Sitting down comfortably on a chair,
A cushion or a meditation bench.
Having an upright position with a relaxed attention.
Remembering that you can also adjust your position,
Lie down at any time.
And beginning by taking your awareness to the points of contact between your body and the surfaces supporting you.
Receiving that contact,
Allowing ourselves to be supported.
And noticing what is showing up in our experience right now.
Thoughts,
Emotions,
Sensations in the body.
Turning towards and welcoming it all as best we can.
And then turning our awareness to the breath and gently allowing the breath to soften and deepen.
Finding our own soothing breathing rhythm.
Allowing it to emerge.
And then letting the breath flow by itself.
Now connecting with an atmosphere of kindness by letting a memory come to mind of an experience when you felt welcomed and at ease.
When your heart was filled with feelings of joy,
Contentment,
Gratitude.
Allowing the memory to come alive vividly by inviting all the senses involved.
What was there to see,
Hear,
Smell,
Feel.
And how does this affect you now in your body,
Heart and mind?
Bathing in this experience of kindness as we bring it alive in our minds and bodies.
And from this sense of kindness you're invited to repeat a wish to yourself.
What might be a kind wish that connects well with you?
What could be a wish from the heart?
Allow yourself to be surprised.
Perhaps a wish will spontaneously arise.
And if not,
You can use one of the four traditional phrases which are generally deep needs of us all.
May I feel safe.
May I feel healthy.
May I feel happy.
May I feel at ease.
We might like to allow the phrases to flow with the breath.
The first part,
May I or I wish myself with the in-breath.
And the second part with the out-breath.
Letting the words flow through your body and whole being.
Sensing the giving and receiving sides.
The giving aspect can be encouraged by consciously allowing a soft face and a gentle smile.
The receiving aspect by touching the heart with one or both hands.
Supporting the intention to take the wish to heart.
And if this does not feel right,
You may wish to explore whether touching the body elsewhere feels soothing.
The hands in the lap or on the thighs.
Giving yourself permission to change the phrase into words you can feel,
You can more easily receive.
The practice is not about getting what you want.
You cannot force the wish to come true.
It's not about making up good feelings but about cultivating goodwill towards yourself.
After a while,
May just repeat a key word such as safe,
Happy,
Calm or contented.
On the rhythm of the breath or independently from it.
And if words like health or happiness seem too far-fetched,
Then as healthy as can be.
Or may I be strong,
Have courage,
Be patient,
Feel supported.
May be more appropriate.
Allowing the wish to flow through you like a healing energy.
Whatever you experience,
Joy or sadness,
Feeling touched or resistant,
Energized or fatigued,
Mindfully acknowledging whatever is there.
It is all part of the practice.
There are no wrong experiences.
And any time you find yourself caught in reactions or distractions,
It is an opportunity to be present to whatever shows itself.
Welcoming it with an open mind.
If it's helpful,
Allowing a soothing breathing rhythm to return.
And if there's space again,
Returning to repeating the kind wishes.
And sometimes if you notice you're fighting particular experiences,
A paradoxical wish can be just as kind.
Let me feel this tiredness.
Let me feel this anger.
Let me feel this sadness.
Just as it is.
Let me feel this anger.
And then when you're ready,
Bringing this practice to a close.
Letting go of offering wishes and returning to the breath and the contact of the body against the surfaces supporting you.
Fully present your experience as it is right now.
Expanding the awareness to include a sense of the room around you.
And when you're ready,
Opening the eyes or raising the gaze.
Yes.
