In the words of the Dalai Lama,
If you want others to be happy,
Practice compassion.
If you want to be happy,
Practice compassion.
Developing deliberate compassion towards yourself and others is a skill that everyone can master.
The aim of this meditation is to help you cultivate a compassionate mind so you can shift away from judgement,
Feelings of sadness,
Anxiety or anger and move towards infinite loving kindness,
Greater happiness and deeper connections.
Make your way to a cross-legged seated position or if you prefer you can perch on the edge of a chair with your feet flat on the floor,
Spine erect,
Shoulders relaxed.
If it's comfortable close your eyes,
Otherwise just hold a soft steady gaze.
Place your left hand on your chest and your right hand on top.
Feel the transfer of heat from your hands to your heart centre.
Can you feel your heart beat?
Now shift your focus to your lungs,
Imagine that only they exist and as you tune into your breath feel the connection between the air and your lungs,
A connection of pure love.
Fill up your chest with love,
Warmth and compassion.
Bring your palms together in front of your chest with your thumbs gently resting on your sternum.
Feeling the heel of your hands,
Your pinky fingers and thumbs touching,
Unfurl the rest of your fingers fanning them out like a lotus flower.
This is Padma mudra,
The lotus mudra.
Maintain a tall spine,
Relax your shoulders and allow your tailbone to grow heavy.
Feel grounded and supported by the earth beneath you.
In Buddhism and in the yoga tradition a lotus flower is one of the most sacred symbols for an open and loving heart,
Yet the lotus grows out of the mud.
Its roots are anchored in the mud,
However the lotus rises up out of the water untouched by the dirt and blossoms into a beautiful water lily.
It is only because the lotus has grown out of the mud that it has the strength to rise up above it.
Let this mudra be a reminder of the divine we all hold within,
Our inner beauty and light and our ability to rise above the darkness.
As you hold Padma mudra,
Imagine you have a lotus flower in your heart.
It's white in color with a tinge of pink.
Once again connect to your breath.
Allow your breath to slow and expand across the sides of your chest and into the base of your lungs.
Fill up this space with love,
Warmth and compassion.
Release your hands to your knees,
Your spine and neck long.
Become entirely still.
Imagining to your mind's eye someone who exudes empathy and compassion.
You might think of a buddhist monk or perhaps Mother Teresa.
Whoever comes to mind,
Picture them standing in front of you.
Analyze their posture,
Their facial expressions and their tone of voice.
Now step into their shoes and imagine you are them.
Notice how your physical body relaxes,
Your facial expression softens and a gentle smile appears on your lips.
Your inner voice slows down,
Your tone kind,
Caring and supportive.
Connect the following affirmations after me,
Silently in your head.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I feel safe.
And may I feel free.
Sense their warm,
Loving energy,
Begin to build at your heart's center.
Now bring to mind someone you care about very much,
Again imagine they are standing right in front of you.
Think of them at their happiest.
Watch their body language as they gesticulate with excitement,
Notice their eyes light up as they smile and listen to the sound of their laughter.
Send them a wish of wellness and repeat after me.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
May you feel free.
Release this image and bring to your mind's eye someone you feel neutral about.
Perhaps an acquaintance at work,
Someone you've seen on the bus or maybe a neighbor.
Once again picture them standing in front of you.
Visualize them at their happiest and send them a wish of wellness.
Repeat after me.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
May you feel free.
Bring to mind someone you've recently fallen out with or someone you're generally not on good terms with.
Picture them standing in front of you.
And just like the others,
Imagine them at their happiest,
Letting go of any negative feelings you have towards them.
Send them a wish of wellness and repeat after me.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
And may you feel free.
Lastly,
Bring to mind someone who has hurt you in the past.
You're not condoning in any way their behavior,
But try not to hold on to any bad feelings and see if you can shift any negative energy towards a forgiving energy.
They,
Like you,
Are also human and are a product of their environment.
Imagine them joyful and loving.
Send them a wish of wellness.
Repeat after me.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
May you feel free.
Release this visual,
Placing both hands on your chest.
Feel the warmth beneath your palms penetrate your heart space.
Feel this warm,
Loving,
Compassionate energy that you've just created and radiate it out into the world.
Firstly,
To those physically around you,
Your family and friends.
Then,
Radiate compassion to your neighbors,
Your countrymen.
Send compassion to neighboring countries.
Slowly expanding empathy and compassion to the whole wide world and the entire human race.
And lastly,
Sending love and compassion to all other living beings on our planet Earth.
Sit with this feeling of infinite loving kindness.
On your next in-breath,
Open your eyes.
Feeling wide awake and better than before.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you feel safe.
And may you feel free.
Namaste.
