Love and Kindness Meditation
This meditation uses a system of phrases directed at others to help develop love, kindness, and compassion toward others and deal with difficult people.
Transcript
Bell sound Today we're going to do a love and kindness meditation.
First get into your favorite meditative posture.
To start,
Begin to focus on your breath.
Start to pay attention to that contact point where you can feel the cool air passing by your nostrils or mouth when you inhale and the warmth of the air as you exhale.
Maybe start to notice the rhythm of your breath today,
The rate at which your body rises and falls with every inhale and exhale.
Maybe noticing where your breath is stopping today.
It's stopping in your chest or your throat or if it's getting down into your belly.
Perhaps take a moment to take two to three deep breaths,
As deep as feels comfortable for you.
Maybe take a moment to notice where you're feeling the day today,
Where in your body you're feeling the weight of the day,
Your center of feel.
Now I'd like you to start by placing a hand on your heart.
Know that this hand is a compassionate hand,
Like the most compassionate parent you can imagine.
The palm of your hand wants nothing more but to send you love and kindness,
To nurture and heal you.
Just be there for you.
Focus on the love and kindness coming from the palm of your hand into your heart.
Picture those feelings of love and kindness filling you.
Continue to focus how that love and kindness feels in your body as you repeat the following silently to yourself.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy and safe.
May I love and accept myself just the way I am.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be an example of peace.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy and safe.
May I love and accept myself just the way I am.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be an example of peace.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy and safe.
May I love and accept myself just the way I am.
May I be free from suffering.
And may I be an example of peace.
Now think of someone who's close to you.
Someone who you love dearly.
It can be a person from your life,
Like a friend or a family member.
It can be a pet.
It can be someone you admire or respect.
Just someone who you have great love for.
Picture them in your mind and continue to hold that image of them as you begin to send them love and kindness.
If it helps you can even think of this person as a child or at a time when they might feel vulnerable.
If it helps you to send even more love and kindness their way.
So as you continue to picture this person that you love,
Holding that image of them in front of you,
Repeat the following toward them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
Next think of someone who's neutral to you.
Someone who you may not have particularly strong feelings about one way or the other.
Could be the barista at the coffee shop that day,
Or the woman who was in the elevator with you this morning.
Or someone's spouse whom you've heard about but never met.
Whoever it is,
Hold an image of them in your mind as best you can.
And repeat the following toward them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
And may you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be happy.
And may you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
And may you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
And may you be an example of peace.
Next,
Think of someone whom you have negative feelings toward.
It can be someone who you have some distaste for.
And as your practice strengthens,
You can even practice with someone who you may even consider an enemy or have strong difficulty with.
And if you have a strong enemy,
You can practice with someone who you may even have difficulty with.
Just pick someone you struggle with,
Who you feel ready to deal with.
As best as you can,
Try and actually picture them in your mind.
Again,
If it's helpful,
You can even try picturing them as a child or in a state of goodness.
Otherwise,
Just try your best to hold an image of them.
Focus as much as you can on sending them love and kindness as you silently repeat the following toward them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
If you need,
Feel free to pause the video at this time and continue to repeat these phrases toward this person that you have difficulty with until your experience with them starts to soften,
Even just a little.
And if it doesn't,
You can always come back to the meditation,
Wherever you're at,
And try again another day.
Next,
Think of a group of people who are suffering.
Perhaps you've heard about a group who's suffering through the news,
Or know of one that continues to struggle throughout history.
Hold that whole group in your mind,
If you're picturing them,
Or things that remind you of them,
Whatever helps you to hold an image of that group in your mind,
As you repeat the following phrases silently toward them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
And may you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
And may you be an example of peace.
Finally,
Try to hold the thought of all beings in your mind.
It can be an image of all beings,
Or even just a feeling of them within your heart.
Holding on to this feeling or image,
Repeat the following toward them.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy and safe.
May you love and accept yourself just the way you are.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be an example of peace.
Take a moment to just notice how you feel.
Has anything shifted for you?
Anything grown?
Or has anything softened?
You can conclude by asking yourself the question,
What do I now know?
What have I learned from this experience?
You can continue to think about the answer to this question as you hear the chime of the meditation bells.
At the end of the third bell,
You can open your eyes and come back to the room.
The bell is now ringing.
4.5 (376)
Recent Reviews
D.J.
November 18, 2020
Thank you for the guided help. Joelle makes it easy for me to focus on those I want to receive the intent foremost behind the words
Angiel
July 16, 2017
Great day to start one's day!! Sprinkling Love and Kindness!! To ALL!! THANK YOU!!! #NAMASTE
S.O
May 31, 2017
All I want at the specific moment!thank you,I fell so much better right now
Stephanie
January 31, 2017
Always a nice connection to wish others well!
Wilma
December 21, 2016
Just what I need this morning. Thank you. Namaste
Paul
July 4, 2016
This was great! Very quite, consistent, and soft voice. Perfect time out.
Attia
June 30, 2016
I have used this as my go to metta each day since the first time I used it. The phrases are great and it's quick and easily guided. I highly recommend this one.
Sherri
June 25, 2016
Thank you! 🌏🌍🌎❤️
Jennifer
June 24, 2016
Love the words of compassion!!!!
BJ22
June 24, 2016
Lovely especially after a disturbed night's sleep. Namaste..
Dana
June 23, 2016
Very effective and enlightening
Melanie
June 23, 2016
This was an awesome meditation. I feel such a compassionate connection with the world right at this moment!
Meredith
June 22, 2016
The first meditation I learned a few years ago. I love listening to a guided version of this meditation!
Denelle
June 22, 2016
An easy 20 min sit with a positive message for all