Hi everyone.
I'm Lisa Ban,
And this is a loving-kindness meditation for anxiety relief.
And as we know,
Sometimes when we are feeling a little anxious,
We're afraid.
We're afraid of what we did,
And how do we correct it?
Or trying to somehow change the past and forcing the future instead of maybe coming back to the present moment.
We have no control over either one,
Just the choices that we make and the words that we say to the best of our ability.
But I understand sometimes it doesn't come from a logical place.
It really doesn't.
We use anxiety in many ways to protect ourselves.
And anxiety served us so,
So well.
But as we know,
Sometimes anxiety can get in our way of doing the things that we want to try to do.
But we're so worried and we're so self-critical,
Me included,
That it's sometimes very difficult.
So I am here to start us off all on a journey of starting with ourselves,
Self-compassion.
So find a comfortable position,
Seated or lying down.
Gently placing one hand on your heart and the other on your belly,
Allowing you to feel grounded.
Take a few deep breaths,
Lengthening your exhale to calm your nervous system.
And let's do that all together.
Take a deep breath in.
And exhale as long as you can.
Letting it all go.
Inhale.
And exhale.
Bring your awareness to yourself.
Silently repeating these phrases.
May I feel safe and grounded.
May I feel calm and at peace.
May I feel loved and supported.
May I live with ease.
May I feel safe and grounded.
May I feel calm and at peace.
May I feel loved and supported.
May I live with ease.
May I feel safe and grounded.
May I feel calm and at peace.
May I feel loved and supported.
May I live with ease.
If any anxiety arises,
Acknowledge it.
Notice it gently with compassion.
Imagine each phrase wrapping you in a warm,
Soothing light.
In a warm hug.
And embracing you for who you are at this moment in time.
Let's take a few minutes of quiet.
And just repeating these phrases in your mind and in your heart and your spirit.
And just come back to your breath.
If you become distracted,
Just come back to the breath.
And coming back to these phrases,
May I feel safe and grounded.
May I feel calm and at peace.
May I feel loved and supported.
May I live with ease.
Next,
Let's visualize someone who makes you feel safe and loved.
This could be a friend,
A family member,
A pet,
Or even an imagined figure.
Picture them in your mind's eye,
Sending you love and kindness.
And saying to you,
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
Invite their warmth and their care and their comfort to envelop you in a warm hug.
Reaching deep into your heart and into your spirit.
Into your body.
Allowing yourself to open yourself up to receive their comfort.
And reside and live and breathe with it for the next few minutes.
Broaden your circle.
Gradually include others in your meditation.
Maybe a neutral person,
A colleague,
Or a neighbor.
It could even be someone you find challenging.
It could also be all beings everywhere.
For each person,
You can silently say to them,
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
Feeling a connection as you radiate compassion outward from your heart to theirs.
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
May you feel safe.
May you feel calm and peaceful.
May you feel loved and supported.
May you live with ease.
And again,
Notice your hand on your heart.
Reaching out to their heart.
Sending comfort and peace and love and compassion.
For the next few minutes,
Envelop each person with your joy and your love and your peace.
Gently bring your focus back to yourself.
Resting in the calm.
Connecting to what you've just cultivated.
Gently reflect on any shifts in your mood or in your body,
Even if it's subtle.
End with a deep breath and gratitude for this time of self-care.
Take a deep breath in,
Placing your hands on your heart.
Deep breath out.
Two more.
Deep breath in.
Deep breath out.
And last one.
Deep breath in.
And a deep breath out.
I honor the place in you in which the entire universe resides.
I honor the place in you which is of love and light,
Kindness and compassion and peace.
When you are in that place in you,
And I'm in that place in me,
We are all one,
We are all the same.
Namaskar as I bow to the divinity that resides in you.
Namaste.
Have a great day,
Everyone.
