A loving kindness meditation.
Cultivating more loving kindness towards ourselves.
Make yourself comfortable,
Preferably sitting in a chair,
But if you need to then please lay down.
Remember,
Body like mountain,
Present and steady,
Heart like ocean,
Feelings and emotions arising and ceasing like the waves in the sea.
Breath like anchor,
Come back to the breath if strong feelings arise.
Allow your breath to support you.
Breathing in through the nostrils,
Deep down into your stomach.
Let the breath support you.
Now close your eyes.
Become aware of your breath permeating your whole body.
Imagine your breath to be a spray clearing the toxins from your heart.
Now try to visualize yourself in your mind's eye.
Really see if you can see yourself.
See if you can imagine yourself in a beautiful place that you enjoy.
If you're unable to see yourself,
That is okay.
Just silently call your name in the way you like hearing your name spoken.
Just kindly say your name to yourself,
Evoking your image in your mind's eye.
And remember to breathe.
Really try to open up your heart towards yourself.
Really try to connect to yourself.
Really try to take the whole of yourself in.
Now say to yourself,
May I be happy?
Allow this phrase to gently drop into your being as if it was a pebble and ripples were permeating in your body.
So really allow yourself to see how this phrase fills in your body,
In your heart.
May I be happy?
May I be well?
May I be calm with all my suffering?
And remember to breathe.
Breathing in and out.
Really try to breathe through your heart,
In and out,
Saying to yourself,
May I be happy?
May I be well?
May I be calm with all my suffering?
See if you can open up your heart that bit more towards yourself.
Really try to see if you can visualize yourself.
Somewhere beautiful,
Somewhere where you feel safe and you enjoy being.
And if you still can't visualize yourself,
That really is okay.
Just keep on calling your name in a kind way,
In a friendly way,
In a loving way.
Perhaps allow a smile to emerge on your face.
Now say to yourself,
May I transform my anger?
May I transform my ill will?
May I transform the conflict in my heart?
May I continue to develop and grow?
And remember the breath,
In and out.
Stay connected to the breath,
Breathing in and out through your heart.
Allowing your feelings to ebb and pass away,
Your thoughts to arise and cease.
And saying to yourself,
May I transform my anger?
May I transform my ill will?
May I transform my conflict in my heart?
May I continue to develop and grow?
And breathe in and out.
Really see if you can open up your heart that bit more.
Really try to expand the heart chakra,
The heart muscle.
Really see if you can open up the heart so that energy can flow.
Really see if you can connect that bit more to yourself.
Really see if you can begin to visualise yourself.
Really see yourself clearly in your mind's eye.
And if you're still not able to see yourself,
That really is okay.
Just keep on calling your name in a loving way.
Perhaps whisper your name out aloud,
Whispering your name kindly,
Lovingly,
Friendly.
In a way you enjoy hearing your name spoken.
And then say to yourself,
May I cultivate more loving kindness within my heart?
May I cultivate more compassion within my heart?
May I cultivate more joy within my heart?
May I cultivate more peace within my heart?
May I continue to develop and grow?
Breathing in and out.
Gently through the heart.
Gently opening up your heart that bit more.
And saying to yourself,
May I cultivate more loving kindness within my heart?
May I cultivate more compassion within my heart?
May I cultivate more joy within my heart?
May I cultivate more peace within my heart?
May I continue to develop and grow?
And just trying to open up your heart that bit more to include all beings,
All sentient beings,
All life form,
All human,
All animal,
All plant.
And saying to yourself,
May all sentient beings be happy.
May all sentient beings be well.
May all sentient beings be free from all suffering.
And connect to the breath,
The body,
The heart.
Becoming more aware of your heart.
Placing your hand upon your heart and breathing into the hand,
In and out,
In and out.
Really try to breathe through the heart.
Letting go of all those uncomfortable feelings when you breathe in and out.
Be calm with whatever feelings that may arise.
Body like mountain,
Heart like ocean,
Breath like anchor.
Now gently bring this meditation to a close.
Open your eyes slowly and allow yourself to be still for a few minutes before continuing with the rest of your day.
