This is a guided meditation for loving kindness.
Let's start with our seated position.
So find yourself a comfortable seat either on a chair or on the floor.
Use cushions to help you prop yourself up so that you can sit tall with a buoyant lifted chest.
The back can comfortably sit straight.
You can use a cushion rested on your lap to place your hands on so that the arms are relaxed and the back can remain straight.
You can place your right hand on top of your open left palm,
Both palms pointing up with the thumbs gently touching.
Feel the sides of the body lift and grow.
Feel the chest open up and out as the shoulders drop down and the shoulder blades moving towards each other.
Feel the head rise so that it balances gently on top of the spine.
Chin is tucked in.
Whole body is lifted straight.
Be easeful.
Notice the breath moving in the nostrils,
The throat,
The lungs without controlling,
Just watching.
And on the exhale,
Relax the body.
Relax the eyes.
Soften the muscles around the eyes.
Soften the muscles around the mouth,
The tongue,
Throat.
Using the exhalation to soften and release.
Feel the shoulders drop.
Feel the breath moving in and out.
Feel the chest rise and fall.
Feel the muscles around the heart area as the lungs expand and contract,
Exhaling any tension.
Softening,
Relaxing.
Still maintaining the upright position of the spine.
Softening each part to bring a lightness into your upright meditation position.
Feel the hips release,
The thighs release,
The knees and the calves and the feet.
Be aware of the whole body and as you breathe,
As you exhale,
Feel the body relax and soften.
And as you inhale,
Bring lift,
Lightness to the spine,
The head,
The upper body.
Keeping a softness in the eyes,
The mouth.
Holding an attitude of relaxation.
Being aware and mindful when muscles grow tense.
Scanning the body,
Looking for any areas of tension.
Now calling in an attitude of acceptance.
Acceptance for where we are right now.
Making an affirmation of contentment.
You can use the words.
I'm content with my body.
I love and care for this body.
I am happy with exactly the way this body is right now.
Use whatever words are relevant to you.
Make it a positive affirmation of contentment for your body.
Keeping balance,
Alertness,
Stillness.
As you feel each part,
Placing your attention on each part of your body as you become aware of that part of your body.
Make the affirmation I am content with this part of my body.
I love this part of my body.
And I care for this part of my body.
Make it a gentle attitude of care for the self.
Pointing your attention to wherever sensation arises or wherever your consciousness calls you to place that attention.
Bringing warm affirmations of contentment,
Of goodwill to your body parts.
A kind of care you would have for someone you dearly loved.
Appreciation.
Contentment.
Peacefulness.
Cultivating loving kindness for the self.
A healthy self-respect,
Healthy self-love.
Now bringing your attention to the heart area.
Feeling the breath moving in and out the heart area.
Feel the muscles around the chest,
The heart as the lungs expand and contract.
Notice,
Just be aware of the type of breath,
Is it long,
Short,
Tight,
Smooth,
Without judgement,
Just being aware.
Feeling that area.
Feeling the inhalation and the exhalation.
Watching.
Noticing.
Being content with whatever feeling arises.
Accepting whatever feeling arises.
Feel how the breath moves in this area.
Feel how this area feels,
Experience the changing sensations in the heart area.
And just often the eyes,
Often the face.
Keep the uplifted spine and the buoyant chest.
Lightly placing your attention on the heart area.
Gentle awareness.
Watching without judgement.
Balanced in the body,
Still in the body.
Still in the mind,
Just observing.
And feeling the heart area.
Relaxing on the exhalation,
The whole body.
Bringing poise and lift and structure on the inhalation.
Exhaling,
Relaxing.
Keeping the awareness on the heart area.
Concentrating the mind,
Steadying the mind.
The mind wanders,
Lightly bring it back,
Place it back on the area of the heart.
Noticing the breathing in that area.
Just being aware of pleasurable sensations,
Unpleasant sensations and neutral sensations.
Just noting them as they arise without judgement.
Just being aware of all the changing sensations.
Now bring on the wish.
A wish you may be happy,
May be well,
That life is full of ease.
Make this a genuine wish.
A genuine wish for peace,
Happiness,
For yourself.
You can say,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May my life be full of ease.
An earnest wish.
Let this wish come from care,
Genuine care for yourself.
Keeping the mind concentrated on the heart area.
Soften the face,
Soften the eyes and bring lift and buoyancy into the body.
Alertness,
Gently relaxing.
Don't worry if the mind wanders,
Just bring it back.
To your wish,
To be well,
To be happy,
For life to be full of ease.
Breathing.
Making this wish.
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May life be full of ease.
Soften the face,
Soften the eyes,
Bringing the attention back to the heart area.
Gently place the mind and your awareness to the heart area.
Feel it without judgement,
Just experience what's there.
Being content in your body,
With your body.
Feeling every part of the wish to be well,
To be happy,
For life to be full of ease.
Accepting where you are right now.
So without judgement,
Experiencing everything you are feeling,
Let it rise,
Let it pass.
Without judgement,
You can learn contentment,
Acceptance.
Regardless of pleasant or unpleasant sensations,
Just feeling,
Accepting.
Remember to soften the brow,
Soften the eyes,
Soften the jaw and the tongue.
Keeping a buoyant lift in the chest,
The spine tall,
Balanced on both sides.
Relaxing the shoulders.
Feeling the breath moving into the heart and out of the heart.
With a wish,
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May my life be full of ease.
May I be content with this body.
May I love each organ,
Each limb,
Accepting each part as it is.
Free of stress,
Free of judgement,
No need to change anything.
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May life be full of ease.
Relaxed,
Centred and still.
Keep bringing the mind back to your object of concentration,
The heart,
The breath and the wish to be well,
To be happy.
On an exhalation,
Feel the body releasing,
Relaxing.
On an inhalation,
Bring presence and awareness to a tall spine with an open chest.
May I be well,
May I be happy,
May life be full of ease.
And continue with this practice,
With this intention and with this attitude for as long as you please.
Thank you.
