Loving Kindness Practice.
This practice brings in the heart qualities of friendliness,
Kindness,
Benevolence and well wishes to ourselves and to others.
It's an orientation of our attention towards opening the heart.
It's a way of cultivating a sense of safety and kindness towards ourselves and others.
The yoga teacher Iyengar said that the heart energy is like a star,
It radiates out.
And it's important that we can work with this vast radiant energy of the heart in a conscious way.
So taking some time now just to open and ground awareness in the body.
Feeling the solid base that you're sitting on.
And feeling the area of the heart as you come to rest.
You can do this practice seated or lying down,
Just making sure that you're comfortable and relaxed,
Making any adjustments that might be helpful.
Resting into the body,
Closing the eyes and inviting some deeper,
More intentional breaths.
You might breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth if you choose,
Allowing a sense of release and letting go of whatever you're holding.
In particular,
You might invite a letting go of any expectations you might have around perfection or being a certain way.
If there's any tension in the neck or the shoulders,
Making any movements or adjustments that you need as a way of just inviting a softening into the body.
When we're contracted in the body,
We are often more disconnected.
So inviting a softening to whatever is here,
Whether it's a heaviness,
A lightness,
A tightness,
A spaciousness,
Just acknowledging what is here.
And as you're open to the resonances in the body,
You might just notice how they echo back to the heart.
The body will give us feedback and we can just open to that.
Now more specifically,
Bringing your attention to the space of the heart.
Being in touch with a heart that loves and feels and can extend and radiate kindness in all directions.
And of course,
Noticing any resistance here with the same kind of gentleness.
Letting the qualities of the heart emerge naturally,
No particular way it needs to be.
See if you can welcome yourself just as you are,
Not trying to make anything happen.
Just a gentle,
Patient being with yourself.
Offering the possibility of a generous welcome to yourself.
What would it feel like to be welcome as I am,
Whatever is here?
Bringing a full acceptance to all the different parts of you,
Perhaps the hidden parts,
The doubts,
The shames,
The anxieties,
Opening to just a full,
Authentic expression of yourself.
And now imagine that you're circled by the people who love you.
Finding yourself in the center of the circle made up of the most loving beings that you know.
It might,
Of course,
Be people in your circles that you've never met but you've been inspired by.
Finding yourself encircled and surrounded and receiving the love from these people.
Being the recipient of their energy,
Their care,
Their inspiration.
Sensing the circle of love.
And as you do so,
You might silently repeat whatever phrases express that which you wish most for yourself.
Not just for today but in a long,
Enduring way.
Phrases that are open and large.
Things like,
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease of heart.
And letting yourself just feel those wishes of kindness.
Thinking for yourself what helps you to feel that the heart can open.
So you might use the phrases or you might use single words like safe,
Peaceful,
Happy,
Easeful.
Or you might even just feel the visual quality of light,
Light from these beings of love to you.
Feeling free just to experiment with what works for you.
Noticing how you feel when you receive this love and kindness.
As you sense yourself in the center of the circle,
All kinds of different emotions might arise.
Sometimes it might be an openness and sometimes it might be a resistance.
Whatever emotions arise,
Just let them be here.
Using the phrases or the words as a touchstone.
May I be safe,
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease of heart.
Or whatever phrases you have chosen.
Simply open to receiving the love that is here.
Almost as if this love could be soaked right through the pores of your skin.
This warm radiant energy of love and kindness.
This love is here not because you have to do something to receive it.
It's here simply because you are you and you are here.
Nothing you need to fabricate if your mind wanders.
Simply coming back to the phrases,
The words.
May you be safe,
May you be joyful,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
Now taking these phrases and extending them outwards to the people in your circle.
And adding into that circle anyone you would like to include in the space of compassion and kindness.
Feeling that kindness and that radiating energy of love moving from your heart in all directions.
Filling the space around you with loving kindness.
And as you extend this heartfelt love outwards towards all beings everywhere.
Allowing your heart to expand into that quality of care and kindness that the world needs.
The quality of kindness and care that is actually available to us.
In your own time you might return your awareness back to the space of your own heart.
Maybe placing a hand on the heart in acknowledgement of its capacities.
You might honour and thank yourself for having taken this time.
May we all be safe.
May we all be happy.
May we all live with ease and joy.
May we all be at peace.
