Lovingkindness For Ourselves

"Loving-Kindness for Ourselves" is one of the core meditations of the MSC course. Prior to using this meditation, it is suggested that you find and personalize phrases that you would like to use, in order to deepen the experience for oneself. This meditation helps to cultivate a compassionate inner voice to motivate positive changes in one's life. Let go of any unnecessary effort or expectations, simply allowing the practice to be as easy as slipping into a warm bath...

Transcript

Loving kindness for ourselves.

Please find a comfortable position sitting or lying down,

Letting your eyes close,

Taking a few deep breaths to settle into your body and into the present moment.

Putting your hand over your heart or wherever it is comforting and soothing as a reminder to bring not only awareness,

But loving awareness to your experience and to yourself.

Now feeling your breath move in your body wherever you notice it most easily.

Feeling the gentle rhythm of your breathing.

And when your attention wanders,

Returning to the sensation of the gentle rhythm of breathing in your body.

Now releasing the focus on your breathing,

Just allowing the breath to slip into the background of your awareness and beginning to offer yourself words or phrases that are most meaningful to you.

Whatever words or phrases that you most need to hear right now.

If you like,

Whispering them into your own ear.

Nothing to do.

Nowhere to go.

Just bathing yourself with kind words.

Letting them wash over you and through you.

What's that you need to hear right now?

If it feels right,

Absorbing the words.

Letting them fill your being.

Allowing the words to resonate in every cell of your body.

And whenever you notice that your mind has wandered,

You can refresh your aim by offering yourself soothing touch or by just feeling the sensations in your body.

Coming home to your own body.

And then offering yourself the words.

Coming home to kindness.

And finally,

Releasing the phrases and resting quietly in your own body.

And then slowly opening your eyes.

Letting them fill your being.