Kindness For You & A Friend

It isn't always easy to be kind to yourself. Or extend any amount of love to yourself. In this meditation, you're invited to imagine a close friend or loved one to help you. Using guided imagery, this practice is meant to help you begin showing compassion to yourself. Repeated use is helpful and this is best used in a quiet, safe place.

Transcript

Alright welcome. Thank you for being here This meditation involves offering kindness to ourselves This is something we often do to other people giving them compliments offering love and support But we seldom do this for ourselves and of course we know how good it feels for someone to tell us that they care about us and Imagine how good it would feel for us to tell ourselves that we care about ourselves this is not a means of being vain or Conceited this is a meditation and a practice to offer ourselves love and compassion The same way we would to someone else or the same way we know a friend would do for us so to begin this meditation I Would invite you to allow yourself to settle into a comfortable position Either sitting or lying down And allow your eyes to close either partially or fully whichever is most comfortable for you And if you'd like I Would invite you to put a hand over your heart or another location on your body. That's soothing Maybe it's on your leg. Maybe it's on your arm Just a form of soothing touch as a reminder to bring not only awareness But loving awareness to our experience and to ourselves So bring to mind a person or another living being who naturally makes you smile Someone with whom you have an easy uncomplicated relationship This could be a child a grandparent Perhaps it's a pet a close friend Whoever naturally brings happiness to your heart If you have many people or other living beings who arise just choose one for now And now allow yourself to be happy And now allow yourself to feel what it's like being in this being's presence Allowing yourself to enjoy the good company Create a vivid image of this being in your mind's eye And now recognize how much this being wishes to be happy and free from suffering just like you And just like every other living being In your mind repeat softly and gently Feeling the importance of these following words May you be happy May you be peaceful May you be healthy May you live with ease May you be happy May you be peaceful May you be healthy May you live with ease You can use your own words to capture your deepest wishes for your loved one Or you can continue to repeat these phrases May you, Dear friend, Be happy May you, My loved one, Be peaceful May you, My friend, Be healthy May you, Who I love so dearly, Live with ease Continue to repeat these phrases or whatever phrase comes to mind that you think this person needs right now in your mind And when you notice that your mind has wandered, Return to these words and the image of this loved one you have in mind Savor any warmth feelings that may arise And take your time May you be happy May you be peaceful May you be healthy May you live with ease Inviting the mind back ever so gently anytime it wanders Back to these phrases, Back to this loved one Taking note of positive feelings you experience And now as you imagine this friend, I invite you to create an image of yourself in the presence of your loved one Visualizing you both together Adding yourself to this circle of goodwill, You and this loved one Offering these phrases with just a slight modification May you and I be happy May you and I be peaceful May you and I be healthy May you and I live with ease May we be happy May we be peaceful May we be healthy May we live with ease And now letting go of the image of the other person Perhaps thinking of your loved one before moving on And then allowing the full focus of your attention rest directly on yourself Being gentle, Taking as much time as you need Putting your hand over your heart or elsewhere Feeling the warmth and gentle pressure of your hand Visualizing your whole body in your mind's eye Noticing any stress, Any uneasiness that may be lingering within you And offer yourself these phrases slightly modified from the ones we've used before May I be happy May I be peaceful May I be healthy May I live with ease May I be happy May I be peaceful May I be healthy May I live with ease Continue repeating these phrases to yourself At a pace that's right for you Still breathing Inviting the mind back whenever it has wandered off Being gentle, Being careful, And patient Repeating these phrases And now finally, Take a few breaths And just allow yourself to rest quietly in your own body Resting whatever your experience is, Exactly how it is Avoiding being critical or harsh Keep breathing, Resting, And accepting You may begin opening your eyes gently Allowing yourself to return to this present moment Perhaps saying thank you to yourself for participating in this meditation And so that is one of many different loving kindness exercises You can offer yourself as well as a loved one Sometimes it's hard to be kind to yourself, But it's a little bit easier When you begin with someone you love, Someone you already know how to give kindness and compassion to And then easing slowly into allowing yourself to experience some of that kindness and compassion And you may not believe it all at once, You may say to yourself, May I be happy, May I be peaceful, And not really intended for yourself at first And that's okay This is a gentle process and with practice and with time It will become easier for you to accept these good wishes of happiness, Peace, Health, And ease So thank you for participating in this meditation today and feel free to participate in it as often as you feel you need