Growing Loving-Kindness

Find a comfortable position.

You back upright.

Take a deep breath.

And relax.

Take another deep breath.

And relax some more.

Let yourself smile.

Bring to mind someone you love.

A person,

A pet.

Feel your love for them.

Look at the world through their eyes.

What are their challenges,

Their problems,

Their joys?

And wish them well.

If you'd like,

Say something such as,

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be peaceful.

Or find your own variation of these good wishes.

Rest in this feeling.

And extend it even further to more of the people you love.

Bring them to mind.

Take each one of them and understand where they are.

Why they are the way they are.

And accept them as they are,

As you would accept a flower.

And again wish them well.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

Now extend the love you feel,

Not only to your loved ones,

But also to the people you've met,

Your acquaintances.

People you're not that close to.

Start with one and look at him or her more closely than you normally would.

What have they lived through?

What have they experienced?

What are their challenges?

What are their hopes?

What are their dreams?

Realize that they too are just looking to be happy,

To be healthy,

To be at peace.

And wish them well.

Now bring to mind people that you don't really know at all,

Such as the cashier in the supermarket,

Or at the petrol station.

Somebody you talked to on a call center.

Think about how they too have problems and challenges and just want to be happy,

Healthy,

And at peace.

Send them good wishes.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be at peace.

And now turn your loving kindness towards people you find difficult,

People you're fighting with,

People that don't do what you would like them to do.

Bring to mind one person and think about why they act that way.

What are their motivations?

What are their wants,

Their needs,

Their problems,

Their challenges?

See the world through their eyes as best you can.

Realize how they too just want to be happy,

Just want to be healthy,

Just want to be at peace.

Now bring to mind all the people that you've thought of now and send them good wishes.

Include yourself in that.

And when you're ready,

Come back into the room and open your eyes.