Welcome to this guided meditation for loving kindness.
I invite you to sit,
Stand or lie down,
Whatever feels best and right for you.
Let your hands rest on your knees or in your lap.
You can close your eyes if you wish or maintain a soft gaze towards the ground.
Loving kindness is the practice of paying attention to ourselves and to those around us with interest,
Compassion and care.
As you slowly begin to deepen your breath,
Opening up your chest,
Offer loving kindness to yourself by silently repeating the following words to yourself.
And when you do,
Imagine a cool fresh stream of water flowing through every part of your body,
Refreshing every corner,
Melting away any tension or stress that your body may be holding onto,
Washing away any pain as it touches each part.
Repeat the following words to yourself.
May I be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May I be filled with stillness and happiness.
May I be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
Shift your attention around the meaning of these phrases,
How each word makes you feel.
Notice if any emotion arises to the surface.
Notice your physical body.
May I be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May I be filled with stillness and happiness.
Now call to mind someone who has given you support,
Stood by your side,
Or someone who you look up to that has shown kindness towards you.
Really picture them in your mind.
Allow yourself to extend kindness to this person in return,
Saying the following words.
May you be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May you be filled with stillness and happiness.
Here the anchor is not your breath but the repetition of these phrases.
Remember,
If your thoughts begin to wander,
It's completely okay.
Allow any feelings and thoughts to arise and then to pass.
Just accept that your mind has strayed and gently return your attention back to these phrases.
Even if the words don't fit in this very moment,
If they sound strange or they don't feel comfortable,
It's okay.
See if you can connect to the meaning of these phrases even if you might not feel the safety and warmth right now.
In time,
They will become more and more natural to you.
They are the vehicle for connecting you to yourself and to those around you.
Let's begin to extend this loving kindness to your family,
Your parents,
Your spouse,
Siblings or your children.
Just repeat the following words as you imagine them there in front of you.
May people in my family be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May you be filled with stillness and happiness.
Bring to mind someone who's hurting or experiencing a difficult time in their life right now.
Picture them near you.
Feel their presence in yours and extend your loving kindness to surround them with love that is so healing,
So pure,
Without the expectation that it should make you or them feel in any particular way.
Just quietly repeat,
May you be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May you be filled with stillness and happiness.
Taking a few minutes now to feel how it is to wish these things for them.
Notice how it feels as you send these wishes of well-being to this person you love or care for.
Even when you wish a person well and it does not appear that they are open to receive it,
Sending loving kindness to them is a heartfelt wish without any strings attached.
No matter if they do or do not receive it,
That is out of your control.
Let go of any attachments and expectations.
Sending loving kindness is all about opening up your heart to free yourself from any negativity,
Anger or fear towards yourself or others.
Now,
Bring to mind a difficult person,
Someone you have trouble getting along with or whose words and actions are painful.
Sending loving kindness to a difficult person is a process of relaxing your heart and setting yourself free from fear and corrosive resentment.
There are no enemies.
There are only people who we dislike or who dislike us.
And by sending compassion to this person,
We allow ourselves to be liberated from grudge that could block our hearts.
This will help you to remember that just like you,
They want to be loved and just like you,
They want peace in their life.
So,
As you imagine that difficult person in your life,
Quietly repeat,
May you be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May you be filled with stillness and happiness.
Finally,
Offer your well wishes to all beings everywhere.
May you be full of love and forgiveness,
Health and peace.
May you be filled with stillness and happiness.
As this loving kindness meditation comes to an end,
Take the time to appreciate the potential of this practice to increase your sense of connection and belonging.
Slowly begin to return to your full awareness.
And as you softly open your eyes,
Notice the movement of your own breath bringing nourishment and aliveness to your body as a whole.
Just as your wishes of goodwill bring nourishment and aliveness to those around you.
Namaste.
