This is the sixth of ten mindfulness practices designed to help you increase emotional balance and presence in the current moment.
This practice is a loving-kindness meditation.
Loving-kindness is an English translation of the word metta,
Which means unconditional or universal love.
It's a practice of cultivating an open heart by planting seeds of benevolence and kindness that can grow into unconditional compassion and love for ourselves and others.
It's often much easier to express loving-kindness to others than it is to ourselves,
So this practice is a crucial first step in laying the foundation for self-compassion.
When practicing loving-kindness,
Instead of focusing your attention on the body or breath,
You'll focus your attention on loving-kindness phrases.
During the practice,
You might notice that the mind wanders away to other things,
And that's totally normal and that happens all the time.
In other practices,
We've returned the focus of your attention to the breath or body,
But in this exercise,
We're going to return the focus of your attention to the phrases themselves.
Let's begin by finding a comfortable seated position.
It can be in a chair or on the floor.
Notice what it's like to sit where you're sitting.
Observe the sensations in your feet where they make contact with the ground.
Notice the sensations of touch and pressure in your legs and hands.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
We'll first offer loving-kindness to yourself.
I'll say some phrases and you can repeat them in your mind.
May I feel loved and valued.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be safe and protected.
May I find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Bring to mind someone who's been a mentor to you.
Someone who's been important in your growth or your development.
When you can picture this person,
Offer them loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Bring to mind the image of a friend or a loved one or a pet and offer them loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Bring to mind someone who's neutral in your life.
Someone you just met or really don't know and offer this person loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Bring to mind a person with whom you've had a difficult interaction or a rupture in your connection or a complicated relationship.
Someone who is challenging at times in your life.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
And offer this person loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Imagine a group of people that you feel connected to.
A family,
A community,
A group who supports you.
And offer all these people together loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
And now imagine the whole world of human beings and offer loving-kindness.
May you feel loved and valued.
May you be healthy and strong.
May you be safe and protected.
May you find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
We'll return and offer loving-kindness to yourself.
May I feel loved and valued.
May I be healthy and strong.
May I be safe and protected.
May I find acceptance and peace.
Take a deep,
Intentional breath and let it go.
Notice what the experience of offering loving-kindness has been like for you.
Allow whatever is there to be there.
Bring acceptance and self-compassion to whatever you experience today.
Return your attention to your breath and to the sensations in your body.
Noticing what it feels like to sit where you're sitting.
Widen your attention to your surroundings.
When you're ready,
Open your eyes and return your attention to this present moment and carry this loving-kindness with you into the next moments of your day.
