This is the Loving-Kindness Meditation.
Let's start by simply settling in into a comfortable position and allowing yourself to relax as best as you can.
Sitting cross-legged on a cushion or on a chair with your feet on the floor.
Closing your eyes or if you prefer keeping a soft gaze in front of you.
Taking a deep breath in and releasing.
Just letting go.
And for a few moments let's focus on our breath.
Noticing when you're breathing in then you breathe out.
Let yourself experience and be aware of the sensations of the breathing.
Observing the cold air coming through your nostrils as you're breathing in.
Maybe feeling the warmer air as you're breathing out.
Just observing the rising and falling of your abdomen as you're breathing in and you're breathing out.
Coming back to the present moment by anchoring into the breath.
We will start the Loving-Kindness Meditation by picturing someone who is close to you.
Someone towards you may feel a great amount of love.
Maybe a parent,
A child,
A partner.
Just noticing how this love feels in your heart.
Perhaps you're feeling some openness,
Tenderness,
Warmth.
Just noticing how does that feel when you imagine this person in front of you.
Continue to breathe and focusing on those feelings as you visualize your loved one.
And as you breathe out,
Imagine that you're extending a bright light that holds your warm feelings from the center of your heart.
Then imagining that this light reaches out to your loved one and bring him or her peace and happiness.
And at the same time silently repeat those praises.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
And as you silently repeat those phrases remembering to extend this bright light to your loved one from your heart and feel with all your heart that you wish this person happiness and freedom from suffering.
And noticing how does that feel in your heart.
Now we're going to visualize someone you need to like or dislike.
Someone you might see every day like a bus driver or a colleague maybe a postman a stranger that you pass by on the street.
Although you're not familiar with this person thinking on how this person may be suffering in his or her own life.
This person may also have conflicts have suffered illness.
Just imagining a situation in which this person may have suffered.
And noticing how your heart center is.
Does it feel different from before?
And continue to visualize this person as you're breathing in.
And as you're breathing out imagining extending the bright light from your heart to them.
And that this light is easing his or her suffering.
Extending this light out during the exhalation with a strong heartfelt wish that him his or her suffering is ease.
And silently repeat those phrases.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
And if your mind has gone somewhere else that's okay just bring it back to the breath.
And continue to recite the phrases silently.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
Again noticing how does that feel in your heart.
Did you have the wish to take this person's suffering?
Just noticing.
No right no wrong just observing.
Now we're going to visualize someone with whom you have difficulty in your life.
Someone that perhaps you had an argument or disagreement.
This might be a partner or friend or a co-worker.
They didn't get along.
Just bringing this person into mind.
Although you may have some negative feelings towards to this person.
Just thinking on how this person has also suffered in his or her own life.
Perhaps this person has had conflicts with others as well.
Has dealt with failures.
Might have suffered illness.
Just thinking of a situation in which this person may have suffered.
And noticing how is your heart center.
And as you continue to visualize this person as you breathe.
Again imagining that you're extending the bright light from your heart to him or her and that this light is and that this light is easing his or her suffering.
Extending this light out to this person during your exhalation.
With this strong heartfelt wish that him or her will be free from suffering.
And again silently repeat.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
And if you find difficulty in wishing this person suffering to be relieved.
Relieved.
Think of a positive interaction that you may that you have had with this person that can help you wishing them joy and happiness.
And continue to silently repeat.
May you be happy.
May you be free from suffering.
May you be healthy.
May you be at ease.
Again noticing how does that feel in your heart?
Did you have a wish to take away this person suffering?
Again,
Just observing no judgment.
No right,
No wrong.
Now let's wish for all beings suffering to be relieved.
Imagining that bright light emanating to cover the whole planet earth.
And again silently recite the phrases.
May we all be happy.
May we all be free from suffering.
May we all be happy.
May we all be free from suffering.
May we all be happy.
May we all be free from suffering.
And in this last few minutes of the practice we're going to send love and kindness to ourselves.
Realizing that you want yourself to be happy.
And sending all the good intentions towards yourself.
Imagine yourself sitting in front of you and silently repeat the phrase.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be healthy.
May I be at ease.
And again imagining the bright light emanating from your heart and covering your whole being.
With this wish.
Just as you wished for a loved one's suffering to end.
You wish their outworn suffering would end.
And you envision your own pain and suffering leaving yourself so you experience happiness.
And continue to silently repeat.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be healthy.
May I be at ease.
May I be happy.
May I be free from suffering.
May I be healthy.
May I be at ease.
And remembering that the time you are taking to practice it is itself an expression of metta.
Congratulating yourself for the genuine wish to be a better person,
Better friend,
Parent,
Son or daughter,
Husband or wife.
Now coming back to your breathing,
Bringing awareness back to your body,
The sensations of the breathing.
And gently we're going to start to bring some movement back into the body by gently wiggling your fingers,
Wiggling your toes and then slowly opening your eyes.
Thank you.
