Let's begin with a mindful centering practice to fully arrive into this space.
First notice your body posture at this moment and begin to make adjustments to sit in an upright position that would allow you to pay attention fully in the next few moments.
You can let go of anything you may be holding onto,
Such as concerns,
Worry,
Anxiety,
Desire,
Or even anger.
Just let it go.
Bring your feet flat on the floor,
Back straight but not stiff,
Shoulders relaxed,
Facial muscles relaxed,
And hands resting comfortably on your thighs or in your lap.
Let your eyes gently close.
To begin,
Let's take a few deep breaths as an invitation to bring the mind and body together.
Let a deep breath come in through your nose and let the breath then come out through your mouth.
Make the exhalation slow and long.
Let's do this two or three more times and watch the body release as you exhale slow and long.
Now,
Let your breath move at its own pace and just pay attention to the flow of the breath in and out.
Just notice the sensations of breathing.
Now,
Expand your awareness to include other physical bodily sensations.
How is your body feeling right now in this moment?
Now bring your attention to your mind and see what thoughts are present.
And when you notice a thought,
Simply label it as thinking.
And begin to notice any emotions in the body and mind.
And when you notice any sensations,
Just label them as feeling.
And remember that whatever you notice,
You can allow these sensations to be there without having to change them,
Push them away,
Or hold on to them.
And when your mind begins to wander,
Just simply bring yourself back quietly to your breath and to noticing feelings and sensations.
And now we will explore in more depth our connection with other people beyond our close family members and friends.
Right now,
Bring to mind a person that you don't know so well,
Perhaps a classmate,
Or maybe a cashier you saw last week when you were checking out from a store,
Or someone who works where you live,
Anyone who you don't know very well.
Imagine this person present in front of you right now as clearly as you can.
And if you can't see them clearly,
Try to recall the physical setting in which you saw them,
Or any physical attributes you have any faint memory of,
Or the type of activity they were engaged in when you saw them.
Allow the following reflections to circle in your mind as they pertain to this person.
Think this person has,
From time to time,
Felt distracted,
Mindless,
And lost in thoughts in their day-to-day life,
Just like I have.
This person at some point has been sad,
Disappointed,
Angry,
Hurt,
Or confused,
Just like me.
This person has feelings,
Emotions,
And thoughts,
Just like I do.
This person has joys,
Hopes,
And pleasures,
Just like me.
This person wishes to enjoy life fully,
Just like me.
This person wishes to feel empowered and better able to handle the challenges that come up in life,
Just like me.
This person wishes to be happy in their day-to-day life,
Just like me.
Now pause and notice how you feel after reflecting on these statements.
Definitely let some wishes for the other person's flourishing to arise.
I wish for this person to have the strength,
Resources,
And support to help him or her through the difficult times in their life.
I wish for this person to be free from pain and suffering.
I wish for this person to be strong and balanced.
I wish for this person to be happy,
Because this person is a fellow human being,
Just like me.
Now recall a person that you saw today or yesterday who seemed different from you.
Maybe the color of their skin,
Maybe their clothes,
Maybe their behavior,
Maybe the group of people they hang out with.
Imagine this person present in front of you as clearly as you can,
However you can.
If you can't see them clearly,
Try to recall the physical setting in which you saw them,
Or any physical attribute you have a faint memory of,
Or the type of activity they were engaged in when you saw them.
Now allow yourself to experience these reflections about that person.
This person has,
At some time,
Felt off-balance and unprepared for the challenges in their life,
Just like me.
This person has,
At some point,
Been sad,
Disappointed,
Angry,
Hurt,
Or confused,
Just like me.
This person has feelings,
Emotions,
And thoughts,
Just like me.
This person wishes to be free from pain and unhappiness,
Just like me.
This person wishes to be safe,
Healthy,
And loved,
Just like me.
This person has intense hopes for themselves and those they care about,
Just like me.
This person wishes to be happy,
Just like me.
Now pause and notice how you feel as a result of these reflections.
Now let an intense hope for that person's own flourishing to arise from within you.
I wish for this person to have the strength,
Resources,
And support to help him or her through the difficult times in life.
I wish for this person to be free from pain and suffering.
I wish for this person to be strong and balanced.
I wish for this person to be embedded in circles of caring others.
I wish for this person to be happy.
I wish for this person to lead a life of meaning and purpose.
Because this person is a fellow human being,
I wish for them to have all the happiness that they desire,
Just like me.
Now pause and notice any feelings,
Any sensations that are present in your body,
In your mind.
Now let's return to your breath as an anchor and bring your attention there.
For a few moments,
Pay attention to the rise and fall of each breath and the feeling of the breath inside the body.
Just experience each breath in and out.
To close our practice,
Let's bring to mind a sense of gratitude.
Take a moment to feel a sense of appreciation for all the different kinds of people around us and how our common humanity and all of its various manifestations unites us on some of the most basic levels of human experience,
Needs,
And desires for everyday happiness,
Meaning,
And flourishing.
See if in your daily life you can be more attentive to this common humanity shared by those around us,
Even though they appear to us as strange and different.
Now slowly begin to bring some movement into your fingers,
Into your toes,
And now into your whole body,
Stretching gently if you like,
And then slowly allow your eyes to open.
Take your time.
