Welcome to this meditation.
This meditation is for you,
Just as you are in this moment.
This time is for you,
Just as you are.
There is no need to change anything or fix anything.
No pressure to do it well or perform in some way.
Just come as you are,
Like a beloved young child,
Ready to simply be here now,
Bringing your attention to your experience in the moment,
With gentle compassion and with friendly curiosity.
Notice what you want and need as I guide you through the meditation.
Is there a place where you need to pause and give yourself some more time?
Do you need to change some of the phrases I suggest to better resonate with what's going on in you?
Give yourself permission to notice what you want and need and to offer this to yourself.
As you do this,
You are letting yourself sink into the calm,
Compassion and curiosity that live inside you and you are allowing them to be released,
Expressed and deepened.
First,
We're going to take some time to bring our awareness to our bodies,
These dear bodies of ours that carry us through life and hold all our emotions and experiences.
Take a moment to make sure you're sitting as comfortably as you can,
In a way that is supported by the chair or whatever you are sitting on,
So that you can both relax and stay alert,
Perhaps with your feet flat on the floor.
Now really notice where you are.
Perhaps look around if you'd like to.
Really notice the room or your surroundings.
What do you see?
What do you hear?
What do you feel?
Maybe the air temperature on your skin,
Sensation of clothing,
The feel of your chair.
Can you maybe smell or taste anything?
As you receive the input of your five senses,
Notice that you are here,
Now,
In this place and time.
Now either gently close your eyes or lower your gaze to the ground and keep it there softly.
Bring your attention to the natural rhythm of your breathing without trying to change it.
Notice what it is like for you to bring awareness to your breathing.
Is it easy or difficult?
No judgement,
Just noticing.
Notice that your body is breathing itself without you making any effort for it to do so.
You are here.
You are alive.
Start to deepen your breath now.
Breathing in through your nose if you can.
And out either through the nose or the mouth.
Take a few deep breaths in and out.
And notice how your chest and your belly expand or rise as you breathe in and fall and empty as you breathe out.
If it helps you,
Place a hand on your chest or stomach or both as you breathe and pay attention to the movement of your hand instead of the breathing itself.
Now start to lengthen the exhale and pay close attention as the breath leaves through your mouth or nose.
Noticing all the sensations involved.
Just breathe a few times like this,
Deeply in,
Deeply and slowly out.
As you breathe,
Notice if there is anywhere in your body that is feeling anxious or tense or unsettled.
And bring friendly,
Curious attention to this sensation.
No judgement and no need to fix or change it or yourself.
Just notice.
Just let it be.
Just breathe.
If you like,
Put a caring hand on the part of your body where you feel this emotion or sensation.
Perhaps your chest,
Your heart,
Your belly.
As you breathe,
Use your breath and perhaps your hand to give loving attention and support to this part of your body or this feeling.
Now let your breath come back to its regular rhythm.
Notice that you are held by the chair you are sitting on,
By the ground beneath your feet,
By gravity itself.
Let yourself go into the chair.
Feel it supporting you as you breathe out.
Feel your feet grounding into the support of the earth.
Notice what it feels like to be supported.
See if you can give yourself even more fully into this support,
Letting your body and everything inside you relax and let go.
As you give yourself and your body this loving,
Accepting,
Calming presence just as you are right now,
Repeat with me internally in your mind and heart these phrases that express the loving kindness and compassion that you are directing towards yourself.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be well in body and mind.
May I be at ease and happy.
As you repeat these phrases,
Picture yourself and hold that image with an attitude of loving kindness.
You can picture yourself as you are now,
Or perhaps picture yourself as a young and beloved child.
Change the images and the words in any way you like,
Creating the exact phrases that best open your heart to kindness and compassion.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be well in body and mind.
May I be at ease and happy.
Repeat these phrases internally a few times.
Don't worry if the meditation sometimes feels mechanical or awkward,
Or if it brings up feelings that are the opposite of loving kindness,
Maybe feelings of anger or sadness.
If this happens,
It is especially important to be patient and kind towards yourself,
Receiving whatever arises with an attitude of gentle friendliness.
May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I be safe and protected.
May I be well in body and mind.
May I be at ease and happy.
Now you can expand this loving kindness meditation to include others.
First,
Choose someone in your life who has loved and truly cared for you,
And who it is easy for you to love.
Picture this person and repeat the same phrases with this person in mind.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
It doesn't matter whether the image or feelings of this person are clear or not.
The most important thing is your desire and intention to wish this person well.
Just repeat the phrases gently,
No matter what arises.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
Wishing for the well-being of those who love us and who we love is a natural form of love.
In fact,
Some people find directing loving kindness towards themselves hard,
So they begin their practice with someone else and then continue to include themselves.
The important thing is to follow the way that most easily opens your heart.
After practising loving kindness towards someone who loves you,
You can,
If you like,
Gradually begin to include other people in your meditation.
Picturing another beloved person,
Repeat inwardly the same phrases,
Evoking a sense of loving kindness for this person.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
Lastly,
Perhaps spend some time wishing well to a wider circle of friends or family,
Or extend your meditation to picture and include community members,
Neighbours,
People everywhere,
Animals,
All beings,
The whole earth.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be well in body and mind.
May you be at ease and happy.
As we draw to a close,
Take a moment to check in with your body.
How does it feel now?
Again,
Just noticing.
No judgement or comparison.
What is,
Is.
Notice if there is even the slightest bit of calm or compassion,
Peace or friendly curiosity that has been created by coming into your body,
Paying attention to your breath and your senses,
And directing loving kindness towards yourself,
Your body and others.
If there is,
Notice how this feels in your body,
And just savour it for a moment now.
Whatever your experience,
See if you can just notice it and let it be.
Start to turn your awareness now to what the rest of your day holds.
Imagine yourself engaging with the realities of your life and day,
And of your inner and outer worlds,
Whether pleasant or difficult,
With curiosity and compassion.
Imagine taking even a few seconds between tasks to breathe deeply and return to calm.
Know that calm,
Compassion and curiosity live inside you like a beloved child,
And can be tapped into,
Cultivated and deepened moment by moment.
With your eyes still shut or lowered,
Become more aware now of the noises around you,
Near and far.
And then,
Slowly and gently,
Whenever you are ready,
Raise or open your eyes.
