Welcome.
I'm Tara Kuzno and I'm so glad you're here.
We will practice a loving-kindness meditation which cultivates compassion from the inside out.
It is like a blessing or a prayer and is done in rounds.
Rather than focusing on pain or suffering,
The practice begins with opening up to feelings of love,
Affection,
And friendliness towards something or someone.
Imagining and directing love and kindness toward others can make you feel warm-hearted and renewed,
Even in the face of difficulties or when life seems overwhelming,
As it will from time to time.
The invitation is to open our hearts to widening circles in our shared humanity and to be sure to tuck ourselves in as well.
This is a practice of kindness.
Let's begin.
Find a quiet place free of distractions.
Begin by sitting or standing with a straight posture and relax into it so the posture evokes a sense of grace,
Strength,
And dignity.
If laying down,
Allow your body to feel the support of the surface underneath you.
Gently place your hands at your sides,
On your lap,
Or if you desire,
Over your heart,
Evoking a caring attitude.
Tune into your natural breathing for a few moments.
Place your attention around your heart area in the middle of your chest.
Or you may choose to focus on whatever area you feel a sense of caring and kindness in your body,
Perhaps resting your hands on your belly.
Notice if your heart feels open or closed in this moment,
Or maybe somewhere in between.
Simply checking in with an attitude of acceptance,
Not in order to change anything,
But to notice and be present.
With the intention of cultivating an open heart and a kind of friendliness,
Perhaps repeating words such as love,
Peace,
Warmth,
And even if it feels awkward or inauthentic at first,
That's okay.
Give it a try.
As you say a word or incline yourself toward an open heart,
Envision someone or something you feel caring toward.
It could be a child,
A loved one,
A pet,
Or a spiritual being.
Seeing this being here with you,
Maybe at your side or sitting across from you.
The more detail you use to evoke this image or presence,
The more likely you will feel a connection.
See what imagery works for you.
Maybe feeling some gratitude toward this person or being.
Perhaps recalling something you appreciate about this person or kindness this person has done.
Perhaps noticing feelings of affection or loving presence or warmth.
Let these feelings radiate through your whole body,
Holding you in a warm embrace.
And now starting to send this being friendly wishes or loving kindness,
I will be offering some phrases that you can repeat silently to yourself.
It helps to get a sense of the meaning of the words even if you don't exactly feel this way in the present moment.
You may adapt the phrases so they resonate for you and for now simply follow along with the flow.
Send this being or loved one or someone who evokes affection or respect.
Offer them feelings of warmth and caring and wish them well with the following words.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
And now direct kind attention to yourself.
Feel the sense of caring,
Love and healing wash over you.
And now carrying over from the warm feelings from your loved one toward yourself.
And in this way you tuck yourself in.
You may send loving kindness to yourself as you are right now.
Or perhaps it might be easier to imagine sending loving kindness to a younger version of yourself.
You may also connect to a quality that you appreciate about yourself or some kindness you did in the past.
Or simply connect with a wish to feel happy and cared for.
A wish that we all enjoy.
May you say to yourself the following phrases and explore how they resonate within you.
May I be safe and protected.
May I feel at peace.
May I experience ease and kindness.
May I be safe and protected.
May I feel at peace.
May I experience ease and kindness.
And now directing your attention toward a loved one or someone who may be suffering in some way or whose path in life may be a hard one.
Bring this person to mind.
See them in their humanity.
Offer this person feelings of warmth and caring.
And wish them well.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you be at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
And now bringing attention toward a stranger.
Extend your warm feelings to someone you do not know well.
Someone you feel neutral about like a fellow commuter on the subway.
A person crossing the street.
The clerk at the supermarket.
Perhaps a person who you recognize in passing yet do not really notice or engage with.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
And now include people or a person who challenges you.
Call to mind someone you struggle with a bit.
At first do not focus on someone who has hurt you.
With practice and over time you may become ready to include this person into your expanding circle of warmth.
For now envision someone you find irritating or have some mild difficulty with.
Knowing that all humans share basic needs for love,
Belonging,
Safety and contentment.
Repeat the words to wish this person well.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
May you be safe and protected.
May you feel at peace.
May you experience ease and kindness.
And in this last round we will broaden the warm wishes to include your greater community and to the world at large and to our planet as we are all intertwined in ways we can't even imagine.
Directing tenderness and care to all so we can coexist in greater harmony.
May we be safe and protected.
May we feel at peace.
May we experience ease and kindness.
May we be safe and protected.
May we feel at peace.
May we experience ease and kindness.
A loving kindness meditation can become a daily prayer,
A moment of appreciation for another person or your community,
Or a personal practice to train your compassion muscle.
The beauty of this practice is that it cultivates feelings of warmth and tenderness without going anywhere or doing anything,
Instantaneously evoking your awareness of being part of one big human family.
Take gentle care.
