Welcome,
I'm honoured to guide you today in this loving kindness meditation,
A meta meditation.
This is a beautiful way to cultivate compassion,
Openness and generosity of spirit by directing well wishes to ourselves and others.
Take some time to find a comfortable position for meditating,
Choosing a posture that embodies both alertness and relaxation.
Whether sitting or lying down,
Your comfort matters most,
And if you feel comfortable to go ahead and close down your eyes or you can lower and soften your gaze and just acknowledging the transition from your busy day to this self care practice as you settle in,
Quieten,
Soften and land in this very moment.
Dropping into your body by feeling where it touches any surfaces below and connecting with your breath as it flows in through your nose and out through your nose.
Breathing in and breathing out,
Following the breath all the way into the body and all the way out.
Now placing your hand on your heart,
If that feels right,
To lean into the rise and fall of your chest as you breathe.
Noting how your heart space expands up and out,
Opening up like a flower and see if you can get a sense of the fullness of your heart,
Your open heartedness.
As Mother Teresa said,
Love begins at home.
So let's start by directing a heartfelt wish to ourselves.
And as you do this,
I encourage you to linger on the words,
Soak in their meaning,
Take them to your heart.
May I find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May my mind and body be well.
It might feel a little uncomfortable,
Self indulgent even,
To love on yourself in this way.
But please know that you truly do deserve happiness,
Ease and fulfillment and that self compassion begets loving friendliness towards others.
And so repeating our wish,
Breathing in its meaning,
May I find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May my mind and body be well.
And now spreading that positive energy to others,
Starting with somebody very close to your heart,
Perhaps a family member or a dear friend.
Picture this person that you adore sitting here right before you,
Gaze into their eyes,
Taking in all the familiar details of their face.
Then on your next exhale,
Think about radiating loving kindness towards them.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Often in our busy lives,
We take for granted those nearest and dearest.
We fail to truly connect.
And so here in this moment,
Take the time to share your heart with your loved one,
Knowing that presence and connection is the greatest gift.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Now calling to mind someone you care about,
Someone who has offered you kindness and support.
It could be somebody in your life right now or from the past,
A friend,
Colleague,
Teacher perhaps.
Reach out to this person and take this opportunity to extend your heartfelt well wishes.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Taking the time to truly acknowledge the help and care this person provided.
Share your gratitude and loving kindness.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Now thinking of an acquaintance,
Someone in the fringes of your life,
A neutral person,
Somebody you barely know.
Maybe the person who delivers your post,
Works in a local shop or takes the same train to work every day.
Imagine this person.
Know that they,
Like you,
Experience struggles and suffering,
Losses and failures and can always benefit from comfort and compassion,
Perhaps in the form of a friendly smile,
Listening ear or a kind word.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
It's so easy to forget how our every small act or utterance can affect those around us.
We can add to people's suffering or we can help ease their pain.
And with this in mind,
On your next out breath,
Wish your acquaintance well.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Next bring to mind someone you find difficult,
Challenging,
Someone who has hurt you perhaps.
Recognize this person as a complex human being with their own trials and troubles and imperfections and with sincerity,
Send them your well wishes.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
We know that when people feel cared for and supported,
They are more likely to help others.
And so purposefully extending kindness,
Even to a challenging person,
Is a powerful act.
May you find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your mind and body be well.
Now imagining your heart as a lighthouse,
Beaming out kindness and understanding to everyone around you,
First to the people in your home,
On your street,
In your neighborhood,
City,
Country,
Continent and the whole world.
Picture a rich and diverse tapestry of human faces in all corners of the earth,
In places you visited and those you haven't.
Acknowledge the interconnectedness of all beings and radiate your light,
Positivity and compassion to all.
Allow your loving friendliness to touch their lives.
May you all find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May your minds and bodies be well.
Now imagine that wave of light and positivity reflecting back to you across your continent,
Country,
City,
Neighborhood,
Street and back into your home.
Soak up that positive energy.
Breathe it in.
May I find contentment,
Peace and purpose today.
May my mind and body be well.
As we draw towards the end of today's meditation,
I invite you to take three more mindful breaths,
Breathing in loving kindness with each inhale and breathing out care and compassion with every exhale.
Now coming back to the room by feeling where your body meets the surfaces below you and inviting back any movement that feels good.
You might want to roll your shoulders,
Stretch out your arms or legs and when you feel ready,
Open your eyes.
Thank you for your practice today.
It's my sincere hope that you absorb the well wishes in this meditation.
Take them to your heart and forward into your day.
