This traditional meditation can be done in any position,
Sitting down,
Laying down or cross-legged on the floor.
And rather than the breath being the object for focus,
We'll be learning a script to practice throughout the meditation.
So begin by taking a moment to become aware of any thoughts or feelings that you might be experiencing right now.
You're just acknowledging how things are for yourself in this moment.
And when you're ready,
Beginning to bring awareness to your body,
Perhaps feeling the feet on the floor,
The legs,
Hips and lower body,
Your arms and shoulders,
Your neck and head.
Coming into that felt sense of the body being here in this moment.
Beginning to feel the movement of the breath,
The actual sensations of breathing,
Reminding yourself that you're here,
Alive,
Whole.
Just taking a moment or two to really settle in.
When you're ready,
You might like to bring to mind the image of a person you know or you've known in your life to be loving and kind towards you.
Someone who easily evokes a feeling of warmth and love.
It could be a spouse,
A partner,
A parent,
A family member,
A mentor or close friend.
Someone who's been good to you and helped you feel safe and whole,
Who's caring easily comes to you.
And if a person past or present doesn't come to mind,
Maybe someone who you know to be inspirational may come.
Someone it's easy to imagine sending wishes of well-being to,
Wishing them well and if that feels right,
Just imagine.
I'd like to invite you to say the following script in your mind.
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole and picturing them receiving these well wishes from you,
Really embodying that sense of kindness as you wish them well.
May you have love,
Warmth and affection.
May you be protected from harm and free from fear.
May you be alive,
Engaged and joyful.
May you experience inner peace and ease.
You may also have your own words and wishes for them.
So feel free to use the words that resonate with you.
Taking a few moments now to feel how it is to wish these things for them.
Letting yourself have that sense of well wishes emanating from you and connecting to them.
Noticing how it feels inside you as you send well wishes to this person you love or care about.
When you're ready,
Seeing if you can imagine this person or figure wishing these very same things for you.
Knowing that they have your well being in their heart,
Imagining them saying to you,
May you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
May you have love,
Warmth and affection in your life.
Imagining them close to you,
Feeling their presence and unconditional love for you as they say.
May you be protected from harm and free from fear.
May you be alive,
Engaged and joyful.
May you experience inner peace and ease.
Allowing those feelings to wash over you,
Feeling their unconditional love and caring for you.
Letting the feelings of love and safety grow in you.
Knowing there's nothing you have to do to deserve these feelings and wishes.
They are freely given,
Without condition.
Seeing if you can connect to the meaning of these phrases,
Even if you might not feel all the safety and warmth right now.
Knowing that it is their well wishes for you.
Seeing if you can have these well wishes for yourself.
Hearing yourself say to yourself,
May I be happy,
Healthy and loved.
May I be safe and protected.
May I feel alive and free.
May I experience inner peace and ease.
You may have loved ones for whom it's also easy to have these well wishes for.
A child,
A family member or dear friend,
A loved pet and if it feels right,
Saying it to them in your own way with your own words.
May you be happy,
Healthy and loved in your life.
May you be safe and protected and not suffer.
May you be alive and joyful.
May you have inner peace and ease.
And if it feels right,
Seeing if there are others in your life you can extend these good wishes to,
A friend,
A co-worker,
A neighbour,
Saying to yourself,
To them,
May you be happy and healthy and loved in your life.
May you be safe and protected,
Free from harm.
May you be alive and joyful.
And may you have inner peace and ease.
And it might be even possible to expand even further out to acquaintances,
People you know of but don't have a personal relationship with,
People you see around town,
Your neighbours,
Even people you don't have a strong feeling about,
Like salespeople or people who check out your groceries and saying to these people,
May you be happy and healthy and loved.
May you be safe and protected and free from suffering.
May you be alive,
Engaged and joyful.
And may you have inner peace and ease.
And even if the wishes aren't infused with the same warmth and love as they were for a loved one,
Seeing if you can extend the wish without the expectation that it should make you or them feel a particular way,
Connecting with what these wishes represent and keeping these people in your awareness as you send them good wishes.
Wishing for them to be happy and whole.
Wishing for them to have aliveness and love in their lives.
And if you're feeling strong and secure and you're comfortable with this,
You may try extending these wishes to someone who's difficult with you right now.
Not necessarily the most difficult person in your life,
But someone for whom there's been some sort of frustration or misunderstanding.
And in doing this,
It might help to remember that just like you,
They want to be loved.
And just like you,
They want peace in their life.
And you could say to yourself,
Just like me,
They want to feel happiness and joy.
Just like me,
They want to feel peace and ease.
And they want to be loved and knowing their loved ones are safe and healthy.
And just like me,
They're doing the best they can with what inner and outer resources they have.
And if this feels possible to you,
Silently saying to them,
May you feel peace and ease.
Remembering that if this was really true for them,
They would certainly be easier to get along with.
May you have love and warmth in your life.
And may you be happy,
Healthy and whole.
Even if this is difficult,
There's value in noticing what it's like to extend the wish.
Recognising that you're not condoning their actions,
But seeing them as a human being with the same needs as you.
To be loved,
To be safe and to be at peace.
And if this is possible,
Remember the circle that began with yourself and the person you loved the most.
Family and friends,
Extending this circle to include all the many people you don't know who may live far away in other countries or cultures.
Continue the script saying,
May you be happy and healthy.
May you have peace and ease.
May you have love and warmth in your life.
You could even imagine extending these wishes to include the animals and plants and all of life on our planet and beyond,
Including ourselves and saying,
May we all be happy and healthy.
May we all be safe and protected.
May we all live together in peace,
Ease and happiness.
And as this loving kindness meditation comes to an end,
Taking the time to appreciate and feel what it's been like generating through this practice,
The feelings of loving kindness.
Even if there's been difficult parts of this practice,
Knowing that this practice has the potential to increase your sense of aliveness,
Of connection and belonging.
And when you're ready,
Letting yourself feel again your physical presence,
The sensation of your body,
Feet,
Seat,
Upper torso,
Neck and head.
Getting to notice the movement of your own breath and bringing aliveness and nourishment to your body as a whole.
Just as your wishes of goodwill bring aliveness and nourishment to those around you.
