Whenever you feel ready,
Just settling into comfortable posture.
In a kind way,
Listen to the body,
Make adjustments.
Remember,
It can be a helpful ritual to take a couple minutes and do several longer,
Deeper,
Relaxed breaths where you're filling and emptying the lungs.
And you use that deep breathing as a way of coming into the experience of the body,
Into the experience of the present moment.
Let that deep breathing,
If you decide to use that as an opening practice,
Let it be something that you enjoy doing,
Something pleasant to do.
Not an exercise,
Not work.
Where we have all the time in the world to fill and empty the lungs a few times.
Really slowing it down for the last two times.
Stay relaxed though.
Whenever you finish with this round,
Allowing the breathing to continue on its own.
And having a sense of the body that's sitting here now,
Feel this body of sensation.
I care about this body,
Caring enough to be close to the sensations here in the body now.
Caring enough to feel the sensations in the face,
Around the eyes,
To accept them,
To allow them to be around the mouth,
The jaw,
The tongue and lips,
And throughout the whole head and face now.
Seeing the simple kind presence as a generous healing act.
Just to be present with the sensations throughout the face and the head,
And to be relating in a kind way,
Opening in a kind way.
Allowing all the different sensations here in the face and head.
Just allowing them to be the way they are now.
And simply opening and caring about the throat,
Sides and back of the neck.
From the sides of the neck down,
Feeling down into the tops of the shoulders with kindness.
And this warm and kind presence now as we feel into the shoulders,
Shoulder joints,
Tops of the shoulders,
The throat and the neck.
The sense of a warm smile as we tune into whatever's here now.
This generous presence,
Feeling down both arms,
Feel the hands and the fingers opening.
As if this kindness,
This kind presence were pouring down into the arms and hands.
Feeling whatever is here to feel.
And then this willingness to feel the entire trunk in a kind way,
In a warm,
Allowing,
Generous way.
We open to the chest and the upper back.
Feel the structure of the rib cage,
The heart.
Feeling the solar plexus,
The center of the trunk,
The kidneys,
Feel the spine.
And let this kind presence settle into the abdomen and the lower back.
Feeling whatever's here to feel.
Not afraid to feel what's here,
To open.
Tuning into the structure of the pelvis now.
All the way down to the floor of the pelvis,
The groin.
Sensing the structure of the pelvis,
The lower abdomen.
Taking it all in,
The lower spine,
Buttocks,
Hip sockets.
And smiling,
Opening to both legs,
The thighs.
Feel the bend in the knees,
Shins and calves.
Down through the ankles,
Down to the heels.
And simply receiving,
Opening to the sensations in both feet,
The toes as well.
So allow,
Let there be this kind presence filling the space of the body.
Make a generous smile as we open.
And some people find it quite helpful to repeat phrases so you can do that,
Come up with your own,
Or just use a simple phrase like,
I care about this body.
I care enough to wish well.
May this body be happy and at ease.
May the body be happy and at ease.
Really trust the simple truth of that wish,
The goodness of that wish.
May the body be happy and at ease.
And then simply appreciating the goodness of the heart,
The heart that cares.
I care about this goodness here in the heart,
The heart that cares about this life,
The heart that can wish well and appreciate what is good.
And tuning in now to the heart center,
Whatever that feels like for you now.
Just appreciating the sensitivity of the heart,
The heart that cares,
The heart that feels.
I care about this life.
I care enough to be right in the middle,
To be sensitive.
And I care enough to wish well.
May this heart be happy,
Peaceful and at ease.
And again,
You,
If it helps,
Can repeat a simple phrase like this,
May this heart be happy,
Peaceful and at ease.
Just notice it as a simple generosity of the heart,
This simple wish.
May this life,
May this heart be happy,
Peaceful and at ease.
And we're willing to accept things as they are.
It doesn't mean our life is perfect,
It just means that there's this beautiful,
Simple wish.
May this heart,
May this life be happy,
Peaceful and at ease.
As if there were a warm glow,
A warm smile spreading through the body,
Through the heart and mind,
Even filling the space of the room.
May the goodness of this heart continue and increase and never end.
May all beings be peaceful,
Happy and at ease.
All my dear ones,
My family and friends,
People in this room,
All the creatures,
May all beings be happy and peaceful and at ease in their lives.
And may this goodness continue and increase and never end.
So for a few minutes on your own with or without phrases,
Feel the expansiveness of this law of this goodness in the heart.
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Like a beautiful lie that has the nature to radiate out in all directions effortlessly.
We'll continue for just a few more minutes with this loving kindness reflection.
Remember you can use phrases if that helps or do it in silence.
We'll continue for just a few more minutes with this loving kindness reflection.
And may the deepest love and wisdom protect and guide.
So we let go of the particular reflection on loving kindness now.
Sitting,
Feeling the whole body just as it is.
Using whole body awareness as a way to train the mind in the continuity of present moment awareness.
Now use the momentum of kindness as you practice being aware of the body sitting,
Breathing in sensitive to the body,
This kind presence,
While breathing out sensitive to the whole body.
And we'll continue in silence through this part.
When you lose the thread of the practice,
Find your own way to begin again.
Thank you.
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