Good morning.
My name is Kate from Sweetgrass Solace and I am so happy you have decided to take a few moments this morning to show yourself and others some loving kindness.
Please make yourself as comfortable as possible.
You may decide to sit up or lie down,
Whichever honors your body this morning.
Today,
I am going to lead you through a metameditation activity rooted in the Buddhist tradition that focuses on kindness to self and others.
Let's give a moment of gratitude for these teachings.
I invite you to close your eyes or soften your gaze on a certain spot.
We'll begin by paying attention to our breath.
Notice the natural rhythm of your breath for a few moments.
Notice how the breath flows in and out of the body.
And I invite you to begin extending the breath by inhaling through the nose for four seconds.
Pausing for five.
Exhaling through the mouth for a count of six or until your lungs are completely empty.
Inhaling for two,
Three,
Four.
Pause two,
Three,
Four,
Five.
And exhale through the mouth for two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
At your own pace,
Do two more of these mindful breaths.
We will begin this loving kindness exercise by acknowledging an acquaintance or stranger.
This could be someone who you saw outside when you got your mail,
Who served your morning coffee,
A peer.
Be with them in their presence.
Like you,
This person has struggles and victories.
Each day like you,
They live their busy lives.
They feel happiness,
Sadness,
Stress,
Joy.
Be with them.
Smile at them.
Notice them smiling back at you.
Now in your mind,
You may wish them well.
Look at them and say,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live your life with ease.
Look at them again.
Notice the change in their face as you wish them well.
Perhaps they feel more accepted,
More loved.
Now you can leave your acquaintance.
Perhaps you offer them a smile,
A wave,
Or pat on the shoulder.
Notice how you feel.
Returning to that breath as an anchor.
Exhaling through the mouth.
Now we are going to focus on someone who has challenged you.
Make sure that this person does not have too many emotions attached to them.
Perhaps it's a coworker that you struggle to understand.
Or an old friend who has parted ways.
Stand in their presence.
Notice them.
Their achievements,
Their struggles,
Their uniqueness.
Look at them and say,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live your life with ease.
Notice their face.
Notice the sensations inside of you.
Perhaps you feel lighter or more at peace.
Acknowledge them and wish them well.
Maybe with a nod or a smile or a wave.
Let's take another breath and notice what you are feeling.
Inhaling through the nose for two,
Three,
Four.
Pause.
And exhale for two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Now picture someone who brings you joy.
This can be a family member,
A friend,
A pet,
A loved one,
Or a mentor.
Feel the happiness and joy inside you as you stand in their presence.
What about this person makes you feel joy?
Appreciate them and their complexities.
Their quirks.
What makes them lovable?
Their trials and trials.
Look at them and smile and say,
May you be happy,
May you be healthy,
May you live your life with ease.
Notice the change on their face as you express your well wishes to them.
You can wish them a good day with a smile,
A nod,
Or maybe even a hug.
Breathe in.
Pause.
And out through the mouth.
Now onto someone who is with you all the time.
Yourself.
Some individuals may find it easier to picture themselves as a child.
You can picture yourself now or as a small child.
So often we are obsessed with our faults and past mistakes that we do not give the same love,
Forgiveness,
And acceptance we give others.
You are also worthy of love,
Acceptance,
Happiness,
Forgiveness,
And compassion that you give others.
Look at yourself,
Your beauty,
Your uniqueness,
Your struggles,
Your victories,
Your humanness.
Look at yourself with the gentle eyes you use to look at others and wish yourself well.
May I be happy,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease.
Wish yourself well.
You may smile or nod or give yourself a hug.
I invite you now if you feel comfortable to wrap yourself in a hug.
Notice how this self compassion feels in your body and breathe in its effects.
Breathing in for two,
Three,
Four,
Hold.
And out through the mouth.
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six.
Lastly,
We are going to focus on extending this loving kindness to each other and the world.
You may place one hand on your heart and feel its beating as you breathe slowly.
You may envision a green light radiating from your chest and enveloping the world with healing light.
Envisioning the helpers,
The children,
The elderly,
People all over the world.
Picture them gaining healing from compassion and kindness in this loving light.
May we be happy,
May we be healthy,
May we live with ease.
Peace.
