Music Hello,
I'm Paul McCann and I'd like to welcome you to today's guided meditation.
Music This meditation is based on the four infinite thoughts.
Music The four infinite thoughts or the four immeasurables are described in the Yoga Sutra written by Master Patanjali around 300 CE.
They are considered cornerstones to meditation and yoga practice because they clear away our own mental obstacles as we meditate on helping others to clear them as well.
So take a moment now to settle into your environment.
You can be seated or lying down.
Wherever you are,
Start to connect with the ground.
Feel the soles of your feet or your sit bones or whatever is touching the ground.
Notice the connection.
And now with a long,
Slow,
Deep breath in,
Lengthen your spine.
Dropping your shoulders.
And as you breathe out slowly,
Feel the ground again.
Become aware of the breath.
Entering your nose.
You might feel the breath in your throat.
Notice the rise and fall of your belly as you breathe.
And as you sit or lie here watching your breath,
Intentionally draw a slight smile to your lips.
Allow your body to bask in a sense of happiness.
Allow yourself to feel that sensation as if you already had every happiness in the world.
As if you had every cause of future happiness.
And here,
Right now,
Contentment.
Knowing you have everything you need.
And now with the felt sensation of how this happiness feels in your body.
Imagine sending that same sensation to either one single particular being or all living beings in the world.
And then imagine this one being or everyone feeling that same full-bodied happiness and contentment that you feel right now.
And from this sensation of happiness,
Allow yourself to feel as though you are also free from every pain and suffering.
And all causes of future pain and suffering.
Still breathing into that slight and gentle smile.
You are completely free from pain and suffering.
With your whole body,
Allow yourself to feel the sensation of how good this freedom feels.
As you wish the same for just one being or all beings everywhere.
May all beings everywhere be free from pain and suffering and all causes of future pain and suffering.
And as you send out this wish,
Feel the energy of that wish fulfilled and coming back to you.
As your happiness and your sending of happiness to others causes the happiness of others to return back to you.
Seeing all other beings happy and free from pain,
Thanks to your wish,
Brings you joy.
So locate this joy in your body.
And rest in awareness of this joy.
And feeling completely full of joy,
Send it to others.
May all beings everywhere feel this same complete and full sense of joy.
May they feel the joy of a full body connection to happiness.
Fully absent of any pain or suffering.
Allow yourself to imagine a world where every being was connected to joy.
And because of this connection,
Not a single being would ever hurt another.
And recognize that this world began with you.
With your willingness to connect to the joy within you and to share it with others.
And so may you always be willing to share joy.
And may you share it freely to all beings equally,
Whoever they may be.
Imagine for a moment what it would be like to live in a world where everyone freely and equally shared joy.
Intentionally send out that wish.
May all beings everywhere share happiness,
Freedom from pain and their joy to all others equally.
And rest in the sensation that such a world is possible.
And remember that this world began with your connection to breath and a smile.
And may you share joy with others equally.
And may you share joy with others equally.
And may you share joy with others equally.
And may you share joy with others equally.
And may you share joy with others equally.
