Loving kindness based on happiness.
Make yourself very comfortable,
Either laying face up,
Or sitting on a chair or cushion,
And make the intention that for the next little while that you will practice loving kindness for the benefit of yourself,
Other beings and planet earth.
Know also that if loving kindness does not arise that it's perfectly okay.
Everything has its own timing and rhythm,
And like any skill it takes patient practice.
So begin by spending a few moments settling your body,
Speech and heart mind by relaxing into this present moment.
Use whatever means seems to work for you to help you settle.
This could be relaxing with the breath,
Body scan,
Awareness of sounds,
Whatever works for you.
Use that to help you relax your body and stabilize your attention.
And anchor yourself here now and be at peace with this present moment.
So now,
Think about or reflect on what real happiness may mean for you.
Perhaps it's the type of happiness that truly fills your heart with contentment.
Maybe you can remember a time when you were happy,
Or you can think of a place a time where you could be happy.
Whatever seems to work for you,
See if you can let these good thoughts,
These thoughts of happiness,
These memories or recollections or imaginings of happiness,
Fill your heart.
You can use your imagination if you want,
Or you could visualize,
Or you can just think about it.
Let happiness fill your heart.
Let happiness bring a smile to your heart.
It might feel like a warm glow,
Or you could see it like an opening flower.
Let happiness in your heart grow.
Let it grow and radiate so it fills your being,
Fills your whole being,
Fills your heart.
Let it radiate from your heart so it touches every cell and every organ,
Making you feel light and happy.
Let it fill your heart,
Happiness.
Let it radiate from your heart,
Touching every cell of your body,
Every aspect of your life.
And think,
May I be happy,
May I truly be happy.
And let these words circulate and spread good feelings throughout your being.
May I be happy,
May I truly be happy.
May happiness fill your being,
Touch every breath,
Every moment,
Every aspect of your life.
May happiness touch everything you do.
May happiness filter everything you see.
May you be happy.
And after a while,
These feelings seem to bubble out and extend beyond the boundaries of what we call our self.
After a while you can extend these good feelings to your friends and your family.
To those people and beings you care for.
Imagine that these beautiful happy feelings are extending from your own heart.
So they go out and touch other beings.
Perhaps you can see your friends and family in your mind's eye being touched by these good vibrations.
And when they feel the good vibes,
When they are touched by these vibes,
They also feel happy.
Maybe you can see them or imagine that they are also feeling very good.
And you can say to yourself,
May you be happy,
May you truly be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May your hearts be filled with loving kindness.
May all your aches and pains and illnesses be healed.
May your life be filled to the brim with joy and happiness.
And perhaps you can see them smiling,
Glowing and radiating with their happiness.
You can see happiness.
You can imagine happiness filling them.
So that they are at peace.
They are perfectly at peace.
They are happy.
May they be happy.
May they truly be happy.
And then you can see this or feel or know that this quality of loving kindness,
Loving kindness and happiness spreads out beyond the bounds of your own friends and family,
Beyond the bounds of yourself.
So that it extends out into the world,
Radiating infinitely above you,
Radiating in front of you,
Behind you,
To both sides of you and below you in all directions.
No beings left untouched.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
All beings,
Including all,
Excluding none.
May they all be touched by the peace and the joy of happiness.
May they be happy.
May this planet earth be healthy and happy.
May all beings be happy.
So now come back to yourself.
Be aware of your heart.
Hear vibrating.
Your heart.
Hear moving with the heart of all beings.
And know where you are in this room or in this place.
Know that deep in the hearts of all beings there is loving kindness and there is happiness.
And that you can access these feelings in your own heart whenever there is a need or you want to feel happy and peaceful.
May you and all beings be truly happy.
