This is a beginner's loving-kindness practice.
With a particular focus on cultivating feeling loving-kindness towards ourselves.
So first just allowing yourself to settle into a comfortable position,
Either sitting or lying down.
And if you like,
It can be helpful to put a hand over your heart or your belly to act as a soothing reminder to bring loving awareness to our experience and to ourselves.
So just taking a few moments to settle into your posture.
Making any last minute adjustments just to be as comfortable as you can.
Just having a sense of your body sitting or lying and the breath coming and going.
And now bringing to mind a person or being who naturally makes you smile.
This could be a friend,
Child,
Your grandmother,
Your pet.
Whoever naturally brings happiness to your heart.
Is creating as vivid an image as you can of this person in your mind's eye.
And if you don't get an image that's fine just see if you can get a sense of this person or pet And then just letting yourself feel what it's like to be in their presence.
Feeling the warm wishes and love between you.
And allowing yourself to enjoy their good company.
Just getting a sense,
An image or a sense of this person or pet and just how it feels to be in their company.
The warmth between you.
And now recognise how this person wishes to be happy and free from suffering,
Just like you and every other living being.
And sending them loving kindness,
Silently repeating these phrases,
Softly and gently,
And feeling the importance of the words.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and kindness.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and kindness.
Just using these phrases as a way to remind yourself of this feeling of loving-kindness that you are sending towards this friend or pet.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and kindness.
And if you notice that your mind has wandered,
Simply returning to the words and the image of the loved one that you have in mind.
Savouring any warm feelings that may arise.
May you be happy.
May you be peaceful.
May you live with ease and kindness.
And now adding yourself to the picture creating an image of yourself in the presence of your loved one.
Visualizing or sensing the two of you together.
And now sending loving-kindness to both your friend or loved one and to yourself.
May we both be happy.
May we both be peaceful.
May we live with ease and kindness.
And just carrying on repeating those phrases as often as you feel is good.
Just with this feeling of loving-kindness towards your loved one and towards yourself.
Noticing how much this person cares about you and you for them.
May we both be happy.
May we be peaceful.
May we live with ease and kindness.
May we both be happy.
May we both be peaceful.
May we live with ease and kindness.
And now,
Letting go of the image of the other person.
And letting the full focus of your attention rest directly on yourself.
With your hand over your heart,
Feeling the warmth and gentle pressure of your hand.
Visualizing your whole body in your mind's eye,
And now offering yourself the phrases.
Remembering that you too deserve unconditional caring and kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
And just noticing if there are any reactions that arise to sending yourself loving-kindness.
Just noticing and letting them be there.
Without judgement as much as possible.
Just coming back to the phrases And as much as possible having this sense of loving kindness towards yourself,
This feeling that you deserve unconditional care and kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
And if your mind wanders off,
Just simply returning to the phrases and the image of yourself in your mind.
Sending yourself loving-kindness.
May I be happy.
May I be peaceful.
May I live with ease and kindness.
And now for the last part of the practice.
Sending this loving-kindness to whoever you feel like.
So maybe just the people in your household,
Your loved ones,
Relatives.
Whoever comes to your mind to send loving-kindness to.
With a sense that you're filling yourself up with loving-kindness and like a cup overflowing It flows out of these other people that you care for.
Lovingkindness like a boundless altruistic love,
Like the sun shining on all beings equally.
Just whoever comes to mind.
Could be nearby in your community.
Maybe people further away.
This sense of sending loving kindness.
And offering the phrases.
May we all be happy.
May we all be peaceful.
May we all live with ease and kindness.
May we be happy.
May we be peaceful.
May we live with ease and kindness.
And just remembering that you're including yourself along with these other people.
May we all be happy.
May we all be peaceful.
May we all live with ease and kindness.
And just to close the practice,
Just resting quietly in your body.
Accepting whatever your experience is,
Just as it is.
You may be feeling loving-kindness or you may not.
It doesn't matter.
We're simply setting our intention to open our hearts and then seeing what happens.
Just resting with your experience,
Just as it is.
And as we come towards the end of the practice,
Just an invitation to take the transition out of the practice nice and slowly.
And just seeing as much as possible if you can carry this sense of loving-kindness towards yourself,
A sense of care towards yourself into the rest of your day.
