It is often most difficult for people to be compassionate and direct loving-kindness towards themselves.
So this is where we'll start in this meditation.
We will start by directing love to the self and then move outward in our field of relationships,
Expanding our sphere of love and compassion.
Sit comfortably,
This means both literally,
Physically in your body.
Spine is upright,
Jaw is relaxed,
Face is relaxed.
And symbolically,
Be at ease in your mind.
Don't try to force anything special to happen.
Just relax,
Be at ease.
If you haven't already closed the eyes,
You can do so now.
And stay in a comfortable seated position,
Letting the body settle.
Feeling the natural state of the body.
And noticing the natural state of your breath.
Not judging,
Just allowing it to be.
Feel the breath rising and falling,
The simple natural structure of the breath.
Easy and as it is.
Now picture yourself sitting as though you are looking from an outside perspective.
Picture your body,
The form of your body,
And imagine the outline of your body,
Seeing your face very clearly.
And as you see yourself,
Start directing some loving,
Benevolent attention towards yourself.
We can start by saying this simple phrase.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free of pain.
May I live my life with ease.
Let the phrases just emerge.
Don't try to make anything happen.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free of pain.
May I live my life with ease.
May I be happy.
May I be healthy.
May I be free of pain.
May I live my life with ease.
Now expand your breath and awareness towards someone who is very close to you.
Someone who loves you.
Someone who deeply cares for you.
And whether the person is still here or has passed,
Picture their face clearly.
Imagine they are sitting with you right now,
Sitting to your left and looking at you and sending their nurturing intentions towards you,
Loving you and caring for you.
Imagine this person sending that same positive wish towards you and imagine them saying,
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Repeat that in your mind.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now picture an acquaintance in your life,
Someone you know but you don't have a very deep relationship with.
A colleague at work,
A neighbor,
It could be a person that serves you coffee or someone that you see occasionally.
It could also be someone that you see on a regular basis.
Picture that person and see their face clearly.
Remember that all beings everywhere just want to be happy and so does this person.
So we wish for this person the love,
Freedom,
Happiness and joy that we wish for ourselves.
In our mind,
Repeat that same simple phrase.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
And repeat it in your mind again.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now picture someone in your life that you've had some difficulty with.
Picture someone you may have had an argument with or disagreement or you find annoying or irritating.
Picture their face clearly.
And as we send them compassion,
We are not saying that we excuse their behavior or feel anything different than what we truly feel.
Rather we recognize the feeling of oneness in our desires.
That all beings everywhere just want to be happy and so does this person.
Visualize yourself along with that person,
Putting yourself at an equal footing with them.
And in your mind,
Repeat the simple wish.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now expanding ourselves just that little bit further and going out from the people that we know whether it be good,
Whether it be for good or for bad.
Expanding ourselves to all beings.
All beings everywhere without distinction,
Without exclusion.
That means every living being.
We move to a sense of boundlessness and we direct that same simple wish in our minds that they will be happy,
Healthy,
Free of pain and live with ease.
So may you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
And repeat in your mind again.
May you be happy.
May you be healthy.
May you be free of pain.
May you live your life with ease.
Now you can take as long as you like to sit with yourself and wherever there is an area in your life,
Some relationship,
Whether it is with yourself or with others,
Just direct that phrase towards that part of your life,
Towards that relationship and just sit in silence as long as you like and feel that intention.
Or if you've had enough already of that intention,
That loving intention,
You can now slowly open your eyes.
