Gently close your eyes if you're comfortable too.
Otherwise just rest your gaze gently ahead.
Sit in comfortably but not slouched.
Take a few big deep breaths right down into your belly.
As you breathe out,
Feel your body softening.
And then just allow your breath to return to a natural rhythm.
And picture in your mind someone or something that represents warmth and love.
It gives you a feeling of being completely at ease and safe and happy.
It can be a person,
Perhaps your spouse,
A parent or grandparent or friend.
Or something symbolic or religious if that resonates with you.
Or even a pet.
See if you can feel their presence in the centre of your chest.
And then bask in this feeling.
And repeat after me.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
May I be safe.
And may I live with ease.
Take a moment to consider what it means to be well and happy.
And remind yourself that you are completely worthy.
Now picture in your mind someone you care for deeply.
Recall what you value about this person.
And maybe remember a happy time together in order to encourage a loving feeling.
Then send loving kindness to this person.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
Next picture a relatively neutral person in your life.
Maybe someone at the shop or the post office.
Or perhaps someone who cleans the office where you work.
Or someone in your street that you don't really know.
Ideally someone that you feel no particular like or dislike towards.
And consider how they,
Just like you and your loved ones,
Wish to be happy and well.
And with this person in mind,
Repeat.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
And now picture a person with whom you have difficulty of one sort or another.
If you're new to this practice,
Start with someone where the difficulty is relatively minor.
And if you choose to do this practice regularly,
You can gradually bring in people who provoke a stronger emotional reaction in you.
And with this person in mind,
Repeat.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
And now in your mind's eye,
Picture anybody else who's in the building where you are.
And then expand your awareness to imagine everybody in the suburb where you live and the city or area where you live.
And the country that you live in.
Just imagine floating above and just being aware of all the people in your country.
And then if you can,
Perhaps imagine all people in the world.
And again,
If you want to,
You can extend this to all living beings,
Not just people.
And with this in mind,
Repeat.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
And going forward,
Use the loving kindness phrases for yourself and others as you encounter people and situations,
For people that you encounter through work or just in the street and for friends and loved ones.
But particularly for yourself.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
May you be safe.
And may you live with ease.
