Welcome to this loving-kindness meditation.
My name is Jeremiah,
And this practice is for you to take a moment out of your day and to experience the sensation and feel into the energy and vibration of love and of kindness in your life and in the lives of others.
So finding ease in your body by making any additional adjustments to be as comfortable as possible,
Allowing the natural curves of the spine to be present by sitting on a blanket,
A meditation cushion,
Or a chair.
The elbows are by the sides and your hands are gently resting in your lap.
Allow your shoulders to be at ease and the body to be alert and comfortable.
And softly close your eyes.
Observe and welcome all that is present in the body and the mind.
Noticing sensations,
Thoughts,
Emotions,
Feelings,
And beliefs that are present today.
Welcoming all that arises without trying to change or fix anything.
And as stories begin,
Simply notice sensation in the body.
Observing without judgment or control and just be with what is present.
Begin to notice the breath.
The body breathing itself.
The inhales and exhales of the natural wave-like rhythmic breath.
The rise and fall of the chest and the belly.
In this practice,
We'll be cultivating loving kindness.
We all have within us a natural capacity for loving kindness,
Friendship,
Compassion that is just unconditional.
It's kind,
Open,
Gentle,
And supportive.
Loving kindness is a natural opening of a compassionate heart to ourselves and to others.
And we begin by developing loving kindness towards ourselves.
Allowing our hearts to open with tenderness.
Now allow yourself to remember and open up to your basic goodness.
You might remember times where you've been kind,
Generous,
Or loving.
And 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?
Or you may recall the unconditional love you felt from a beloved pet.
Or any other moment in the past that allows tender feelings of kindness and love to flow more easily.
Allowing your senses to open here.
And the sounds,
Smells,
Tastes,
Sensations of what it looked like.
And as you visualize this experience,
Notice where you feel loving kindness as sensation in the body.
Is there a warmth or coolness?
A tingling?
A smile?
Or a sense of expansiveness?
You may feel nothing at all.
And that is fine too.
Simply abide in the feeling of unconditional love and kindness for a few moments.
Perhaps drop the imagery and invite the felt sense in the body and in the mind.
And allow yourself to bask in the energy of loving kindness.
Breathing it in and breathing it out.
Inviting feelings of peace and acceptance.
We will now offer this loving kindness as an affirmation or heartfelt prayer to ourselves,
A loved one,
A neutral person,
A challenging person,
Our community,
And all living beings.
And if the language used in these phrases does not resonate with you,
Please insert your own affirmations.
You are invited to alter these phrases and choose whatever words express your wishes of loving kindness toward yourself and others.
And now,
Offering these words in your mind for yourself.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be held in loving kindness.
May I feel connected and calm.
May I accept myself just as I am.
May I be happy.
And may I know the natural joy of being alive.
Now open the circle of loving kindness by bringing someone to mind who is dear.
Someone who you care about and who has always been supportive.
Reflect on this person's basic goodness.
Sensing what in particular that you love about them.
In your heart,
Feel your appreciation for this dear one.
And begin your simple offering.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel my love now.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you be happy.
And may you know the natural joy of being alive.
Now bring to mind a neutral person.
This is someone you might not see regularly.
Maybe you don't know them too well.
It could be a neighbor.
Someone you see at a local store.
Bring this person to mind now.
And repeat the words of loving kindness.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel my love now.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you be happy.
May you know the natural joy of being alive.
And now,
An invitation to bring someone to mind if you've had a difficult relationship.
Perhaps it's someone you don't like to feel sympathy or compassion for.
In this moment,
See if it's possible to let go of the feelings of resentment and dislike for this person.
Reminding yourself to see this person as a whole being,
Deserving of love and kindness.
As someone who feels pain and anxiety.
As someone who also suffers.
Seeing if it's possible to extend to this person the words of loving kindness in your mind.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in light and loving kindness.
May you feel my love now.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you be happy.
And may you know the natural joy of being alive.
And now,
For the community around you.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be held in loving kindness.
May you feel my love now.
May you accept yourself just as you are.
May you be happy.
May you know the natural joy of being alive.
And now,
Allow your awareness to open up in all directions.
Yourself.
A dear one.
A neutral person.
And a difficult person.
The community and to all living beings.
Humans,
Animals,
And the earth itself.
Everything living everywhere.
Living in richness,
Poverty,
War,
Peace,
Hunger,
Abundance.
Aware of all the joys and sorrows that all beings experience.
May all beings be filled with loving kindness.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings awaken and be free.
May all beings be happy.
And may you all know the natural joy of being alive.
Breathing in.
And breathing out.
And now,
Bringing this practice to a close by coming back to extend kindness and love to yourself.
Allow this moment to last as long as you need.
Taking your time.
My hope for you is that you felt the loving kindness for yourself and for others.
And that you come back to this practice as many times as you need to remember that you are worthy that you are deserving of all the love and kindness in the world.
