This practice is called loving kindness or metta for ourselves.
So we'll begin by taking a moment to find a comfortable posture.
One that embodies a sense of dignity and ease,
Wakefulness,
Allowing your eyes to close down gently or they can stay open with a soft gaze a few feet in front of you.
Maybe noticing the soles of your feet on the earth or points of contact where your body meets the surface you're seated on.
Noticing body,
Breath,
Energy.
And as you settle,
Taking a moment to allow your heart to gently open to become receptive like a flower opens in the warm sun.
And asking yourself this question and allowing the answer to arise naturally within you.
What do I need?
What do I truly need right now?
Allowing the answer to emerge from within.
Perhaps a universal human need like the need to belong or the need to be loved,
The need to be healthy,
Peaceful,
Safe,
Valued or free.
And simply noticing what wishes are arising right now.
Maybe even tuning into what words do I long to hear?
What is a wish that I would really like to hear right now?
And allowing a simple,
Honest answer to arise.
Knowing this practice is sacred and private,
Something between you and the universe.
And there may be some words that are rising to the surface and if not,
It's possible to use our traditional loving kindness phrases such as,
May I be safe?
May I be well?
May I be free?
May I live with ease?
So just take a moment now to notice where you are,
How you are,
Body,
Mind,
Spirit.
And taking a few deep breaths,
Remembering we have soothing or supportive touch available as a way to bring awareness,
Loving awareness to our present moment experience,
To ourselves.
If you'd like feeling your breath move in your body,
Maybe tuning into the gentle rhythm of the movement of your body with your breathing.
Perhaps being rocked gently by the rhythm of your breath.
And when your mind wanders,
When your attention travels into the past or the future,
Inviting your attention lovingly back to this present moment here now,
And the sensation of the gentle rhythm of breathing in your body.
Now releasing the focus of attention on your breathing and allowing the breath to slip into the background of your awareness.
Now beginning to offer yourself the words or phrases that are most meaningful to you.
If you like,
Maybe even whispering them into your own ear.
Noticing how these meaningful words,
This meaningful,
Loving message settles in your body,
In your spirit,
In your energy,
Knowing right now there's nothing to do,
Nowhere to go.
Just bathing yourself with kind words,
Letting them wash over you and through you.
Words that you really need to hear right now.
If it feels right,
Maybe even absorbing the words,
Letting them fill your being,
Allowing the words to resonate in every cell of your body.
Whenever you notice your mind has wandered or your attention has traveled into the past or the future,
Gently and lovingly inviting your attention back to this present moment,
Offering yourself loving,
Kindness,
Warmth,
And affection.
Maybe even tuning into the sensations of soothing or supportive touch.
Or any other sensations in your body that feels supportive right now.
Coming home to your own body.
Offering yourself these words of loving kindness,
Of goodwill.
Coming home to kindness.
Offering yourself to yourself as a refuge of loving kindness and compassion.
And finally,
Releasing the words and resting quietly here in your body temple.
In the refuge of your body and your energy.
Allowing yourself to rest here in this moment.
Letting this practice be just what it was.
Letting yourself be just as you are.
And whenever you're ready,
Slowly and gently opening your eyes,
Orienting to the space around you and carrying this practice with you to the next moments.
