Hi,
Welcome.
My name is Susan Gutteridge,
And I'm so glad you've joined me for this loving-kindness meditation.
This practice helps us reconnect with compassion for ourselves and for others.
We'll begin by offering kind wishes to ourselves,
And then extend those wishes to someone we care about.
Okay,
Get comfortable.
Let your shoulders soften down,
Relaxing.
Allow your jaw to unclench,
Your brow to unfurrow,
The muscles around your eyes to relax.
If you're seated,
Notice the support beneath your sit bones.
Feel your feet resting on the floor.
And if you're lying down,
Allow your body to sink just a little deeper into the surface beneath you.
And if you'd like to close your eyes,
You could do that now,
Or you could also just let your gaze drift downwards.
And just slightly longer,
Exhale out.
And one more time together,
Inhaling in.
Slightly longer,
Exhale out.
And now just letting your breath settle into its own natural rhythm.
All right,
Let's begin by offering kindness to ourselves.
If it feels difficult to receive these kind wishes,
You could imagine someone who cares about you,
Or even a pet,
Offering these words to you.
Start wherever feels best for you,
Silently repeating these phrases after me,
Letting the words settle into your heart.
May I be safe.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I live with ease.
Just repeating the phrases,
Not forcing anything.
We're simply planting the intention of kindness,
And that's enough to start.
Just as you wish for safety,
Happiness,
And peace in your life,
So do others.
Bring to mind now someone you care about,
Someone whose happiness and well-being matters to you.
Take a moment now to think of them,
Perhaps picturing them in your mind's eye.
And if visualizing is difficult,
You could simply sense their presence,
Or notice the feeling of caring you have for them.
You might remember how you feel when you're with them,
Or even look at a photo of them,
If that helps.
Now silently repeating these phrases after me,
Sending these kind wishes towards that person.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
Imagine these wishes reaching them wherever they are.
Taking a slow breath in with me,
And a slightly longer exhale out.
Notice how your body feels right now,
Perhaps a little softer,
A little more settled.
You may even notice a warmth or openness around your heart.
Just noticing whatever is there in your body with kindness.
This simple practice of loving-kindness can gradually soften the mind,
Open the heart,
And deepen our connection with others.
Kindness offered to yourself is never wasted.
It naturally flows outwards.
Let this kindness remain in your heart,
Accompanying you into the rest of your day or evening.
Thank you for sharing this practice with me.
Be well.
