I invite you now to join me for a very brief session to help us calm our minds,
Bring our mind home,
Release and relax and remember our fundamental goodness.
Our fundamental okayness if you will,
To help us really ride these stormy waves and find a bit more groundedness and stability.
So in the beginning I invite you now if you like you can close your eyes and for a moment really feel your body,
Feel your physical presence.
Feel the breath flowing in and out,
Sensation of the breath flowing through both nostrils or your mouth.
And if you like you can put your hand on your belly or chest to deepen really the sensation,
The feeling of feeling grounded within yourself,
Within your body.
And imagine with each in-breath you're taking in whatever is good,
Wholesome,
Nourishing.
Each in-breath you can consider relaxing a bit more,
Finding a bit more ease in your body,
In your mind,
Wherever you hold tightness.
And when you're ready you can open your eyes gently,
Gaze in the space in front of you with a soft gentle gaze.
So feeling connected to your breath,
Simply being present,
Open and aware.
And whenever you're finding very strong emotion is rising you can feel it in your body,
Just observe how this emotion arises,
Sensations that go with it,
Maybe images,
Memories and just try to be a neutral observer,
Observing without any judgment just with curiosity and kindness.
Imagine you're as vast as the sky and whatever arises,
Like the clouds moving through the sky,
Passing through this vastness of the sky.
Being present,
Open,
Spacious,
Aware,
Allowing whatever comes up to be there.
So in this greater sense of awareness everything can just be,
Whatever it is,
If it's fear,
Anxiety,
A bit of franticness,
That's okay.
You can consider with each in-breath connecting back into the space that has this profound sensation,
Feeling,
The atmosphere of vastness,
Of expansiveness,
Like the sky.
And with great gentleness and tenderness we can also wish ourselves well.
Wish ourselves wellness,
Happiness,
Safety,
Good health.
With the phrases of loving kindness,
May I be happy,
May I be well,
May I be safe.
And whenever our minds is drifting away,
We again return to our breath,
To the wish,
This really profound wish for well-being and happiness and safety.
And we can extend it out slowly to all the people we feel connected with.
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you be safe.
And we can really feel how this wish,
This heartfelt compassionate wish is radiating out into the world.
You can think of all the people who are struggling right now,
All the health professionals,
Patients,
Anyone touched by the virus.
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you be safe.
We can consider this loving kindness becoming a protective shield covering our planet.
And also covering our mind,
Holding our mind.
In the midst of all the craziness to recognize all the love,
Friendship,
Compassion,
Connections that there is.
And how we are all connected,
All humans,
We all in our humanity are connected.
May I be happy,
May I be well,
May I be safe,
May you be happy,
May you be well,
May you be safe.
Now gently let go of the practice,
The phrases and allow your mind just to rest for a few moments longer in the space of love,
Of connection,
Of warmth.
To really take it in fully.
So in the coming days and weeks you can be in the space of love,
Of connection,
Of love,
Of love.
So in the coming days and weeks you can return,
I invite you,
Return to these phrases of loving kindness as a protection of our crazy monkey minds.
And yeah,
May you be happy,
May you be well and may this radiate out to the world and we can dedicate it to the wellness,
Well-being of all people,
Especially health care providers,
Anyone working on the front lines right now.
May we all be well,
Happy,
Safe.
