This is a meditation on loving kindness for the body with me Mel Raitt.
All you need for this meditation is your body and a comfortable sitting position where you won't be disturbed.
So allowing yourself to come into a comfortable sitting posture,
On a chair,
Meditation cushion or stool,
Whatever suits you.
And taking three deep luxurious breaths and with that and with each out breath allowing any tension that's accumulated in the body to be released.
And become aware of sensations of breathing around the heart region.
Feeling the breath deep in your chest.
Allowing the expansion of the in-breath to be the expansion of your heart.
Using this practice to cultivate greater patience and understanding with yourself.
Becoming aware of sensations in your body,
Perhaps your feet on the floor,
Pressure of the chair or cushion supporting you from underneath,
Any small sensations,
Pulsations from the body as a whole.
Now bringing your attention back to your breath again.
The breath is the anchor for this practice.
If you feel lost or you're finding it difficult or emotions become strong then you can always come back to the breath.
Now in the mind's eye,
Calling to mind someone,
Some being in your life from whom you have felt love and care.
And to whom you have felt love and care.
This might be a family member,
Child,
Parent,
It might be a pet,
Dear friend.
Any being that you can experience that sense of love and care towards.
Take a little while to call somebody to mind.
And as you do so you might want to remember moments of feeling that loving,
Caring,
Warm tenderness towards that individual,
That being.
Feeling that gratitude for them,
Feeling that compassion,
Kindness towards them.
Just seeing if you can hold that feeling in your heart,
That sense of compassion and kindness.
Maybe it feels like a warmth or a spaciousness in the heart.
Maybe it's accompanied by a small smile around your lips.
And you might want to just let that be there,
Let your face relax.
Notice how your eyes feel as you recall this moment of loving compassion.
And holding that experience in your heart.
Now imagining in your mind's eye that you can see yourself sitting here during this meditation.
You can see your body sitting on the chair or the cushion.
And as you hold this feeling of compassion in your heart and your body in your mind,
Let's bring those two things together.
We'll repeat some phrases just quietly in your mind.
There'll be three phrases.
So taking a breath in and on the out breath saying to yourself,
May my body be free from fear and anxiety.
Holding the image of your body in mind.
Breathing in and on the out breath.
May my body be free from fear and anxiety.
May my body be free from fear and anxiety.
And when you do this on your own,
You can repeat this phrase as often as you like before moving on to the next one.
Again,
Holding an image of yourself sitting here in your mind's eye and the warmth in your heart.
May my body be at ease.
Letting this phrase fill your mind on the out breath.
May my body be at ease.
And now the third phrase.
Holding your body in your mind's eye and the warmth in your heart.
May my body be happy and well.
May my body be happy and well.
May my body be happy and well.
As the meditation comes to a close,
Bringing your awareness back to the breath again,
To the anchor.
This column of air in the centre of your being.
And when you're ready,
Opening the eyes,
Completing this practice by coming back to the room.
And doing whatever your body needs right now.
Maybe a gentle stretch or a wriggle before you go about your day.
