Welcome to this loving-kindness meditation.
This meditation is designed to help you connect to both yourself and the world around you with more compassion and care.
I'll offer this meditation as a way to relax and a way to expand at the same time.
If it feels comfortable,
Take this meditation sitting,
And if that feels uncomfortable for the hips or back,
You can do it laying down as well.
Take a minute,
Find a way for the body to both feel restful and alert,
And if it resonates with you,
Have your palms face up,
A gesture to be open to the world around you.
You can soften your gaze or close your eyes.
Find a comfortable rhythm to your breath.
So the body is both relaxed and alert,
The palms facing up in a receiving position,
And a steady breath.
Allow yourself to arrive into this moment,
And give yourself permission to just be here.
Nothing to change or fix,
Nothing to figure out.
No expectations,
Just being in the present.
Now start to bring your awareness into your heart.
Notice the energy and the love that starts in your heart and flows out.
And for this loving-kindness meditation,
We'll repeat four affirmations.
The loving-kindness will begin with yourself.
So simply repeat,
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
And allow those words,
Those affirmations to land in your heart,
Receiving loving-kindness for yourself.
And next,
Bringing your attention to someone you love easily.
Someone who makes you smile,
Who allows your life to feel more joyful.
Perhaps a friend or a family member,
A partner,
Or even a pet.
See them clearly.
Feel their presence.
And with them in mind,
With holding them in your heart,
We'll repeat our four affirmations.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
Holding this person in both your mind and your heart,
This person that you love,
Sending them compassion and care.
Now bringing someone to mind that feels a little bit more challenging in your life.
Someone that may ruffle your feathers or just slightly disrupt your energy.
Hold them in your mind,
Seeing them as a human just like you,
Holding them in your heart,
And repeating these four affirmations for the person that feels a little bit more challenging in your life.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
And trying to have those intentions be true,
Even if there's resistance around this person.
Opening your heart with them,
Seeing them as an equal.
And now coming to your immediate community,
Whether it's your town or the places that you frequent,
The people that are in your everyday life.
May they be safe.
Having that awareness expand out to your community,
Holding them in your heart,
And offering the four affirmations.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
May they be safe.
May they be happy.
May they be healthy.
May they live with ease.
Sending those words directly into your community from your heart.
And lastly,
To the world around you.
Not only to all people,
But the plants,
The animals,
The mountains,
The ocean,
The air you breathe,
The sky and stars,
The sun and the moon that you look up to.
Full awareness for your entire universe.
You're opening your palms,
You're opening your mind,
You're opening your heart.
Repeating our four affirmations on this wide scale.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings live with ease.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings live with ease.
Allow the loving kindness to expand from your heart in all directions.
Feel that energy that started with yourself and went to one being that you love,
Moved through the person that's a challenge,
Into your community,
And throughout the rest of the world.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings live with ease.
And slowly placing both hands onto your heart,
Feeling your heart beat under your palms.
Take some slow breaths.
Letting your energy return to a neutral state.
Connecting back into your body.
And when you feel ready,
Opening your eyes and taking the world back in.
