Inclusiveness Meditation: Growing Our Hearts

So,

Coming into a comfortable position where we are aware of our inherent dignity,

Where we touch the sense of being present for ourselves.

And I invite you to check out how you're feeling today,

Because the best position for you might be seated,

It might be more relaxed,

Lying down,

Or it could be standing if you need more energy to be alert or just your body needs to be standing.

So feel free to just take whatever position is most supportive for you.

So feel your body and where it's making contact with the seat or the floor.

If you're seated,

Feel your buttocks on the chair,

Cushion,

Feel your feet on the floor,

Or any other body parts that are in touch with a solid surface.

Allow your body to rest and give its weight to the support of the earth.

Let the earth hold you.

You may like to practice releasing tension in the body as you exhale.

Feel your forehead,

Let the muscles soften there.

Relaxing and letting go in the shoulders,

Allowing the chest and belly to be soft,

Open.

Allowing the arms and hands rest on whatever surface they're connected to.

Allowing the legs and feet also to let go and rest.

Allowing the body and mind to open and settle.

Feeling the solidity,

The reliability of the earth supporting you and letting your whole body now just rest on the earth.

Coming to your heart center,

Feeling the breath coming in and out from the heart area.

Allow your heart area to be open,

Receptive,

Relaxed,

Connecting with the rhythm of the breath,

The flow of life force in and out.

Now bring to mind something that you're grateful for in this moment.

It could be something that inspired you or helped you feel connected to others recently.

Or just the simple fact that you woke up this morning,

That you're alive today.

Whatever it is,

Allow this feeling to be really present and to feel the energy of it in your body.

Notice where you experience this gratitude and what qualities this gratitude or appreciation or opening has.

Is it warm,

Tingly,

Smooth,

Calm,

Bubbly?

What are its characteristics?

Allow this wholesome feeling to really fill you and nourish you,

To really bathe your heart,

Your being in this sense of goodness.

Let this gratitude turn into a kind and friendly wish for your own continued wellbeing.

Focusing towards yourself now with a wish for the strengthening of your own grateful heart so that this quality might become more and more beautiful and rooted in you.

And I'll offer some phrases that if they resonate with you,

Feel free to whisper them tenderly and kindly to yourself.

Or if you have other phrases that you feel more connected to,

Go ahead and use those.

May I be happy.

May I be safe.

May I be healthy.

May I live with ease.

If it's accessible to you,

Feeling yourself to be safe in this moment,

Protected,

Connected right now to the many others on this call,

Practicing a wholesome path of mindfulness.

I like to visualize myself in situations in which these wishes are a reality.

So you can picture yourself right now in a situation of happiness,

Safety,

Health,

Ease.

May I be happy.

May I be safe.

May I be healthy.

May I live with ease.

Finally wishing yourself well.

Now bring to mind someone or a group of people who are different from you in some way,

Those you don't know well or who are not easy for you to feel connected to,

To feel close to.

Maybe even someone or a group that causes discomfort to arise in you.

Maybe they're those who are on a different end of the political spectrum or those from different backgrounds or ways of life who speak another language than you,

Who have a different religion,

Different beliefs.

You might feel estranged from them or just simply unfamiliar.

Could be politicians,

Veterans,

Homeless people,

Famous athletes,

Those who are ill or those who are healthy,

Those in prison,

Refugees or wealthy CEOs.

So choose one person or one group that is different from you that you'd like to focus on for this practice.

Now allow this person or group to come clearly to mind and get a sense of their characteristics,

What they look like,

How they're dressed,

What the expression is on their face,

What they're doing,

Who they're with.

And opening to and connecting to the reality that just like us,

They too also wish to be happy,

Safe,

Healthy and loved.

If you can,

Beginning to wish the same friendliness we offered ourselves to them.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

May you live with ease.

Include them in your good wishes,

Even though you're quite different from each other.

Visualize them in situations in which these wishes become reality.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you be safe.

May you live with ease.

Notice how it feels in your body to offer this friendliness,

This care.

If it's not possible for you to feel friendliness to this person or group,

That's perfectly all right.

Continue sending friendliness and care to yourself.

Or if you notice anger or other difficult emotions arising,

Turn your kindness and friendliness to these emotions with your care,

With your compassion,

Just holding them,

Attending to them.

Otherwise,

Continue to send kindness to this person,

This group,

Seeing them well,

Seeing them fulfilled,

Seeing them peaceful.

Maybe also dropping in this wish,

May I learn to know you better.

May I learn to nourish neighborly love in my heart for you,

The wish for you simply to be and to thrive.

We can take a deep breath and slowly bringing your awareness back to the room that you're in and the surface that you're contacting with your body.

As you're ready,

You can slowly open your eyes if you have them closed.

The invitation to all of us is to continue to nourish in our daily lives whatever sense of connection with those who are different that was accessible to us in this practice.

Just keep that alive.