Meditation 7,
Befriending.
This is a befriending meditation.
So in this sitting,
You're cultivating a sense of kindness and friendship towards yourself and others.
Acknowledging that no matter how we appear on the outside,
All of us can feel fearful,
Sad or lonely on the inside.
So deliberately taking this time to wish yourself well and then extending this kindness to others.
And yet recognising that this can be challenging at times.
And so finding an anchor or place of safety you can return to if you feel it is too much.
So taking a few moments now to become settled,
Reconnecting with a posture that for you embodies a sense of dignity and wakefulness.
If you're sitting,
Checking in with yourself so that the spine is straight,
The shoulders relaxed and the head balanced.
Coming to focus on the breath or other anchor.
Then expanding your attention to the whole body or safe space.
And when you're ready,
Bringing kindness and friendship to yourself by silently saying to yourself,
May I be safe and free from suffering.
May I be as happy and healthy as it is possible for me to be.
May I have ease of being.
Taking your time,
Imagining that each phrase is like a pebble dropped down a deep well.
Stopping each one in turn and listening for any responses,
Thoughts,
Feelings,
Bodily sensations and there's no need to judge what arises in this for you.
May I be safe and free from suffering.
May I be happy and healthy.
May I have ease of being.
And if you find it difficult to bring any sense of friendship toward yourself,
Bringing to mind a person or even a pet who loves you or loved you unconditionally.
Once you have a clear sense of their love for you,
See if you can return to offering this same love to yourself.
May I be safe,
Happy and healthy,
Ease of being.
Now at a certain point,
Bringing to mind a loved one and wishing him or her well in the same way.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be as happy and healthy as it is possible for them to be.
May they have ease of being.
And now choosing a stranger.
This may be someone you see regularly,
Perhaps in the street or on the bus or subway.
Someone you recognize but may not know the name of.
Someone you feel neutral about.
Although you don't know them,
They probably also have a life full of hopes and fears as you have.
They too wish to be as happy as you do.
So keeping them in heart and mind,
Repeating the phrases and wishing them well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy and healthy.
May they have ease of being.
If you choose to extend this meditation further,
You might wish to bring to mind someone whom you find difficult.
This doesn't have to be the most difficult person in your life.
It may be someone you feel a bit distant from.
Perhaps a person at work or in the family who you're finding a little difficult at the moment.
Whoever you choose,
Now intentionally allowing them to be in your heart and mind as best you can.
Acknowledging that they too may wish or have wished to be happy.
May they be safe and free from suffering.
May they be happy and healthy.
May they have ease of being.
And don't worry if there are no feelings of warmth or friendship.
It's enough to hold the intention to incline the mind in this way.
And remembering that if at any time you feel overwhelmed or drawn away by intense feelings or thoughts,
You can always come back to the breath in the body to anchor yourself in the present moment.
Or to some other place of safety.
Treating yourself with kindness.
Finally,
Extending loving kindness to all beings,
Including your loved ones and strangers and those you find difficult.
The intention here is to extend love and friendship to all living beings on the planet.
Recognizing that all living beings includes you.
May all be free from pain and suffering.
May all be happy and healthy.
May all of us have ease of being.
And now returning to the breath in the body or some other anchor or place of safety.
Resting in a clear awareness of the present moment.
Allowing yourself to be just as you are.
Complete and whole.
Thank you for listening.
