Hello and welcome to this meditation on loving kindness for yourself and others.
Beginning by tuning into the breath,
Maybe feeling the breath inside the chest,
Using the breath to direct your attention into the chest,
The area around the heart,
Noticing what you can feel there,
Breathing into the chest,
Noticing the sensations in that area of the body,
And in particular noticing any sensations that are connected to your mood or emotional state.
Of course it's fine if you don't notice any emotional sensations in the chest,
But just listening out carefully,
Being attentive and receptive,
Noticing if you can feel how you are right now in the sensations of the chest.
And now calling to mind someone who you care about,
Someone for whom you feel fairly straightforward affection,
Nothing complicated.
Could be a good friend,
Maybe a child,
Could be a pet.
And noticing how that feels,
Keep breathing into the chest,
Noticing what you feel there,
And whatever you feel is okay.
Might be nothing much,
Might be something you didn't expect to feel,
It's all fine.
We're just noticing what's here when we call to mind this person or animal for whom we feel warmth and kindness.
Now we're going to start very gently trying to increase the emotional temperature just a little bit,
To feel ever so slightly more warm or kind towards this person or animal.
You could try using words,
Saying silently,
May you be well,
May you be happy.
Directing these words towards this person or animal,
Seeing how that feels.
And again,
However it feels is just fine.
You could imagine how their face might look as they receive your good wishes.
Maybe it would really relax,
Maybe they'd smile.
May you be well,
May you be happy.
And you can be creative here,
Find what works for you.
Maybe you'll imagine your kindness as a warm colour that surrounds them,
That they could breathe in.
Maybe as a golden light that shines on them.
Maybe you'll imagine you could breathe it out towards them.
Play around,
Try to find the ways that work for you to connect with this sense of kindness and care as best you can.
And whatever you feel is fine.
Probably you don't feel anything much,
That's okay.
Maybe you feel something that you didn't expect to,
That's okay.
Just staying with the intention to bring a little more kindness to your attitude to this person or animal.
That's what matters,
Just the intention.
And always continuing to feel the body.
Notice how your body feels as you do the practice.
And now letting that person or animal fade away in your awareness.
But taking that attitude of kindness and care and seeing if you can direct it towards yourself.
May I be well,
May I be happy.
And whatever you feel is fine,
Just trying to develop the intention to care about ourselves a little more.
And you can be creative.
Maybe you could breathe in care and kindness.
Maybe it could fall on you as a golden light.
Feeling the body,
Feeling the breath in the chest.
Noticing what it feels like to at least intend to offer yourself this care and kindness.
May I be well,
May I be happy.
And we'll continue like this for a few moments more.
So you can practice this yourself in silence.
