The heart's release through loving kindness.
Ensure that you are at ease with your posture and your body is free from discomfort.
Set the intention that for the next 20 to 30 minutes you will first settle your mind and practice general awareness and openness with the way things are.
After that,
Bring the intention to practice loving kindness in order to benefit all beings,
Including yourself.
Also prime yourself to feel indifferent or equanimous or okay with whatever arises with this exercise.
If feelings of loving kindness do not arise,
Don't struggle or judge yourself harshly.
Rather,
Accept the natural ebbs and flows of the mind and allow yourself to be fully present with whatever arises with a quality of accepting awareness.
So now bring attention to the present moment and anchor yourself in this moment by being open to whatever is predominant in here and now.
Allow yourself to settle and be at peace with present moment experience.
Realize that a mind filled with ill will and hatred is a mind entangled with suffering.
And set your intention to let go of this affliction.
Turn your undivided attention to the cultivation of goodwill and loving kindness.
Know that deep in the hearts of all beings there is the potential for kindness.
Connect with this quality within your own heart.
You can connect with this quality of friendliness and warmth by using whatever means that works for you.
You can use visualization,
Reflection or by repeating words or phrases that are meaningful for you.
So reflect first of all on times when you may have been kind to another person or someone's been kind to you.
Let that reflection awaken a memory of how kindness feels and gently focus on it.
Remember the feeling of loving kindness and being cared for or caring and bring attention free from ill will to this feeling.
Know that somewhere deep inside your heart there is a soft and loving quality and let it grow.
If you are a visual type you may see it like a warm ember that gets stronger and stronger.
Or a soft flame or an opening flower or just a warm glow.
Bring attention to the area around your chest and relax with warm acceptance to whatever sensations are there.
Be open.
When you are aware of kindness in your heart sustain it by remembering to return open and focused attention to it.
Let it grow by bringing a gentle and delicate awareness to the area around your chest as you say and connect with the words.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy,
Free from all troubles of mind and body.
And may I be able to protect my own happiness.
May my heart be filled with loving kindness.
May my heart be filled with genuine care and acceptance.
May barriers melt away and may I feel connected both within myself and to all beings.
May I truly be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be free from all troubles of mind and body.
May I abide in joy protecting my own happiness.
As these aspirations tumble round in your heart you may see loving kindness to grow from your chest area to include the whole of your body mind touching every cell,
Touching every organ,
Every aspect of your body and mind.
You may see it as a warm growing glow or feel it as a general melting or a loosening of tension or you may just know that it's happening.
Whatever seems to work for you,
Let it be and let it grow and sustain it by returning open and focused attention without struggle to the process.
May I truly be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy in body and mind.
May I abide in joy and harmony with all things.
May I be free from all troubles of mind and body.
Let loving kindness heal all pain.
Let loving kindness soften all tension.
Let loving kindness melt all resistance.
Let loving kindness move beyond the bounds of what we normally call ourselves.
So that it spreads out beyond our personal boundaries and bring to mind someone who is still living that you have unconditional care and unentangled love for and think,
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be free from all troubles of mind and body.
May you be safe,
Free from harm.
And may you be able to protect your own happiness.
Perhaps you can see them receiving this loving kindness,
Smiling and being filled with the healing energy of love.
May you be happy.
Now bring to mind other beings.
Beings you may have a neutral relationship,
Even beings you may have some conflict with.
And let the energy of loving kindness shine out beyond the binds,
The confines of what we usually call ourselves into the surroundings,
Out into the world around you.
Connect with all beings,
Regardless of who they are.
Let this loving kindness energy touch the hearts of other beings,
People in the streets,
People as they work,
Beings in the skies and in the oceans,
Beings in other lands and beings who are very different to us.
Share your loving kindness.
Share this universal loving kindness with all beings.
Whatever beings there are,
May their hearts be filled with happiness.
May their hearts be peaceful.
May they know joy that knows no sorrow.
May all beings be safe,
Free from harm.
May they be healthy in body and mind.
And may they be able to protect their own happiness.
May the hearts of all beings be filled with loving kindness.
May all beings be at peace.
May all beings be truly happy.
May all beings be free from conflict and hardship.
May all beings abide in joyous harmony.
May all beings be happy.
Let loving kindness radiate from the heart in all directions,
Embracing all beings,
Free from preference and judgment.
Let loving kindness radiate from the heart in all directions,
Embracing all beings,
Free from preference and judgment.
Now come back to being aware of yourself as part of the whole world.
Be aware of yourself and your own heart,
Connected with other hearts.
Be aware of yourself and where you are in this room,
And realize that you can access loving kindness when you need.
Realize you can radiate loving kindness in daily activities,
In contact with the world around you,
Or during periods of formal meditation practice.
Remember,
You can practice simple acts of kindness in many different ways.
If you wish,
You can stay seated,
Radiating loving kindness,
Or you can begin to shift your body and going out about your daily activities.
Thank you for sharing loving kindness,
And may all beings be happy.
