Welcome to Yoga Story Presents Loving Kindness Guided Meditation.
Find a comfortable place to sit or lie down.
You may sit on the floor or in a chair.
If lying down,
Be sure you are not too tired to keep the mind actively engaged during this meditation.
Once in a comfortable place,
Begin to deepen the breath.
Taking long,
Slow breaths in through the nose,
Feel the belly rise,
Expand,
Filling the belly up with the breath.
And on the exhale,
The belly relaxes.
Fully release the breath.
Take three more deep breaths here.
If seated,
Feel sit bones connected to the ground,
Crown of the head reaching toward the sky,
Neck and shoulders relaxed.
If lying on your back,
Feel the breath move down the legs,
Out the feet,
And up the spine out to the crown of the head on the exhale.
Bring to mind someone you know and love.
This can be a partner,
Friend,
Family member,
Someone with whom you share a deep bond.
Allow those feelings of love to rise from the very center of your being,
Creating even more space for breath and even causing you to smile.
Relax the face.
Feel the brightness and warmth of that love you have fill up your whole body with light,
Knowing that what you feel for them is what is inside of them.
Love,
Peace,
Joy.
Rest in that love for three deep breaths here.
Bring to mind someone you don't know well,
Maybe someone who caught your eye as you passed by walking or driving,
A cashier in a store you had a brief interaction with,
Someone for whom your feelings are neutral.
Remember that deep love,
Begin to see love at the center of this person.
You may not know them,
But knowing we are all connected by love,
That at the center of every being is love,
Peace,
And joy,
The truth of who we are.
Imagine this person's face alight with that truth.
Take three deep breaths.
Mentally send them love with the first exhale,
Peace with the second,
Joy with the third.
In three more breaths,
Feel those truths return to you.
Bring to mind a difficult person in your life,
Maybe someone you find challenging to love,
Or who has personality traits that for whatever reason get under your skin.
Remembering again the truth at the core of every being is love,
Peace,
And joy.
Even if this person doesn't express these things,
Or seems to be the antithesis to them,
Or even if you find it difficult to express love to them,
Or to be at peace or joy in their presence,
Remember that often negative experience in life,
Errors in judgment,
Or traumatic experiences can cause us to hide or bury the truth of who we are universally.
Separating the truth from the behaviors of the person or your negative feelings toward that person,
Begin to see at the very center of their being love,
Peace,
Joy.
Take three deep breaths,
Letting go of negative feelings.
Take three more breaths,
Sending them love on the first exhale,
Peace on the second,
Joy on the third.
In three more breaths,
Feel those truths return to you.
Finally,
Bring your attention to yourself.
Consider what you count as mistakes in life,
Then take account of the good you have brought to the people in your life.
You may be briefly bringing back to mind the person you share a deep love for.
Whatever mistakes,
Whatever good,
Whatever failures,
Successes you have had in life,
Remember again the core truth that lies at the center of your being,
Love,
Peace,
Joy.
Breathe in from the center of your body,
Breathing out,
Imagine a line of love moving down through the legs,
Out through the bottoms of the feet,
Feeling grounded in love.
Breathe in from the center of your body,
Breathing out,
Imagine a line of peace moving up through the spine,
Out through the crown of the head,
Feeling peace of mind.
This time,
Breathing in both up from your feet and down through the crown of your head,
Imagine two lines of joy connecting at the center of your body and moving out into the world as a bright light to everyone in your life,
To those you love,
To those you don't know well,
And to those you find difficult to love.
And finally,
Returning back to yourself,
The light that keeps you from the darkness of negative thoughts about others and yourself,
Breathing in and out,
Love,
Peace,
Joy.
When you're ready,
Begin to bring movement to fingers and toes.
Slowly opening your eyes,
Take one more deep breath in,
One more deep breath out,
And go into your day more loving,
More peaceful,
And more joyful.
Peace.
Namaste.
