Music Dear friends,
Welcome to this meditation on loving kindness.
Our first task is to make sure that we are sitting comfortably.
Our eyes can be open or closed,
Whatever seems best for you.
And as you breathe in,
Simply call to mind and gratitude the fact that you are here.
You are breathing in.
And you have this few minutes of awareness.
A little time during which you can experience peace.
Time to find the inspiration to bring that peace out into the world.
Some words of welcome.
You are welcome in your happiness.
You are welcome in your pain.
You are welcome in your success.
You are welcome in your failure.
You are welcome in your hopes.
You are welcome in your fears.
Whoever you are,
Wherever you are on your journey,
You are truly welcome here.
And now our loving kindness meditation.
First of all,
Call to mind yourself.
You here in this present moment.
Take a few seconds to just become aware of who you are.
How you are just now.
How you feel.
What has brought you to today.
And what you hope for tomorrow.
Then,
When you are ready,
Say quietly to yourself,
May I be peaceful.
May I be happy.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be free from suffering.
Let that wish go to the very essence of your being.
May I be truly peaceful.
May I be truly happy.
May I be truly well.
May I be truly safe.
May I be truly free from suffering.
Next,
I'd like you to picture in your mind's eye someone you love very much.
Just take a minute to picture the person.
Imagine their face.
Recall a photograph.
Think of the happy times you have had with this person.
And how much you would miss this person if he or she were absent.
And when you are ready,
Say quietly to yourself,
May that person be peaceful.
May that person be happy.
May that person be well.
May that person be safe.
May that person be free from suffering.
May the person that I love be truly peaceful.
May that person be truly happy.
May that person be truly well.
May that person be truly safe.
May that person that I love be truly free from suffering.
Next,
Picture in your mind's eye someone whom you find it hard to get along with.
Bring the person to mind,
But don't go digging.
You don't need to uproot all the reminders of how they might have annoyed you.
You don't want to go digging to the point where you feel an act of dislike for the person.
Let's see if you can generate feelings of forgiveness and acceptance as you quietly say,
May that person be peaceful.
May that person be happy.
May that person be well.
May that person be safe.
May that person be free from suffering.
And again,
May that difficult person be peaceful.
May that troublesome person be happy.
May that ungrateful person be well.
May that wearisome person be safe.
May that vexatious person be free from suffering.
Finally,
We cast our minds across the whole planet.
That fragile ball of blue that we see so often in pictures from space.
That oasis of life and one home to all of us in the vastness of space.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be well.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be free from suffering.
And thinking of every living thing everywhere,
Past,
Present and future,
We say,
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be well.
May all beings be safe.
May all beings be free from suffering.
If time permits,
You can spend a little time after this meditation in relaxed,
Quiet reflection.
You can allow yourself time to radiate feelings of love and kindness to all people.
Radiating kind feelings to all who happen to come to your mind and sending goodwill out into the world in general.
Finally,
Before the closing bell,
Some words from the Buddha.
Let none deceive another or despise any being in any state.
Let none through anger or ill-will wish harm upon another.
Even as a mother protects with her life her child,
Her only child,
So with a boundless heart should one cherish all living beings.
Radiating kindness over the entire world,
Spreading upwards to the skies and downwards to the depths,
Outwards and unbounded.
May each and every one of you today experience peace and happiness.
May the recollection of these quiet moments keep you safe in times of danger.
May it keep you calm in times of stress.
Go and as you go,
Radiate peace.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
Namaste.
