Open Your Heart To Others

As we start this meditation,

As in every meditation that we do together,

We start by activating our brain,

Telling our brain that,

Yeah,

We're going to do some meditation.

Take a deep inhalation,

Make yourself comfortable.

If you're sitting on the floor,

Legs crossed,

Arms and hands relaxed on knees or legs,

Back straight.

If you choose to leave your eyes closed,

That's okay.

If you want to leave them open,

That's okay too.

Just get that gaze towards the floor,

Not paying attention to anything.

Just take a deep inhalation,

You notice how your body automatically straightens up.

When you exhale,

You will also notice the downward movement where it allows you to relax your muscles,

Your body while you have it straight.

If you chose to sit on a chair or just like me sitting on a couch,

Make sure your feet are flat on the floor,

You can feel the floor beneath you,

Helps you,

Keeps you grounded.

Same thing for the upper body,

A deep inhalation opens the chest,

Allows the air to,

You know,

Come in easily and freely.

And as you exhale,

You notice the downward movement,

Relaxation,

Your shoulders,

Just,

You know,

It's a good feeling.

If you chose to do it laying on the floor,

That's fantastic.

Whatever is comfortable for you,

You know,

Between us,

Whatever is comfortable.

The only thing is that if you're laying on the floor,

Put something under your head and also hands and arms beside your body,

Palms facing up.

All right.

So back to a breathing,

A deep inhalation.

Softest low exhalation through your mouth as you notice how you let go of the tension,

A deep inhalation.

Open your chest,

Straighten your spine and a long and soft exhalation through your mouth.

Once again,

Telling your brain,

Now it's time to meditate and you just let the air go.

It's like you're breathing good things and letting go bad things,

You know,

Thoughts,

Emotions,

All those things that you don't want.

Feeling the fresh air,

You know,

Let go everything you don't want.

Last time,

A deep inhalation and a soft and gentle exhalation.

Now let's go back to a regular breathing as I like to say,

Or regular meditating breathing.

Breathing through your nose,

Softly and gently.

Chest enough breathing,

Not too much,

Not too little chest enough.

A soft and gentle inhalation and a soft and gentle exhalation through your nose.

Make sure your posture is erect,

Straight back.

A gentle inhalation and a soft and gentle exhalation.

Meditating on the four immeasurables makes us a better human beings.

That's the thing about it.

You know,

It doesn't change others directly.

Like people tend to think that,

Oh,

If I'm projecting compassion towards other people,

There's a ray of light that goes from my mind to other people and their suffering is gone.

No,

That's not how it happens.

Well,

At least that's what I think.

Keep breathing softly and gently.

What I think is that because it makes us better human beings,

Our relationships are improved better,

Altruistic,

And there is less rage,

There's less stress.

It makes us and the ones surrounding us better because we are better.

That's the thing.

When doing your meditation,

Your compassion meditation,

You wish others to be free from suffering.

You're not directly relieving them from suffering.

What you're doing is opening your heart and allowing more people inside yourself,

More people within your circle,

And you are more open to their opinion,

Their way of life.

You are more acceptable.

Softly and gently keep breathing.

Soft and gentle inhalation and a soft and gentle exhalation.

Let us relax our body,

Relax our heart just a little bit more by bringing our attention to the forehead and noticing any tension,

Any worry lines.

If we do,

We mentally relax it.

Just bring your mind side to it.

Just relax your forehead.

Let go of the tension.

There's no need for tension.

There's no need for stress.

There's no place to be.

Enjoy yourself here and now.

The only thing you need to do is breathe.

Relax your eyebrows,

Your arms,

Cheekbones,

Jaw.

So much tension.

I personally hold so much tension in my jaw.

A great opportunity to relax it.

Just let go of the tension.

Your ears,

Your neck,

Shoulders,

Chest.

Just let the shoulders go.

So much weight we carry on our shoulders.

Worries.

Yeah.

So much things that don't deserve it.

Just let go.

Chest,

Arms,

Hands,

Fingers.

Your belly.

Relax your belly.

Legs,

Feet,

Toes.

There's a soft and gently breathe.

It's your moment.

It's a moment to be with yourself.

Soft and gentle inhalation.

And a soft and gentle exhalation.

What does suffering mean to you?

You know,

If you ask that question to 10 different people,

You're going to get at least six different answers.

What does suffering mean to you?

Sometimes it's just the loss of a close one,

You know,

A loved one.

Sometimes it's jealousy of somebody else.

Sometimes it's feeling anger.

What does it mean to you?

Think about that for a while.

Unbiased.

Okay?

Don't go out and about expressing your anger,

Don't you see?

This relaxed moment,

Just think what does suffering mean to you?

Which moments they came to you that,

You know,

They don't allow you to perform or to execute something you wanted so much.

Because you were angry,

Your chalice,

Or because you suffered for the loss of a loved one.

Or it can be physical.

You know,

You broke a leg,

You hurt yourself.

It can be a thought.

If you remember on meditation on Monday,

We spoke about clarity and the stories that our mind tells us don't bite the hook or tilt you.

It can be those stories that just come from nowhere.

Makes us suffer,

Makes us anxious,

Makes us.

.

.

Probably be if you were three from those suffering sensations.

No,

You'd be happier,

More accomplished.

You'll be fulfilled.

You'll be calm.

Less stressed.

Think about that.

But how will it be hypothetically,

Let's say?

You'll be able to accomplish more.

Don't forget to breathe,

Soft and gentle,

Through your nose.

Inhale softly and gently.

Exhale softly and gently.

Because you're giving all those thoughts,

It doesn't mean that your breathing changes.

Soft and gentle.

Now as you think about those conditions,

How will it be without the suffering?

What does it feel in your body?

Do you feel happy?

Is there a sense of satisfaction?

How does it feel in your body right now when you're thinking about it?

You might feel motivated to do things.

Or you might not feel anything.

You're just.

.

.

You're good with yourself.

That's okay.

You might not feel anything.

That's okay.

Just how does it feel right now to think about life without suffering?

Soft and gentle inhalation.

Soft and gentle exhalation.

Softly and gently.

Just enough breathing.

It's not because you thought of suffering that your breathing rhythm will change,

Or because you're thinking of happiness or something.

Just keep it soft,

Gentle and shallow.

Just enough.

As you engage with this sensation in your body.

Now let's be wishful.

Let's think to ourselves,

May I be free from suffering?

May I be free from suffering?

That's how you want to feel.

May I be free from suffering?

May I be happy?

May I feel joy,

Accomplished?

Just think to yourself,

May I be free from suffering?

May I be happy?

Now think of someone that is close to you,

Someone you love,

Someone that is near to your heart.

And think of themselves as the I in the sentence,

As they were wishing to be free from suffering.

May I be happy?

Just in your mind's eye,

Picture that person saying those words.

Think to yourself how great it would be if they were free from suffering.

As they choose to suffer,

Just like you.

Now think of someone who is close to you,

But not,

You know,

You just know this person,

Maybe a neighbor or somebody from work or somebody who's not too close to you,

But you know.

Do the same thing.

Think of that person who is someone who suffers and wishes to be free from suffering.

And think of that person saying,

May I be free from suffering?

May I be happy?

Now think of someone that you really don't like,

Somebody you don't know,

There's no empathy,

There's,

You know,

You just,

Every time you have to speak with that person,

You just feel bad about them.

Somebody you might not respect or who doesn't respect you.

There's always one.

Think the image of this person.

If you don't,

If you don't,

If you can't come up with somebody,

Just think of her silhouette,

Just think of her,

Not just the contour,

The silhouette of someone who's suffering.

Things like you suffer and you wish,

They turn and wishing themselves to be free from suffering.

May I be free from suffering?

May I be happy?

Now extend those thoughts to all populations of people who are suffering.

Now you can bring your thoughts to people suffering from this terrible disease or the people that they leave behind,

Their children,

Loved ones,

Parents,

Those people who are suffering and they wish to be free from that suffering.

Just imagine them saying to themselves,

May I be free from suffering?

May I be happy?

Breathing steady,

Calm,

Gentle.

Now invite your attention gently and softly and slowly back to your breathing.

You know,

As you feel your heart opening to those people and opening to yourself,

You become more caring.

I think it happens to me,

You know,

I totally become more compassionate from the full sense of the word towards myself and towards others.

After I started doing this compassion for measurable meditation exercises,

My relationship with others improved drastically and I became more tolerant towards others.

I was able to start listening and understanding from a different perspective what others were trying to tell me.

Are those the rage or the dissatisfaction or the sadness where it came from?

It made me connect more with those people.

It made me connect more with myself.

It's a long road,

But that's how I travel.

At least that's how I am traveling.

Soft and slow inhalation.

Slow soft and slow exhalation.

Very shallow,

Very just enough,

Almost effortless.

And as you practice compassion meditation,

I hope I'll see you again and we will practice this so much.

And if you want to turn your wishes into actions,

There's always a way for you to help those who are suffering.

And I don't mean just now,

I mean at any time.

There's always a way for you to help.

Soft and gentle inhalation.

Soft and gentle exhalation.

But remember,

You cannot help others if you don't help yourself first.

Slowly and gently take a deep inhalation and a slow exhalation.

Straighten your spine,

Open your chest,

Your back and forth,

Your neck,

Stretch your muscles.

Slowly and gently open your eyes,

Get used to the light,

The colors around you,

The people,

The things.

You know,

If we practice this and becoming a better person will help others become better people.

Thank you so much for your meditation today.

I hope I'll see you on the Friday,

6.

30.

That's the loving kindness meditation we're going to meditate on.

And enjoy the rest of your day,

Your Thursday,

Your Friday.

Enjoy these lovely days.

And I'll see you again.

Thank you so much.

Bye.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.