Welcome to loving kindness meditation.
Find a comfortable way to be.
If you're sitting in a chair,
Put both feet on the floor and your hands in your lap.
Sit up as straight as is comfortable.
You may lay down during this meditation.
If you are laying down,
Place your arms and hands on the floor beside your body.
Keep your legs uncrossed.
Gently close your eyes.
If you aren't comfortable closing your eyes,
Softly gaze at a space in front of you.
Settle into the present moment in the space you're in.
You may notice subtle sounds around you,
The feeling of air moving across your skin,
Or smelling different smells.
Notice the sensations of taste in your mouth.
Focus your attention around your head and neck.
Release any tension around your eyes and soften your jaw.
Allow your attention to move to your shoulders.
Drop your shoulders and release any tension in your upper back.
Notice the movement of your abdomen with your breath.
Soften your belly.
Notice how your chest is rising and falling with each breath.
Focus on your heart center as you breathe.
Now that you are more settled and relaxed,
Allow your heart to open.
Scan your heart and mind and acknowledge any feelings or emotions.
Allow your longing for peace and comfort to well up inside you.
With every breath,
Breathe into your heart center your desire for love and kindness.
Begin offering kind phrases to yourself.
We are seeking to unlock our heart's potential for loving kindness.
Your phrases of kindness can be the following.
May I be happy.
May I be loved.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
May I be happy.
May I be loved.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
If these phrases don't work for you,
Create your own phrases to work with.
While offering yourself these phrases,
You will find that you'll get distracted.
You may even doubt the meditation itself.
When you find yourself distracted,
Just gently draw your attention back to the phrases.
May I be happy.
May I be loved.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
Repeat these phrases over and over to yourself like a mantra.
You you you Continue to offer yourself the following phrases.
May I be happy.
May I be loved.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
Relax into your posture.
Now bring to mind someone whom you care for or who has been helpful to you.
This could be a friend,
Family member,
Or pet.
Remember that just as you wish to be happy and safe,
So does the being you care for.
Repeat to yourself the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
Offer these well wishes to the being you care for.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
Continue offering the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
May I be peaceful and healthy.
Bring your attention back to your breath and body.
Relax and release any tension you may feel in your body.
Now bring to mind someone who you don't know well.
This could be someone you passed on the street or in a place of business.
Keeping in mind that all beings share the desire for happiness and freedom,
Offer that person the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
Continue offering the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
Bring your attention back to your breath and body.
Keep in mind that you may not feel instantly loving or kind.
This practice takes time and patience.
Be kind to yourself during this process.
Now bring to mind a person to whom your feelings are mixed,
Both loving and judgmental.
Remembering that all beings share the desire to be free and happy,
Offer that person the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
Now,
Expand your practice to include a difficult person in your life.
This may be someone whom you dislike or who you are resentful.
Keep in mind that all beings have the desire to be happy and loved.
Offer that person the following phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be loved.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
May you be peaceful and healthy.
Now,
Expand the field of loving kindness to include every being in your life.
Include every being in your immediate vicinity.
Expand the field of loving kindness to include all beings in your town or city.
Send your thoughts of loving kindness to all directions.
Radiate your heart to all beings in existence.
With a friendly intention,
Repeat the following phrases.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be loved.
May all beings be peaceful and healthy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be loved.
May all beings be peaceful and healthy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be loved.
May all beings be peaceful and healthy.
Now return to your body and when you feel comfortable,
Open your eyes and come back to the room.
Thank you so much for joining me today and thank yourself for taking the time you needed to be here today.
Enjoy the rest of your day.
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