So our loving kindness meditation.
We'll start in a comfortable position,
Closing the eyes gently,
Sitting nice and tall with the feet flat on the floor.
Again I like to imagine a piece of string at the crown of my head,
Pulling me that little bit taller,
Relaxing my palms whatever way is comfortable,
Staying relaxed but alert.
Spine straight,
Relaxing the entire body.
We'll keep our eyes closed throughout the whole visualization and look to bring our awareness inward.
Without straining or concentrating,
Just relax,
Gently follow the instructions.
Take a deep breath in and breathe out.
With your eyes closed,
Think of a person close to you who loves you very much.
It could be someone from the past or the present.
Someone still in your life or someone who's past.
It could be a spiritual teacher or a guide.
Whatever it is that comes to mind,
Imagine that person standing in front of you and sending you their love.
That person sending you wishes for your safety,
For your well-being and for your happiness.
Feel the warm wishes and love coming from the person towards you.
Now imagine that you're surrounded on all sides by all of the people who love you and have loved you.
Picture all of your friends and loved ones surrounding you and their standing sending you wishes for your happiness,
Your well-being and your health.
Bask in the warm wishes and love coming from all sides and allow yourself to be filled up and overflowing with warmth and love.
Now picture a person that you love,
Maybe a relative or a friend,
And begin to send that love that you feel back to that person.
You and this person are similar,
Just like you,
This person wishes to be happy and have a good life.
So look to send all of your love and warm wishes to that person.
Repeat the following phrase silently,
Just as I wish.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
Now think of an acquaintance,
Someone you don't know very well and toward whom you don't have any particular feeling.
Maybe it's a neighbor or a colleague or someone else that you see around,
Don't know very well.
You and this person are alike,
In that you both wish to have a good life.
Like you,
This person wants to experience joy and happiness in his or her life.
Send all of your wishes for well-being to that person,
Repeating the following phrase silently three times.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
Now think of someone you might not get along with.
Maybe someone that you've had long standing difficulties with.
Bring that difficult person to mind and be honest about what you feel.
There may well be feelings of discomfort.
Notice any tendency you may have to think badly of that person or to deepen the conflict you have with them.
For example,
Getting into imagined arguments with them.
Let go of these tendencies.
Instead wish them well.
Repeating the following phrase silently.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
Now expand your awareness and picture the whole globe in front of you as a little ball.
Send warm wishes to all living beings on the globe who,
Like you,
Want to be happy.
Once more we'll repeat three times.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be safe and healthy.
Take a deep breath in and breathe out.
And another deep breath in and let it go.
Notice the state of your mind and how you feel after this meditation.
And whenever you're ready,
You may open your eyes.
