Hello,
Welcome.
I'm Stacey DeGregorio.
I'm really happy that you're joining me for this loving kindness meditation.
Let's start by finding a comfortable seat,
A posture that allows for awakeness.
Really tall through your spine,
Softening your shoulders.
You can relax your eyes,
Lowering your gaze to the ground,
Or you can close them,
Whichever is most comfortable for you.
Let's begin by bringing your attention to your body sitting here,
However you're seated.
So getting a sense of what the bends in your knees and your hips and your arms feel like.
Maybe you'll be becoming aware of the support underneath your seat.
What does it feel like to be you right here right now?
And then from here moving your awareness to an anchor point,
A point at which you can come back to anytime you'd like.
So it might be the sensation of your feet on the floor,
Or your hands in your lap,
Even your knees or elbows.
It could also be your breath,
So noticing the sensations of breathing.
It's a place for you to return to if the meditation becomes uncomfortable.
You need to just take a little break.
So let's sit for a few moments,
Just paying attention to this focal point,
Whatever it is for you.
And then from here bringing your attention to the area around your heart.
Then noticing if you feel any sensations there.
During this meditation is a practice of offering well wishes to ourselves and others.
And the area around the heart is a nice way to be able to really feel that.
And if you can't feel anything it's okay.
I'm gonna have you bring to mind someone that you love,
Someone that you deeply deeply care about.
You can picture their face in your mind's eye,
You can imagine that they're close in the room with you.
And maybe checking back in with that area around your heart when you bring this person to mind that you deeply love.
What does it feel like in the area around your heart?
Can you feel warmth?
Maybe you can feel your own heartbeat.
And as you keep this person in your mind's eye I invite you to repeat the phrases that I say in your head.
Or you can choose different phrases that resonate more with you.
To offering this person that you love wishes of well-being.
May you be happy.
Offering this loved one may you be healthy.
May you know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may you live your life with ease.
How does that feel to wish your loved one these things in your heart?
What are the sensations you're experiencing right now?
Can you offer these same well wishes to yourself?
Sometimes it can be a little more challenging to wish ourselves these things.
This loving kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may I live my life with ease.
How does that feel for you right now?
And now I invite you to take these same well wishes and offer them to someone that you don't know.
Perhaps the mail carrier,
Someone who checked out your groceries,
Or a person that you pass in the street.
Maybe a neighbor that you've seen but don't know.
To see if you can bring someone to mind.
An offering this person.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may you live your life with ease.
And here I invite you to expand,
To include people in your neighborhood.
Maybe you have neighbors that are dear to you and you might have neighbors you've never met before.
And you can make the circle as small or wide as you'd like.
But see if you can offer these same well wishes to people who live in proximity to you.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may you live your lives with ease.
And from here expanding yet again to the country that you're living in.
Wherever you might be.
Is it possible for you to offer these same well wishes to all the people that live in your country?
And before you do,
Noticing how that feels in your heart.
Knowing that it's okay to have it feel a little conflicted.
Includes people that you might not like so much.
I invite you to see what it's like to offer everyone in the country that you live in these well wishes.
May you all be happy.
May you all be healthy.
May you all know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may you all live your lives with ease.
And I invite you once again to expand and include all beings.
Offering the same kindness to all beings on this planet.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be healthy.
May all beings know the kindness of peace in this moment.
And may all beings live their lives with ease.
And bringing once again your awareness to your heart center.
And getting a sense for what offering this compassion practice,
What it feels like for you.
And then moving your attention back to your anchor point.
So your breath,
Your feet on the floor.
I'll ring a bell to end this meditation.
And I invite you to listen to the bell in its entirety.
And at the end you can open your eyes or raise your gaze and bring your attention back to the room.
And thank you so much for joining me.
