Hey there,
Welcome to SkyMind.
This is your guide,
Adele Derricato.
In this space,
We practice the art of being open to our inner experience.
By being here,
You're already setting the intention of connecting to this very moment,
To this breath,
And to this life,
Where all healing and transformation is possible.
When we first enter this world,
We are open,
Curious,
And trusting.
This is the nature of who we truly are.
This meditation is a return to these qualities.
We will cultivate a compassionate gaze towards ourselves and others.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable position.
Sitting down,
Feet flat on the ground,
Our spine nice and long.
Take a moment to settle in,
To soften your shoulders,
And gently,
And at your own pace,
Close your eyes.
And as you do,
Bring your attention inwards,
Making minor adjustments as you move slowly into stillness.
Allow yourself to stay alert and at the same time,
Relaxed.
You might bring your attention to your breath,
Allowing your breath to be natural.
Just noticing,
Without changing,
Each in-breath and out-breath.
You might notice the breath in the stomach,
Nostrils,
Or the rising and falling in the chest.
Choose one spot where you might anchor your practice in the breath.
See if you can follow the breath all the way through,
Beginning from the inhale,
All the way to the exhale.
You might notice that the mind wanders.
This is a great opportunity to cultivate mindfulness.
At each time the mind wanders,
We gently bring it back to the breath.
Each time we bring it back to the breath,
We strengthen our ability to focus.
Treating each opportunity of wandering as a way of returning.
Starting to be with what is here.
Now you might begin by observing yourself here,
Sitting,
And looking inside your own heart.
Try to connect with your own deepest intentions for happiness,
Safety,
And ease.
There's no need to get into the specifics of what makes you feel happy.
Just to connect to this natural desire to be at ease.
Feeling your heart and sense into this experience.
Feeling your own sense of gratitude for yourself.
You might think of these phrases as offerings.
Slowly you might repeat out loud or in your mind,
May I be happy?
May I be healthy?
May I be safe?
May I be at ease?
You can offer these phrases as many times as you'd like,
Connecting to what feels most authentic to you.
Feeling the intentions grow behind them.
May I be safe?
May I be happy?
May I be at ease?
Now we're going to expand this loving awareness out to a good friend,
Someone you know,
And who you have the deepest acceptance and unconditional love for.
This could be a friend or even a teacher or a mentor,
Even a pet.
Can you bring this person into your mind's eye?
Sitting across from you and in your heart,
Can you imagine your natural desire to see this person joyful and at ease?
And just like you,
This person wants to be free from suffering.
They want to feel safe and happy.
Now we practice in your mind or out loud to yourself,
Offering them the phrases of loving kindness.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be at ease.
Simply imagining them,
Taking in these phrases into their own being.
Now we expand this loving kindness in your mind and in your heart towards a person who is neutral in your life.
Someone you might see regularly on the bus or your way to work.
Someone you see often could be a coworker or even a neighbor.
Although you don't know this person very well,
You can recognize that this person too wants to be free from suffering.
You might not know what happiness looks like to them,
But again,
You can share this loving kindness,
This sense of connection to their wellbeing.
And silently to yourself or aloud,
Repeating the phrase,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be at ease.
As you are seeing these offerings,
Reach this person.
You let this person go.
You might bring to mind someone who is a little bit more complicated in your life.
Someone you might not want to pick the most difficult person in your life.
Someone who is somewhat difficult.
Maybe someone you find yourself getting agitated with or annoyed with.
You can offer this phrase,
Recognizing that this is connecting with our intention to care for this person.
Although we may not mean it wholeheartedly,
Every time we still offer this phrase and make some effort with these phrases,
Knowing that they too wish to be free from suffering.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be safe.
May you be at ease.
In closing out,
We might imagine ourselves accompanying all those who we touched with our loving kindness,
Sitting here right now,
From people we know and don't know,
From the farthest ends of the world,
Creatures known and unknown,
All beings wishing to be free from suffering.
May we wish them free from stress and anxiety and fear.
May you be happy and at peace.
May we take this sense of compassion,
This tender presence,
Throughout our day,
Throughout our lives.
Gently,
When you're ready,
Begin to open your eyes.
Thank you for joining me at SkyMind and supporting Insight Timer.
This is your host,
Adele D'Arricitto,
Mental health counselor and trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher.
If you enjoyed this meditation,
Please follow.
Thank you.
