Loving-kindness meditation for ourselves.
So please find a comfortable position,
Either sitting in a chair or lying on a bed.
And begin by closing your eyes,
Or partially closing them,
Or lowering your gaze to the floor.
And taking a few deep,
Relaxing breaths.
Taking a few deep breaths,
Breathing deeply in,
And then letting go on the out-breath.
Perhaps warming up your awareness by placing a hand on the heart,
The heart region,
Or another place on your body which you find soothing and comforting.
And feeling the warmth of the hands,
The gentle touch of the hands.
Feeling the comfort and soothing touch.
And perhaps giving yourself something extra,
Some kindness or gentleness flowing in from your hands.
And leaving your hands on your chest or heart,
Or placing them on your lap,
Whichever you choose to do.
Knowing that you can always return to the soothing touch at any point that you need.
And bringing your awareness to your breath,
To your breathing.
Feeling the sensation of the breath as it enters into the body at the tip of the nostrils,
Through the mouth,
Back of the throat,
Down through the chest,
And into the belly.
Feeling the sensation of the breath in the body,
Of the body breathing.
And allowing yourself to feel the soothing rhythm of the breath.
The natural soothing rhythm,
The gentle rocking of your breathing.
Feeling the sensation of air flowing in,
The nurturing soothing breath.
And the easing,
The relaxation,
The letting go on the out-breath.
Feeling the sensation of the body breathing,
Gently rocked by the natural breath.
The soothing natural rhythm of the life-giving breath.
And opening your awareness to your whole body breathing.
Allowing yourself to feel any sensations arising in the body.
Sensations of sitting in a chair or lying on a bed.
Or any subtle tingling or pulsations within the body.
Allowing yourself to feel any naturally arising sensations within the body.
Making a lot of space for what you are feeling.
And allowing yourself to feel,
To be,
Just as you are in this moment.
Now letting go of the body,
And moving your awareness to language,
To words.
Words that have meaning for you.
The phrases that we have been working with over the past weeks.
Words that have meaning,
Good wishes,
Good intentions,
For yourself and for others.
These are phrases and words that you really need to hear.
Things that you really need to hear,
Right now,
At this point in your life.
And I will be offering some phrases and words.
And perhaps using those,
If you wish.
Or alternatively,
Using your own phrases,
Your own words.
These phrases of meaning,
Setting good intentions.
Phrases such as,
May I be safe.
May I be safe.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be healthy.
May I be healthy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be peaceful.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with kindness and ease.
May I live with kindness and ease.
May I live with kindness and ease.
Words that have meaning for you.
Good wishes,
Kind,
Gentle,
Compassionate wishes for yourself.
And allowing yourself to feel what may be arising in your body.
Any gentle sensations of comfort and warmth.
May I be safe.
May I be healthy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with kindness and ease.
Words that you really need to hear right now.
That have meaning for you.
That resonate with you.
And perhaps you're struggling in your life.
And words of compassion are needed.
Or strength.
Perhaps phrases such as,
May I be strong.
May I be true to myself.
Or perhaps more gentleness is needed.
More kindness.
May I be kind to myself.
May I accept myself as I am.
Or perhaps,
May I begin to accept myself as I am.
Words that have meaning for you.
That are what you need to hear right now in your life.
May I be free from pain and suffering.
May I live with kindness and ease.
And perhaps working with two questions.
Two questions.
And the first is,
What is it that I really need to hear right now?
What words or phrases is it that I really need to hear?
What would I like whispered into my ear by one who loved me?
Phrases that I would like to hear for the rest of my life.
Words that resonate with me,
Support me,
Nourish me.
What words would I really like to hear whispered into my ear?
What words do I need to hear?
What is it that I need to hear?
And perhaps working with the second question which is,
What is it that I really need in this life?
What is it that I really need?
What is it that I need?
Allowing yourself to be open to what may be arising.
What is it that I need?
Giving yourself a lot of space for what may be arising.
Allowing yourself to feel what you are feeling.
And as this practice draws to an end,
Bringing awareness to your body.
Allowing yourself to feel what you are feeling in your body in the here and now.
Either sitting on a chair or lying on the bed.
Feeling the sensations,
The contact with the ground,
The chair,
The bed.
Becoming aware of the sensations of the body.
Any sensations or feelings arising in the body.
And allowing yourself to feel what you are feeling.
Allowing yourself to be just as you are.
Just like this.
Even if it's only for just this one moment.
Allowing yourself to be exactly like this.
And when you're ready and in your own time,
Opening your eyes ever so gently and continuing with your day.
