Welcome to the practice of metta bhavana meditation.
This is loving kindness meditation.
During which we will direct all of our loving kindness from ourselves to ourselves and to others.
So take a seat,
Maybe lie down,
Make yourself comfortable and warm.
On whatever surface that you're on just allow your body to settle down into that surface.
Begin to let your muscles relax.
Especially around your lower abdomen,
Your shoulders,
Your jaw,
All around the eyes.
Allow your forehead to soften.
Become aware of your breath.
If you're not already then start to breathe through your nose if that's available.
And start to slow down your breath as well.
Make your breaths longer,
Smoother.
Perhaps noticing that they've come down a little bit lower into your belly.
Bring your whole awareness now into your heart center,
Deep within the chest.
The center of joy and compassion.
Maybe notice some sense of movement with your breath as you inhale and as you exhale.
Perhaps you can even sense the beating of your heart.
Start to cultivate feelings of joy,
Peace and serenity in your heart center.
Feel the release of love,
Kindness and compassion.
And then in your mind's eye perhaps see yourself standing in front of you or maybe your reflection in a mirror.
Visualize looking into your own eyes.
Start to direct all of this loving kindness towards yourself.
Feelings of compassion.
And whilst looking into your own eyes you can repeat out loud or in your head.
May I be peaceful.
May I be healthy.
May I be happy.
May I be free from pain.
Notice if any emotions or feelings have come up for you.
Acknowledge them and then come back to that sense of offering all of your loving kindness to yourself.
And letting go of this image of yourself and start to imagine a dear friend,
Someone you love very much,
Perhaps a family member or a partner.
Start to feel this sense of love,
Kindness and compassion,
Swelling in your heart center.
And then looking into this person's eyes.
Start to send this love and compassion to them and repeating.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be free from pain.
And now let go of this image of your loved one.
And start to imagine someone in front of you,
Who you feel quite neutral about,
You neither like nor dislike them.
Could be somebody that you don't know very well.
And see this person standing before you.
And looking into their eyes.
Start to feel a sense of love and compassion swelling in your heart center again.
Then begin to direct all of that love and kindness towards this person.
And repeating.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be free from pain.
And allow this person to drift away.
And now choosing somebody that you may have had difficulties with,
Perhaps at the moment,
Perhaps in the past.
Someone you've struggled with.
And see this person standing before you.
Looking into their eyes.
And start to feel these sensations of love and kindness beginning to swell in your heart once more.
And really directing all of your love and kindness towards this person.
Notice if any emotions or feelings have risen for you.
Notice if your breath has changed.
And aim to come back to this feeling of love and compassion.
Directing it all to this person.
Looking into their eyes.
And repeating.
May you be peaceful.
May you be healthy.
May you be happy.
May you be free from pain.
Noticing any sensations in your body,
Any changes.
Keep aiming to come back to this feeling of love and kindness.
Now let go of this person.
Allow them to fade away from your mind's eye.
Then bring an awareness of all four of you.
Into your mind's eye,
Perhaps visualize them in front of you.
And start to direct all of your loving kindness to all of you.
And maybe allowing the feelings of love and kindness to begin to spread out.
Without now thinking of any particular individual or groups of people.
Allow this sense of loving kindness to spread out to all sentient beings on the planet.
Sending out your love and compassion to every being.
And then repeating.
May you all be peaceful.
May you all be healthy.
May you all be happy.
May you all be free from pain.
And let go of this sense of all beings.
Bring your awareness back into your body.
Into the support beneath you.
Into your breath.
Notice the feel of the air around you.
Notice any feelings that are left within you.
Any emotions,
Any thoughts.
Knowledge them without any judgment if you can.
And when you're ready,
Gently open your eyes.
