The loving kindness meditation for mums.
So let's get our mindful bodies on.
Take a moment now to adjust your posture.
So if you're sitting,
Sit open and upright.
Or if you're lying down on your back.
You're lying balanced and symmetrical.
Uncross your legs and let your feet rest outwards.
Or perhaps you might like to gently bend and support your knees to take some pressure off your lower back.
Palms are open,
Resting by your side,
Resting on your lap or resting over your belly.
And if you haven't already done so,
Please close your eyes.
And just settle into your body.
Now in your own way,
Take a few moments to relax your body.
Perhaps taking three slow deep belly breaths helps.
As you breathe out,
Feel your muscles relaxing and releasing.
Softening and loosening.
Relaxing,
Awake and alert.
And remember there's nothing you need to be doing right now.
There's nothing you need to experience or achieve during this meditation.
This is your time.
Allow your breath to find its own depth and rhythm now.
Just let your breath breathe you.
You don't have to do anything.
Now become aware of the space in front of your closed eyes.
It's like a field of darkness.
Perhaps there are some muted shapes or colours there.
You're not looking for anything.
Just simply resting your attention there with relaxed eyes and a soft gaze.
Now bring your attention to any sounds coming to you from outside the room.
Just listening with a gentle curiosity.
Now bring your attention to any sounds coming to you from inside the room.
Again just listening.
Allow the sounds to call your attention to the present moment.
Just listening.
Now bring your awareness to your breath.
Notice what sensations there are as you breathe in and as you breathe out.
Feel the air flowing over your nostrils.
Feel the slight movement of your chest and your belly.
Rising with your in-breath and falling with the out-breath.
Perhaps there's even a gentle sound with your breathing.
Just your natural breathing.
Follow each breath.
And now bring to mind yourself.
Visualise yourself.
And briefly reflect on your life's journey and how you come to be here today.
Breathe consciously and direct the breath to your heart.
Using all your heart wish yourself well and say silently in your mind May I be filled with loving kindness.
May I treat myself with kindness in good times and in hard times.
May I be peaceful and at ease.
May I be well.
May I be happy.
Breathe in and fill your heart with loving kindness.
And breathe out and send loving kindness to every part of your being.
Gather all your attention behind one phrase at a time.
You don't have to try to make anything happen or fabricate or manufacture any special feeling.
But rather shepherd your attention back to these phrases.
Whenever you find your attention has wandered don't judge yourself.
Just gently bring your attention back to the phrases and to your breath.
Be as completely present behind one phrase as you can.
Now picture in your mind someone you love.
Visualise your child or children this time.
You're going to wish them well.
So again direct the breath to your heart.
And say silently in your mind.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
Breathe in and fill your heart with loving kindness.
Breathe out and send loving kindness to your children.
Now take this beautiful feeling you have for the people you love and spread it across to somebody you don't know so well.
Picture in your mind a neutral person.
You might choose a neighbour or a shopkeeper,
The postman.
Just visualise that person and again direct the breath to your heart.
And say silently in your mind.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
Breathe in and fill your heart with loving kindness.
Breathe out and send loving kindness to this person.
Now picture in your mind someone you find difficult to love.
Perhaps someone who has hurt or disappointed you.
And if you're just beginning this practice,
Please start with someone who has disappointed you just a little bit,
Not too much.
We're going to try and remember that they also want to be happy just like us.
Visualise them as if they're sitting or standing in front of you and briefly reflect on your contact with them.
Breathe consciously,
Direct the breath to your heart and try to wish them well and say silently in your mind.
May you be filled with loving kindness.
May you be peaceful and at ease.
May you be well.
May you be happy.
Breathe in and fill your heart with loving kindness.
Breathe out and send loving kindness to this person.
And now we're going to work on wishing all beings loving kindness.
You might like to place your open palms over your heart.
And we'll start by sending ourselves loving kindness.
So visualising yourself and saying silently in your mind,
May I be well and happy.
Visualising your family and saying silently in your mind,
May my family be well and happy.
Visualising your friends,
May my friends be well and happy.
Visualising your local community,
May everyone in our local community be well and happy.
May everyone in this country be well and happy.
May all beings all over the world be well and happy.
May all beings enjoy true peace.
Just rest for a few moments in the feeling of loving kindness as it spreads.
Filling your heart and flowing out to the rest of your body and to the rest of the world.
May all beings enjoy true peace.
May all beings enjoy true peace.
And now as we come towards the end of this meditation,
Allow your breathing to become a little stronger.
Perhaps a deeper breath or two.
Start to reactivate and re-energise your body by wiggling your fingers,
Wiggling your toes.
You might like to have a stretch.
And when you're ready,
You can gently open your eyes.
Thank you.
