Loving kindness meditation.
To begin this practice let yourself be in a relaxed and comfortable position.
We're going to do the practice of cultivation in positive emotion.
In this case loving kindness,
Which is the desire for someone to be happy or yourself to be happy.
It's not dependent on something,
It's not conditional.
It's just a natural opening of the heart to yourself or to someone else.
So you can check in with your body now and just notice how you're feeling at this moment.
Letting whatever is here to be here.
Perhaps taking a nice deep cleansing breath.
And then another cleansing breath,
Settling into the body.
Now let yourself bring to mind someone whom the moment you think of them you feel happy.
You could be a relative,
A close friend,
Even a pet.
Just a general sense so that when you think of them you feel happy.
So let them come to mind now.
Have a sense of them being in front of you.
See if you can feel them,
Sense them,
Imagine them.
And notice how you're feeling inside,
Maybe you feel some warmth,
A smile or a sense of expansiveness.
This is loving kindness.
This is a natural feeling that's accessible to all of us at any moment.
So now imagining this loved one in front of you,
Begin to wish them well.
Offer these phrases.
May you be happy and peaceful.
May you be safe and protected from danger.
May you be healthy and strong.
You have ease and wellbeing.
You can use words of your own as well and just have this sense of letting this loving kindness come from you,
Reaching out to this loved one.
May you be happy and peaceful.
May you be safe and protected from danger.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you have ease and wellbeing.
Just say whatever feels meaningful to you.
May you be free from stress and anxiety.
And as you're sending out these words and these feelings of loving kindness,
Check into yourself and see how you're feeling inside.
And now imagine this loved one is turning around and facing you and beginning to send it back to you.
See if you can receive the loving kindness to take it in.
They're wishing you well.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be safe and protected from danger.
May you have joy,
Wellbeing.
Let yourself take it in.
And if you're not feeling anything at this point,
It's not a problem.
This is a practice that plants seeds.
And if you're feeling something other than loving kindness,
Just check into that.
What is it that I'm feeling?
There may be something to learn here.
See if it's possible.
And it's not always easy to do,
But see if you can send loving kindness to yourself.
Feeling coming down from your body,
From your heart.
Just have a sense of it,
Your heart here.
And perhaps if you feel comfortable,
Place a gentle hand on your heart.
May I be safe and protected from danger.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be happy and peaceful.
May I accept myself just as I am.
And as you ask yourself this question,
What do I need to be happy?
See what arises and offer that to yourself.
May I have meaningful work,
A joyful life,
Close friends and family.
Just check in with yourself,
Noticing what it is you feel as you do this.
And now let yourself bring to mind a group of people that you wish to extend loving kindness to.
Imagine them in front of you.
Sense them and feel them.
May you be happy and peaceful.
May you be free from stress,
Anxiety,
Worry,
Grief.
May you have joy and happiness,
Well-being.
Let this loving kindness expand out,
Spreading,
Touching anyone that you want to touch right now in all directions.
People you know,
People you don't know,
People you love,
And maybe those you find difficult.
Just imagine expanding and touching each person or animal,
Whoever is touched by this loving kindness.
Whoever is touched can be changed.
May all beings everywhere be happy,
Be peaceful,
Be at ease.
May we all experience joy.
