Thank you for joining me for this seven minute guided loving kindness meditation.
I'm Tanya Valle.
For the next few minutes,
I invite you to set aside your to-do list.
Give yourself the gift of a few minutes to help calm your mind and body and to access a place of compassion for yourself and others.
Through loving kindness meditation,
We seek to cultivate compassion for ourselves first and then others.
In order to truly have compassion for others,
We seek to genuinely feel it for ourselves first.
Let's start with finding a comfortable position.
You may choose to lie down if you're able to do so or to sit in a chair.
If seated,
Place your hands comfortably on your lap with your back upright but not rigid,
Shoulders squarely over the hips.
You may choose to close your eyes or if you feel tired or drowsy,
To keep your eyes slightly open with a soft downward gaze.
Let's begin with taking a deep breath in and out through the mouth.
This helps to release stress and tension.
To help settle the mind,
Let's try counting breaths.
Inhale and exhale,
Silently counting 1.
Inhale and exhale,
Silently counting 2.
Continue to 10.
Inhale and exhale,
Silently counting 9,
Back down to 1.
Let's take a few moments of silence to do that now.
Loving-kindness meditation cultivates compassion and greater love and acceptance for ourselves and others through the use of four phrases we silently say,
Such as,
May I be happy,
May I be safe,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease.
Feel free to change or use any words that may feel more comfortable to you.
Let's begin.
Say the four phrases to yourself,
Really trying to generate true,
Kind feelings towards yourself from your heart.
May I be happy,
May I be safe,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease.
Let's take a moment of silence to do that now.
If you notice any resistance to directing loving-kindness towards yourself,
Simply notice it and as comfortably as you can,
Continue to say the phrases to yourself.
Over time,
You may start to feel more genuine feeling behind the phrases.
May I be happy,
May I be safe,
May I be healthy,
May I live with ease.
Now we'll move on to a person you find easy to love or perhaps a beloved pet.
This person or being is called a benefactor.
Picture this person or being in front of you.
Say the four phrases to him or her or the being.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease.
If your mind wanders or you become distracted by thoughts,
Noise,
Or sensations,
Simply notice it without judgment and gently bring your attention back to the phrases.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease.
Now we move on to a neutral person.
This can be a stranger,
Someone you saw or passed on the street,
Or it can be someone you see but don't know very well,
Such as a cashier at your local store or a security guard.
Offer the phrases to him or her.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease.
Now move on to a person you find difficult to deal with or may even consider an enemy.
Picture him or her in front of you,
Keeping this person as close or as far away as you need to,
To feel comfortable.
Offer the phrases to him or her.
May you be happy,
May you be safe,
May you be healthy,
May you live with ease.
Now picture yourself and those you offered loving kindness to during this meditation,
All together,
Perhaps in a circle or in any configuration that feels comfortable for you.
Include yourself as you say,
May we all be happy,
May we all be safe,
May we all be healthy,
May we all live with ease.
As we bring this meditation to a close,
Take a moment to appreciate yourself for taking the time to do this.
Thank you so much for joining me.
