Let's begin by taking a moment to settle your body into a comfortable position.
You may close your eyes and keep them slightly open,
With a soft focus looking downward,
A few feet in front of you.
Allow your spine to lift and your shoulders to soften.
Today we will practice loving kindness.
In this practice we generate a wish of well-being for ourselves and for others.
Take a full breath in and a long slow breath.
Feel yourself seated and present in this moment.
Let's begin by offering wishes of well-being to ourselves.
Today we will use the following phrases,
Though in the future you may use whatever words are most meaningful to you.
May I be well.
May I be safe and free from suffering.
May I be happy.
Repeat these phrases and invite your heart to open and to accept them.
May I be well.
May I be safe and free from suffering.
May I be happy.
And bring to mind someone close to you that you care about deeply.
Maybe a friend or a family member.
Maybe a teacher or someone who's helped you.
Imagine that person sitting in front of you right now.
Think of what you wish for them.
May you be well.
May you be safe and free from suffering.
May you be happy.
Or any other words that express what you wish for them.
Imagine them receiving your wishes for well-being.
Now bring to mind someone who's having a difficult time.
Who perhaps has experienced loss or struggling with illness or maybe having a hard time at work.
Imagine that person sitting in front of you.
May you be well.
May you be safe and free from suffering.
May you be happy.
Or any words that express what you wish for them.
Now bring to mind someone you see regularly in your life but for whom you haven't had much interaction with.
Maybe you've never spoken.
Imagine that person sitting in front of you.
May you be well.
May you be safe and free from suffering.
May you be happy.
If you'd like you may also bring to mind someone with whom you've had some difficulty and offer them these words.
May you be well.
May you be safe and free from suffering.
May you be happy.
Now let's extend your wishes to everyone near you right now.
May they be well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy.
Think of your friends and your family.
May they be well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy.
Everyone you know.
Everyone who's a part of your life.
May they be well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy.
Extend your wishes beyond the place where you are.
Beyond the people you know.
To extend over the entire earth.
All people.
All animals.
All life.
May all beings be well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy.
Feeling the sense of well-wishing extending out from you in all directions.
Notice how you feel in this moment.
The sensations in your body and the quality of your mind.
And again wish for yourself.
May I be well.
May I be safe and free from suffering.
May I be happy.
If you would like,
Place a hand on your heart as you say these words to yourself.
Breathing in fully and breathing out fully.
Allow yourself to be present.
Complete here.
Whatever your experience was during this meditation,
This practice offers benefits.
Even if you weren't always able to feel the well-wishes or experienced some resistance,
That's okay.
Simply come back to your intention to practice and experience love and kindness in whatever way you were able and in whatever way feels right to you.
Finish with a full deep breath in and a long slow breath out.
