Hello,
Everyone.
This is Jonathan.
In this session,
We will be practicing a form of meditation meant to help us cultivate a sense of well-being,
Kindness,
Compassion,
And forgiveness for ourselves and for others.
Let's get started.
First,
Let's find a comfortable sitting position on the floor,
On a mat,
Or in a chair,
Or lying down.
If you're sitting,
Keep your spine straight,
The back of the neck stretched long,
The shoulders above the hips,
And the hands in the lap or on the knees or thighs.
If you're lying down,
Lay face up with your hands to your sides,
Beside your hips,
Or with your fingers crossed over your belly.
Let's begin by taking a few deep breaths in through the nose,
Into the belly.
As you exhale on the third breath,
Gently close your eyes.
Now let's relax the body.
Bring your focus and your awareness to your feet and relax your feet.
Relax your ankles,
The lower legs,
The knees,
The thighs,
And the hips.
Relax your belly.
Relax your lower back,
Your upper back,
And your chest.
Relax the muscles of the hands,
The wrists,
The forearms,
The upper arms,
And the shoulders.
Now relax your neck and the muscles of the face,
The jaw,
The cheeks,
The eyebrows,
And the forehead.
For a moment,
Sit in this experience of the relaxed,
Still,
And steady body.
Let's begin.
Recall a memory of a time or a moment when you were happy.
Visualize this moment and be aware of the feelings of happiness and joy that arise with it.
Allow yourself to experience these feelings.
Now when you become aware of these feelings of happiness and joy,
Let go of the memory and try to keep the feelings of happiness and joy present in your mind and in your heart.
Hold on to the experience of these feelings.
Now with these feelings in mind,
Make a wish for your own happiness.
Extend a wish toward yourself for happiness and joy by repeating this mantra with me.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be at peace.
And may I be free from suffering.
If thoughts arise and distract you during this practice,
Become aware of them,
Let them go,
And return to the feeling of happiness and joy in your heart.
Now extend this feeling of loving kindness to someone you deeply respect and wish well for.
See their face and visualize them smiling at you.
Reflect on this person's positive qualities and the acts of kindness that they have done.
And now extend a wish for this person's happiness by internally repeating this mantra with me.
I feel this happiness and I wish it for you.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
And may you be free from suffering.
Now extend this feeling of kindness and joy to someone you love,
A family member,
Or a close dear friend.
See their face and visualize them smiling at you.
For a moment,
Reflect on this person's positive qualities and the acts of kindness that they have done.
Now extend a wish for this person's happiness and joy by internally repeating this mantra with me.
I feel this happiness and I wish it for you.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
And may you be free from suffering.
Now extend this feeling of kindness and joy to a neutral person,
Someone you know but have no special feeling toward.
Maybe someone you see at the grocery store or the bank.
See their face and see them smiling at you.
And extend a wish for this person's happiness and joy by internally repeating this mantra with me.
I feel this happiness and I wish it for you.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
And may you be free from suffering.
Now extend this feeling of loving kindness and joy to a difficult person,
Someone with whom you have a challenge or a struggle.
See their face and visualize them smiling at you.
And extend a wish for this person's happiness and joy by internally repeating this mantra with me.
I feel this happiness and I wish it for you.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
May you be healthy.
May you be at peace.
And may you be free from suffering.
Now let go of the image or the thought of this difficult person and come back to your own experience of loving kindness and joy.
Become aware of your capacity to radiate kindness to all those around you.
Now resolve to take this kindness and this joy and this compassion with you into the world and to apply it with openness to everyone without discrimination.
And now to end the practice,
Take a few deep breaths.
And as you do,
Bring your awareness back to your body,
Back to the sensations of the weight of the body on the surfaces below you.
Just feel having a body.
And take another deep breath.
And as you exhale,
Gently open your eyes.
I hope that you are able to cultivate a little kindness and a little compassion,
Forgiveness and peace and take that with you out into the world.
Thank you.
