Boundless compassion meditation.
So you're invited to settle into your posture,
Ensuring that it's comfortable and your body and mind,
As best as possible,
Is at ease.
And generate an intention for this practice,
Perhaps including a sense of altruism within the intentions.
And having settled into your body,
Generated an intention,
You're now invited to come into the moment,
Putting aside thoughts about the past and the future,
Putting aside worries and concerns,
Putting aside roles and responsibilities,
Letting go of the stories we carry around about ourself and the world,
And come completely into this moment,
Experiencing the reality of here,
Now.
And perhaps you can ground yourself in the senses,
The physical senses,
And feel your connection with the earth beneath us,
Feeling earth element and letting your body,
Mind and inner speech settle into quietude and stillness.
Now you're invited to bring awareness to your heart center,
That place around your chest,
Physically located around your chest,
Your spiritual heart,
And tune into what you're experiencing there.
And just to add a flavor to that experience,
If it's not already there,
You're invited to think of someone who's suffering.
You could bring to mind an image on from the news,
Such as a child crying,
Or a friend who's having a difficult time,
Or it could even be yourself.
And notice your heart's response,
Feel into it.
And if you're a visual type,
Perhaps you can see something happening in your heart center.
Perhaps it's like a glowing light,
Or an opening flower,
Or a flame,
A warm flame.
And if you're not a visual type,
Perhaps you can just feel it.
Or if it's meaningful for you,
You can put a word to it,
Compassion,
And put aside thoughts about it,
And just nourish this feeling,
Hold it in your heart,
And let it grow,
Gently and softly,
Let it grow,
That you keep pushing it,
Just let it naturally shine throughout your whole body,
Filling your body up with this vibration of compassion,
This benevolent,
Compassionate quality,
Filling you,
Touching every cell of your body,
Every aspect of your heart mind.
And again,
Using what works for you,
Perhaps it's the feeling of it,
Perhaps it's words,
Perhaps it's a visual component,
Or perhaps it's all of those,
Let it soothe and calm,
Filling you.
And from that space,
Let it extend beyond the bounds of what we normally call this body,
This self,
It shines out,
Shines out in all directions,
Radiating,
Shining out as far as it feels right for you,
And touching whatever beings there are,
Touching the hearts of whatever beings there are,
In this world or other worlds,
Touching the hearts of those who are suffering,
And in some way alleviating that pain.
And sometimes it's just being there,
Willing to bear the pain,
Open to letting this divine,
This boundless divine abode,
Shine out in all directions,
Touching the hearts of whatever beings there are,
Whether great or small,
Young or old,
Every nation,
Every species,
All beings,
May they be freed from suffering and its causes.
Let's now abide in this divine abode for a few moments in silence.
