Music Dear friends,
Welcome to our meditation today,
In which we are going to generate feelings of loving-kindness.
We begin by coming into a place of peace ourselves.
We close our eyes.
We look within.
We centre ourselves,
Leaving the outside world to take care of itself for these few moments.
Gently breathe.
And as we breathe,
We generate a feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude for all that we are.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Gratitude for our life here today.
Let's enjoy a minute of grateful peace.
Gently breathe.
And as we breathe,
We generate a feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Gratitude for our life here today.
Let's enjoy a minute of grateful peace.
Gently breathe.
And as we breathe,
We generate a feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Gratitude for all that we've been given.
Welcome back.
Our loving-kindness blessings radiate out from the centre of our own hearts.
They move out to those close to us.
Then they extend to those a little further afield.
These blessings and kind wishes embrace the good,
The indifferent,
And even those who might,
For now,
Be in our bad books.
Just like rays of sunshine and drops of rain,
Our blessings fall on everyone,
Without exception.
The blessings we receive are unearned.
In the same way,
The blessings we give will be unearned also.
Let's pause before we begin.
Let's pause before we begin.
Welcome back.
When we reflect on our real needs,
We don't think of money beyond having enough to get by in reasonable security.
We don't think of power unless we're unfortunate enough to be power-hungry.
We long for love.
We hope for happiness.
We seek contentment.
We look to find friendship.
We want to feel a sense of belonging,
A sense of being needed.
The happiness we receive is not just a feeling of happiness,
A sense of being needed,
The happiness of being known and being loved by someone,
And the joy that comes from sharing what we have with the world.
Let's take a minute to ask,
What is my greatest need just now?
Let's pause before we begin.
Welcome back.
So next to the loving-kindness blessings.
First of all,
Bring your own self to mind.
Where are you right now in body and spirit?
And pay attention for a moment to the sense of yourself as it has evolved over the years.
Your early hopes and dreams.
Your present situation.
Your possibilities for loving and being loved.
Let's give ourselves a minute for reflection.
Let's give ourselves a minute for reflection.
Welcome back again.
So calling to mind yourself,
Offer yourself these thoughts.
May I be well in mind and body.
May I be peaceful.
May I experience the gift of peace.
May I be loved,
Loved for the person I am.
May I be happy and may I find joy in all my days.
May I be content,
Grateful for all that I have and all that I am.
May I experience the gift of true friendship,
Someone who cares for me and I for them.
May I have the happiness of belonging in my family,
In my work,
In my pastimes and in my neighbourhood.
May I feel needed,
That my life and my talents are of benefit to someone.
And the happiness of being known and loved for who I am.
May I experience the joy that comes from sharing what I have with the world.
Let's pause for a moment to take in those blessings.
May I be content,
Grateful for all that I have and all that I am.
May I experience the gift of true friendship,
Someone who cares for me and I for them.
Welcome back again.
Now we turn our thoughts to someone we know and love.
See that person in your mind's eye.
Place yourself in that person's shoes.
Try to imagine their needs,
Their hopes,
Their fears,
Their feelings.
And with real meaning and from the centre of your being offer these loving-kindness blessings.
May you be well in mind and body.
May you experience the gift of peace.
May you be loved.
May you be happy.
May you be content and grateful.
May you have the gift of true friendship.
May you have the gift of belonging.
May you never feel lost.
May you feel needed,
Known and loved.
May you experience the joy that comes from sharing what you have with the world.
These loving-kindness thoughts can be generated and wished to people with whom you have only a passing knowledge.
They can be extended further to take in people with whom you have a difficult relationship.
Even extended to someone for whom,
Despite your best intentions,
You feel an active dislike.
In all those cases you follow the formula that you used when you practiced loving-kindness on a friend.
Remembering that the sun shines on all of us,
Regardless of our entitlement or otherwise.
It helps if you try for a moment to put yourself in the shoes of that person.
We are all influenced by our genes,
Our upbringing,
Our circumstances and of course chance events arising day by day.
We all respond to love just as a flower responds to the heat and the light of day.
So looking at the stranger or the difficult person,
Once again see that person in your mind's eye.
Place yourself in that person's shoes.
Again,
Try to imagine their needs,
Their hopes,
Their fears,
Their feelings.
And just as in the case of your contemplation and your kind thoughts towards a friend,
With real meaning and from the very centre of your being,
Offer these strangers or difficult persons these loving-kindness blessings.
May you be well in mind and body.
May you experience the gift of peace.
May you be loved.
May you be happy.
May you be content and grateful.
May you have the gift of true friendship.
May you have the gift of belonging.
May you never feel lost.
May you feel needed,
Known and loved.
May you experience the joy that comes from sharing what you have with the world.
It helps to expand our loving thoughts to all of creation.
We pray for world peace.
We pray for cooperation between peoples.
We pray for the state of the world,
For the environment,
For people who are working to save the world from climate change.
We pray for justice and fairness.
We pray for equal rights for all.
We pray for respect for all people.
May all beings be well and happy.
May all beings be free from suffering.
May all beings experience the gift of peace.
Namaste.
Thank you.
