So this week,
The theme of our meditation is friendship.
So we do not always choose our families.
However,
We do choose our friends.
Friendships are such a special connection that we have with another person.
And we choose to show up for that person.
We choose to support that person.
And we choose to share in good times with that person,
As well as share in the difficult or more challenging moments of the lives.
And there are so many wonderful benefits of having friends.
Our friends keep us from feeling lonely.
And our friendships also give us a sense of connection.
They give us this sense of belonging.
Our friendships give us meaning,
And they give us a sense of purpose in this world.
Our friendships also boost our happiness,
And they help us to reduce stress.
And because of all of this,
Our friendships can truly have a positive impact on our health and on our wellbeing.
And it's important to take time to develop new friendships and to make time and put effort into our existing friendships by nurturing them.
And there are many ways that we can do this.
And one of these ways is offering our kindness to our friends and really showing our care and our appreciation for this other person.
It's also important to open up to this person.
And by opening our hearts and sharing,
It's such a powerful way to build close connections with our friends.
And this sharing really helps to create this special bond between us and our friends.
Listening is such another valuable way to nurture our friendships.
Listening mindfully,
Intentionally,
Paying attention to your friends as they speak is such a valuable way to deepen your friendships and to truly show your friends that you care.
By offering your kind presence while your friends speaking,
It's such a powerful way to connect.
Showing up,
Being there for your friends when they need you most is so important.
And this includes the happy and important moments in our friends' lives,
Not just the challenging or difficult moments.
We can truly become cheerleaders for each other and give each other the encouragement that we need to persevere.
And we can also celebrate each other's accomplishments.
It's so beautiful to be there and celebrate life together in this way.
And so these are just a few of the very many ways that we can nurture our friendships and really help our friendships to grow and to blossom.
It's important to mention that many of us may be missing our friends right now.
I know that I'm missing my friends right now.
I haven't seen many of them in a very,
Very long time.
And during this challenging time,
It's even more important to be there for one another,
To support each other and to show one another that we care,
That we're thinking of them,
That we care about them and appreciate them.
There is this beautiful quote that I'd like to share with you.
You may have seen it up on the screen.
It's a quote by Herbert H.
Humphrey.
And he says,
The greatest gift of life is friendship.
Friendship truly is a gift.
Tonight's meditation is such a wonderful way to offer your friends,
Your love and your care.
Tonight,
We are going to explore the gift of friendship and we're going to offer our love and our care for those friends who really light up our hearts.
And so with that,
I'd like to move into our formal portion of the meditation this evening.
So just taking a moment,
Settling into your seat.
You need to take any movements.
Before doing so,
I invite you to do that now,
Just honoring the body.
And then when you're ready,
Allowing the eyes to soften.
So softening the gaze or perhaps allowing the eyes to close if that feels right.
Maybe sensing into the contact that the feet are making with the floor beneath you,
With the earth beneath that.
And now noticing the contact the sits bones are making as they rest on the seat.
Really sensing into this contact.
Maybe feeling supported or held by the seat in some way.
And then maybe finding a little extra length in the spine,
Reaching through the crown of the head.
Perhaps inviting a softening of the brow,
A slackening of the jaw.
Continuing to settle into this posture in whatever way is right for you.
And as you continue to settle,
Perhaps becoming aware of the fact that the body is breathing,
This natural rhythm of the breath cycle that occurs with no need to do anything at all.
And then just gently resting the awareness on the breath,
Making the breath the focal point of your attention.
Just staying with the natural breath cycle,
This gentle ebb and flow of the breath.
And if the mind wanders away and thought,
Which at some point it surely will,
That's what our minds do,
Just gently coming back to the breath once again,
Knowing that each moment we have an opportunity to begin again.
It's the beauty of this practice.
And I'd like you now to call to mind a friend.
And so perhaps many friends come to mind,
Or maybe just one pops into your mind immediately.
And if many friends have come to mind,
Just choosing one and holding this person in the mind's eye and now noticing how it feels to hold this person in the mind's eye.
Maybe feelings of joy,
Happiness,
Or contentment arise.
Maybe a smile comes to your face.
So just noticing how it feels to be thinking of this person,
This beloved friend.
And now notice how it feels in the body as you hold this special person in your mind's eye.
Maybe noticing a warmth in the heart space,
Perhaps an ease in the shoulders,
Maybe a softening in the face,
And just allowing whatever is here to be here,
Whatever it is that you're feeling in the body.
And now reflecting on the best qualities of this person.
So taking some time to acknowledge the qualities that make this person so special and uniquely them.
What are your friend's best qualities?
And perhaps as you recall all of these wonderful qualities,
Having an appreciation for their good qualities,
Maybe feeling grateful for the qualities that make your friend uniquely who they are.
And now maybe reflecting on how their good qualities,
Their best qualities,
Make them the wonderful friend that they are.
How do these best qualities make them the friend that they are?
And now reflecting on how this person,
How this friend touches your life,
Whether it's making you smile when you see them,
Or whether it's them offering their support when you need it the most in life.
Just reflecting on all the ways that this friend touches your life.
And as you recall this,
Maybe having gratitude for this person,
This friend in your life,
And maybe taking a moment to thank this person for all that they do.
Thank you.
And then perhaps offering your friend well wishes if that feels right.
Maybe silently repeating the following phrases of goodwill.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
May you be safe.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you live with ease.
And continuing to silently repeat these phrases to yourself,
Sending out this offering of goodwill to your friend.
And if these words don't resonate with you,
Choosing any other phrases or words that you would like to offer to your friend right now.
They could be anything at all.
Just opening your heart and wishing your friend well.
And now letting go of these phrases and coming back to the breath once again,
Taking some time to reflect on what their friendship means to you and exploring what does friendship mean to you?
How does friendship impact your own life?
And asking yourself,
How am I a good friend?
How am I a good friend to those that I care about in my life?
What are the qualities that make me a good friend?
Perhaps you're kind,
Caring,
Generous,
Funny,
Just exploring this and seeing what comes to mind.
And now including yourself in this offering of well wishes,
Sending yourself goodwill and your friend goodwill through the breath.
Inhaling and breathing in for yourself and exhaling and breathing out for your friend.
Inhaling for me,
Exhaling for them,
Really using your breath as an offering for yourself and your friend.
One for me,
One for them.
In for me,
Acknowledging and appreciating the qualities that make me a good friend.
And out for them,
Acknowledging and appreciating them for who they are.
And just continuing to breathe in this way,
Offering your breath to yourself and offering your breath to your friend.
This natural ebb and flow which represents the reciprocity of friendship.
My true friend by Albie.
You always answer when I call and help me up if I should fall.
But you never complain at all,
My true friend.
You confront me when I am wrong,
But will never scold me for long.
Instead,
You try to keep me strong,
My true friend.
You know the funny things to say to make me laugh my fears away.
Like the sun,
You brighten my day,
My true friend.
You see in me gifts that I deny and urge me to give things a try.
You spread for me my wings to fly,
My true friend.
You always perceive what I need and offer it before I plead.
Just like a book,
My mind you read,
My true friend.
You value little things I do,
But won't brag of what you do too.
How can I ever repay you,
My true friend?
And greatest of all,
I have found when times are tough and I am down,
You are the one who sticks around.
You are the one who sticks around,
My true friend.
