And this meditation is a meditation for love.
Come into a comfortable seat or lie down if you'd prefer.
Create a long spine and soft shoulders.
Feel free to close your eyes or soften your gaze to a still point on the floor in front of you.
Just take a moment here and now just to become present.
To feel the support of whatever is beneath you,
To feel the breath within you.
And then take a long,
Full breath in through your nose,
Opening your lips,
Let it go and relax.
And do that again,
A long,
Full breath in through your nose and gently release it.
Relax as the breath empties you of any tension you're experiencing.
And keep the breath long and full here and just feel it.
Feel it moving in,
Feel it moving out.
Your pace and rhythm of breath is perfect.
Bring your awareness to it.
Notice if there's any constriction either on the inhalation or on the exhalation that you can just smooth out.
Breathing through the nose or through the mouth,
Whatever feels most comfortable for you.
As you continue to breathe smoothly,
Let go of any strain or struggle in the breath.
Notice how as you smooth out the breath,
You begin to smooth out the thought stream.
Things begin to slow down and soften.
Notice how it feels to simply sit and breathe smoothly and completely.
See if as you inhale,
You can feel not only the chest but also the abdomen.
And as you exhale,
The chest softens and the abdomen naturally draws back a bit.
So it's a fuller breath into the torso,
The abdomen and the chest.
And then it's a more complete exhale as the chest softens and the belly naturally retreats back.
Just feel into that a more full expression of breath.
Relaxing the nervous system,
Bringing the body and mind now into a more balanced harmonious state.
The breath has tremendous power to do that.
Notice how your thoughts want to pull you away from being present to your breath.
When you notice that happening,
Don't judge it or criticize it or even analyze it or dramatize it.
Simply return to the breath.
You may drift away and you may drift back continuously.
That's okay.
It's the noticing and returning that builds resiliency and builds the strength and the practice.
And as the breath flows smoothly and somewhat deeply,
Bring your awareness right to the center of your chest.
When there's a glowing light,
Notice if it has a color.
Notice if it doesn't,
Again without judging or critiquing or analyzing.
And allow that light to fill your heart even more with each inhalation.
And just soften the body on the exhalations.
Imagine that glowing light of whatever color it might be beginning to spread into the whole torso as you breathe in and out,
Into the whole body,
Down to the toes and up to the top of the head until it's outside of your body encompassing you in a warm sphere of protection,
Of light.
Allow the breath to flow freely and smoothly as you attune inward to this light that's now within you and surrounding you in all directions.
And imagine if you will that that light is filled with pure love.
That love that started in your heart center that spread throughout you,
Throughout your physical body and past it protecting you,
Warming you,
Holding you so gently.
And with each inhale that you take,
Imagine that light getting a little brighter.
And with each exhale that you take,
Imagine that light moving out past this orb or sphere that surrounds you into the air around the sphere.
Imagine that you're breathing love into your whole being and every cell.
And as you breathe out,
Imagine that light and that love just being pushed further and further out into the world around you like a ripple in a pond from a stone or a pebble.
It starts within this love.
Breathe it in,
Keep filling it up and fanning the flame of love.
And every time you breathe it out,
Send out more love into the world,
Into the universe,
Into your community,
Into every being on this planet.
Imagine that you're filling with love as you inhale and sending love to the world as you exhale.
If it helps to internally say the word love on either the inhale or the exhale or on both,
You can use the mantra love.
Breathing love in and sending love out.
And they say that love is the highest vibration,
The strongest force in this universe.
Let it wash through you,
Let it soothe you and heal you.
And as you send it out,
Imagine it doing the same for every being on this planet.
And just maybe someone even on the other side of the world feels the love that you're sending forth.
Creating a collective consciousness of love is what will heal us and this planet right now.
So know that you are helping to serve that purpose.
Breathe love in,
Breathe love out.
We are all connected.
Know that any time you tune into this vibration of love,
You're helping yourself and you're helping others.
Notice how it feels.
Notice how it feels in your body,
In your mind,
Even in the energy around you to be immersed in love.
If it's difficult to feel love,
Imagine someone that you love so much.
Imagine the love that you have for the little child within you,
Your inner child.
As you fill with love and spread love,
Can you also send love to your past self,
Forgiving yourself for any wrongdoings,
Whether intentional or unintentional,
Any suffering you may have endured.
And can you also send love to your future self,
The unknown version of you,
To support you in future endeavors,
Future experiences,
And the unknown.
Now return to this moment in this body,
Feeling your seat against the cushion or your back against the support.
Take a moment here and now just to be grateful that you took the time for you to heal and honor and take care of yourself and become present.
And as a result,
Also healing and supporting everyone else.
With gratitude and love still in your heart,
Take a full breath in.
Gently release the breath and allow yourself just to soften into this moment,
Into this experience.
One more time,
Full sweet breath in,
Filling with love,
Tenderness,
Forgiveness,
And gratitude.
Letting the breath go,
Just come back to this moment.
When you feel ready,
Bring a little movement into your body and in your own time allow your eyes to open if they were closed.
Thank you so very much for joining me for this meditation of love.
Namaste.
