Welcome to a loving kindness meditation for couples.
Finding an upright sitting posture,
Releasing your shoulders,
Feeling a sense of dignity and ease in the posture,
Supporting yourself with the back of a chair if needed,
Otherwise sitting with your back unsupported either on a chair or a cushion,
Lifting the chest and opening your heart and mind to this practice,
Allowing the awareness of the breath to bring you into a calm and steady space within you,
Paying attention to each in-breath and to each out-breath,
Being present,
Letting the past and the future go as you focus on the breath.
You can stand on your heart,
On your belly,
On your cheeks,
Or giving yourself a gentle hug,
Perhaps smiling,
Or feeling the breath as a form of nurturance from within the body,
Whatever is soothing to you.
Focusing your attention on your partner and visualizing them sitting in front of you,
Feeling,
Loving emotions,
Loving thoughts,
And enjoying the awareness of your partner,
Setting a strong intention to connect deeply with your partner,
Bringing all your thoughts and feelings into this intention,
Experiencing the natural flow of love and kindness within you,
Of caring and connection,
And just letting it radiate out to your partner.
And whenever your mind wanders,
Bringing your attention back to your partner.
Using these phrases,
Or your own,
Whatever is best for you.
May you be happy and healthy.
May you be safe and at ease.
And may you be strong and wise.
We all want and need happiness and health,
Safety,
And a sense of ease,
Strength,
And wisdom,
Feeling all these intentions for your partner.
Remembering that your partner has gone through tough times,
And realizing deeply that your loving kindness in meditation and in daily life can be a lifeline.
Turning now to loving kindness for yourself.
It is so valuable to hold ourselves in a warm,
Caring attitude.
We need to fill our own reservoir of kindness to be truly kind to others.
Loving kindness for self is a way to replenish and renew ourselves,
To come back to our own inner strength.
Loving yourself seated in front of you,
Using these phrases,
Or your own.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I be safe and at ease.
May I be safe and at ease.
And may I be strong and wise.
May I be strong and wise.
Giving to yourself what we so often give only to others.
Bringing your focus now to your partner and to you as a couple.
In a couple relationship,
We are more than we are as two separate individuals.
In a special way for couples,
The whole is much greater than the sum of the parts.
We can nurture our partner,
We can nurture ourselves,
And just as important,
As we open ourselves to the relationship,
We can set a strong intention to nurture this being together.
We can hold our relationship deep within the mindful heart.
Using these phrases,
Or your own.
As a couple,
May we be happy and healthy.
May we be happy and healthy.
As a couple,
May we be safe and at ease.
May we be safe and at ease.
And as a couple,
May we be strong and wise.
May we be strong and wise.
Our relationships can go through times of great challenge,
But we can be replenished by returning to this deep wellspring of love and understanding.
We can experience a renewed sense of happiness and wholeness as a couple.
Ending this practice,
If you wish,
With gratitude for the opportunity to nurture your partner,
Yourself and your relationship,
Or for whatever you're feeling in this moment.
In setting an intention to return,
Again and again,
To the awareness of happiness and health,
Safety and ease,
Strength and wisdom in your partner,
In yourself,
And in your relationship as a couple in the midst of your daily life.
