Welcome to loving kindness for a loved one.
A practice to help us strengthen and awaken the natural human desire that all beings,
All people including ourselves,
Be deeply happy,
Satisfied and well.
Settling into a stable upright sitting position,
Lengthening the spine,
Gently releasing the shoulders,
The hips slightly tilted forward and the chest open.
A posture of dignity and ease.
Finding the breathing to help settle us into the present moment.
Just breathing in and out.
You might include the practice of soothing touch,
Placing a hand on the chest,
The heart,
The belly,
Whatever feels soothing and connected.
Reminding ourself that our intention is to not only be more aware of this present moment,
But also to bring a loving and affectionate awareness.
And bringing to mind a person or another living being who naturally makes you smile,
Someone with whom you have an easy,
Uncomplicated relationship.
This could be a child,
A grandmother,
A beloved pet.
Bringing to mind someone with whom there's a warm,
Connected relationship.
If more than one person or living being arises in the mind,
Just allowing ourself to choose one.
Not letting yourself feel what it's like to be in their presence.
As if this person or this living being is right here with you right now.
Just allowing yourself to enjoy the feeling of good company.
And inviting the mind and imagination to really draw this person vividly in your mind's eye,
In your heart.
Feeling the feeling of being with them.
And recognizing that this being,
Just like you,
Wants to be happy,
Wants to be free from suffering.
And let's repeat phrases of loving kindness as an offering.
Imagining ourselves giving and this being receiving these good wishes.
May you be happy.
May you be truly happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you be healthy.
May you be well.
May you live with ease.
May you live with ease.
You might wish to use your own words to capture whatever the feeling is,
Whatever the deepest wish is for your loved one.
Or continuing to repeat these simple phrases at your own pace and with the breath.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy and well.
May you live with ease.
May you be peaceful.
When you notice that the mind is wandered,
Returning to the words in the image of the loved one you have in mind.
Savoring any warm feelings and being with any feelings that arise.
Cloning the mind towards good wishes,
Towards love and accepting the mind and all of experience for what it is.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
And now adding yourself to this circle of goodwill,
Creating an image of yourself in the presence of your loved one,
Seeing and feeling the two of you together.
Tuning into how that feels to be together with this dear one.
May you and I be happy.
May you and I together be happy.
May you and I be peaceful.
May you and I be peaceful.
May you and I be healthy and well.
May you and I together be healthy,
Be well.
May you and I live with ease.
May you and I live with ease.
Feeling the feeling of being together with our dear one,
And including our self and this other in our circle of regard,
In our good wishes.
Continuing to wish using these phrases or your own,
May we be happy.
May we be peaceful.
May we be healthy and well.
May we live with ease.
Perhaps just breathing and repeatedly quietly repeating one of these phrases,
Whichever one has the most resonance.
Perhaps all for or your own words.
Breathing,
May we be happy.
Breathing the phrase or phrases that are most meaningful for you.
And now letting the image of the dear one you've been accompanied by go.
Perhaps thanking your loved one,
Wishing them well one last time.
And then letting the full focus of attention rest on yourself,
Just being with the self.
You might return to the practice of soothing touch,
Placing a hand on the heart.
Or another gesture of self-kindness,
Self-soothing.
And bringing awareness to the whole of the body as the body breathes.
Noticing any stress or uneasiness.
Noticing any disquiet or worry or fear in the mind,
In the heart.
Noticing just how it is in body,
In mind,
In body,
Mind.
And offering yourself phrases of loving-kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be truly happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy and well.
May I be healthy and well.
May I live with ease.
May I live with ease.
Even when things get tough,
As they surely will,
May I live with ease.
And releasing from the phrases,
Lowering the hand if it's raised.
Letting the breath to be full and easeful as it can be.
And with these last breaths of this practice,
Just resting quietly in the body,
Accepting whatever your experience is,
Whatever the feeling is,
Exactly as it is.
Exactly as it is.
And perhaps inviting just a moment of appreciation for this practice,
For whatever the conditions are that made it possible for you to set aside this time and devote this energy to your own well-being and therefore to the well-being of all.
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