aware of the sounds outside the room you are in.
Now become aware of the sounds inside the room you are in.
Notice if there is a taste in your mouth.
Notice what this present moment smells like.
Now feel the sensations of your body beginning with the pressure of your body on the support beneath you.
Notice other sensations on your skin.
Notice any internal sensations.
Without analyzing or judging these sensations just observe their existence in this moment.
Now move your attention to focus on your heart space.
Your heart and the area around your heart.
Bring to mind appreciation for yourself.
You may appreciate your body and all the experiences and things it enables you to do.
You may have gratitude for giving yourself this time to meditate.
Feel gratitude for yourself now and feel the sensation of gratitude in your heart space.
You may repeat my words that follow or follow along in your mind as though my words are your words.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be happy and at ease.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
Next bring to mind someone or a pet or soul you deeply love and care about.
Picture them now in your mind.
Notice if you have a sensation of love or gratitude for them.
If so make this feeling of love and gratitude a focus and hold the feeling.
As you consider this person pet or soul may they be safe.
May they be healthy.
May they be happy and at ease.
May they be filled with loving kindness.
Next call to mind a person who have had some difficulties establishing or maintaining a good relationship with.
This person may be someone you have had a disagreement with or some other difficulty.
Picture this person in your mind and as you say the following allow your heart to soften.
May they be safe.
May they be healthy.
May they be happy and at ease.
May they be filled with loving kindness.
Next bring to mind people in your life that you love or simply appreciate their existence in your life.
Notice the sensation of gratitude or love on bringing them to mind.
And to all those people may they be safe.
May they be healthy.
May they be happy and at ease.
May they be filled with loving kindness.
Next bring to mind the idea of sharing this with all other people in your life.
Whether you meet them every day or have met them only once.
May they be safe.
May they be healthy.
May they be happy and at ease.
May they be filled with loving kindness.
Notice how you feel after sharing compassion.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy and at ease.
And may you be filled with loving kindness.
Breathe in a little deeper.
Notice your body and the sensations of your body.
Begin to move your fingers and toes.
Become aware of the sounds around you.
And when you are ready gently open your eyes.
This brings us to the end of this Metta loving kindness practice for today.
