Now bring your awareness to the present moment,
Just being here with how your body's feeling,
With the sounds that you hear,
With your own breath.
And we'll take a big,
Deep breath in through the nose,
And a long,
Slow breath out of the mouth,
Allowing any tension in your body to soften as you settle into stillness.
And we'll start our TWIM practice by activating the feeling of metta,
Or loving-kindness.
So we'll do this by thinking of a time or a person that fills you with this sense of boundless,
Unconditional love and happiness.
Maybe it's a memory that you have,
A person,
A place.
Just sitting with this feeling,
Allowing it to ignite within you,
Thinking about that sensation of loving-kindness,
Boundless love and happiness.
Just like you're turning on a light,
Flipping that sensation on.
And as you hold this feeling in your heart,
Bring to mind someone who just naturally brings a sense of warmth and joy into your heart.
It could be a dear friend,
A mentor,
Or even a pet.
Picture them happy and at ease.
Begin to generate this feeling of loving-kindness towards them,
Imagining them smiling and filled with peace as you silently offer them well-wishes and the warmth of kindness.
Allow this feeling to continue to grow as you hold this person in your mind and in your heart.
And just look them in the eye and truly wish them well.
Now thinking of someone that you feel neutral towards.
Maybe it's the person who works at your local coffee shop,
Or a neighbor that you know but you don't know that well,
Even a co-worker.
Someone that you just feel neutral towards.
And tuning once again into that feeling of loving-kindness,
Imagine that you're now sending that feeling to someone you feel neutral towards.
Maybe you imagine this feeling as a golden light or another color,
And you see this light moving from your heart to their heart.
Just genuinely wishing them well,
Sending this feeling of loving-kindness to them.
Maybe they smile in return.
And now returning to that feeling of boundless love-kindness-happiness,
And send it to yourself.
Maybe imagining that colored light surrounding your heart,
Filling you with a sense of peace,
Of kindness,
Self-compassion,
And love.
Just allowing yourself to feel this boundless,
Loving,
Kind,
Joyful energy.
You can even imagine yourself standing in front of you as you radiate this light energy,
This feeling to yourself.
And telling yourself,
May I be happy,
May I be peaceful,
May I be free from suffering.
And if any resistance arises,
Just simply notice it.
And send that resistance,
That feeling of warmth,
That meta,
That loving-kindness feeling.
There's nothing to change or fix,
But just receive this kindness as freely as you would offer it to someone you care for deeply.
And just allowing yourself a few moments to rest in this feeling,
To bathe in this sensation,
This warmth of loving-kindness and meta.
You can even imagine this feeling as a little bubble all around you,
Pouring within you and radiating out of you.
And now sending one last final well-wish to yourself and to those around you.
And when you're ready,
Take a big,
Deep breath in and out.
Just guiding your awareness back to the space,
To this moment.
Opening the eyes when you like,
And closing your meditation practice.
Thank you so much for joining me today,
And I wish you well.
