Loving-kindness meditation.
Find a comfortable meditative posture,
Either sitting on a chair,
On a cushion or lying down.
Let's just stand by taking in a few conscious breaths,
Inhaling deeply through the nostrils,
All the way down,
Down,
Down into your belly,
And slowly exhaling through your mouth.
Inhaling deeply all the way down,
Down,
Down into your belly,
And slowly exhaling.
And just continue with that in your very own rhythm.
Maybe you want to imagine on the inhalation that your belly is expanding like a balloon,
And on the exhalation imagining that you're blowing out a cake with candles.
Inhaling deeply and exhaling.
And then allowing your breath to just be natural.
Bring to mind someone that oozes love out of every pore.
A really kind and benevolent being.
Maybe like a Dalai Lama,
A Maya Angelou,
But it could be a grandparent,
A pet,
Your partner,
A mentor,
Your higher self,
Or any celestial being or Buddha,
Whoever comes to mind.
Just try to connect with that being,
Seeing it vividly or feeling it,
Sensing it.
And if that's available,
Place one hand on your heart and imagining that being saying to you,
May you be safe,
May you be peaceful,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease,
May you be safe,
May you be peaceful,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease.
And then either just listen to me or silently repeat after me in your mind.
May I be safe,
May I be peaceful,
May I be happy,
May I live with ease.
May I be safe,
May I be peaceful,
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I be free from suffering,
May I live with ease.
May my love for myself and others flow boundlessly.
May the love for myself and others flow boundlessly.
And then either bring someone to mind that you love or someone that you know who is facing challenges and extending those same wishes to that person,
Silently in your own mind saying,
May you be safe,
May you be peaceful,
May you be happy,
May you live with ease,
Really visualizing that person feeling it connecting with him or her.
May you be safe,
May you be peaceful,
May you be healthy,
May you be happy,
May you be free from suffering,
May you live with ease.
May the love for yourself and others flow boundlessly.
May the love for yourself and others flow boundlessly.
And now extending the same wishes to everyone and all animals on the planet,
Imagining the people in war zones who have been victims of violence,
To be free from pain and suffering or reunited with their loved ones.
Imagining the forests being green,
The oceans being free from pollution,
The air free from pollution and all animals being safe and joyful.
May everyone on this planet be safe.
May everyone on this planet be peaceful.
May everyone on this planet be happy.
May everyone live with ease.
May everyone on this planet be safe.
May everyone on this planet be peaceful.
May everyone on this planet be happy.
May everyone on this planet be healthy.
May everyone be free from suffering and at ease.
Now sensing your whole body as if it was enclosed in gold,
Illuminating light.
And imagining that light moving out from your body and permeating your whole room,
Your house,
Extending through your street,
Your village or city,
Your country,
The neighboring countries,
The neighboring continents,
All continents and the whole earth.
Imagining the love,
The compassion emanating even further into the universe,
Into all universes,
Expanding,
Expanding,
Expanding and then shining back onto this universe,
Onto this planet,
Across all continents,
All your neighboring countries,
Your country,
Your city,
Your street,
Your house,
Your room and back onto you with a warm embrace.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful.
May you be happy.
May you live with ease.
Taking in a few conscious breaths.
Inhaling deeply through your nostrils,
All the way down,
Down,
Down into your belly and slowly exhaling.
Inhaling deeply and exhaling.
And two more of these breaths in your very own time.
And then very gently stand wiggling your toes,
Wiggling your fingers,
Moving the head to the right,
To the left,
As if you were to say yes.
And to the front and to the back as well.
And then whenever you're ready in your very own time,
Slowly open your eyes.
