This meditation is based on a traditional loving-kindness practice described in the book The Attention Revolution by Alan Wallace.
The practice invites you to use mental imagery to invite the future you want.
The Bengali poet Tagore wrote,
The stronger the imagination,
The less imaginary the results.
Begin by quieting your mind and your body.
Let stillness in the mind invite stillness in the body,
And stillness in the body invites stillness of the mind.
Notice any physical sensations in your body,
And direct your breath into any areas that are tight or constricted.
Breathing space and relaxation into those areas.
Let your posture be upright,
Legal,
Majestic.
As if you are holding vigil for yourself.
Take three slow,
Deep breaths through your nostrils,
Down into your belly.
Letting your diaphragm expand,
Letting your chest expand.
And at your own pace,
Exhale comfortably,
Completely.
Settling your body into a resting state.
And after three deep breaths,
Let your breath flow unconstrained.
Let it settle into its own natural rhythm.
Settling your awareness into a state of relaxation,
Stillness,
And clarity.
Now from within this serenity,
Arouse your imagination with three questions.
The first question,
What would I love to receive from the world,
Tangible or intangible,
In order to have a happy,
Fulfilling,
And meaningful life?
Clearly bring to mind the thing that you desire to meet your basic needs.
Don't be afraid to picture it.
See it vividly.
Whatever it is that you would love to receive from the world,
Tangible or intangible,
In order to have a happy,
Fulfilling,
Meaningful life.
See it clearly in your mind's eye.
Then say to yourself,
May this desire be fulfilled.
This may come and go objections.
Just let them pass across your mind like clouds in the sky.
Don't let them deter you.
Now pursue the vision of your happiness even more deeply.
Simply picture your needs being fulfilled and feel gratitude for this.
And ask what more would you love to receive from the people around you and your surroundings?
What can they provide,
Tangible or intangible,
To help you fulfill your heart's desire?
Imagine the world rising up to meet you here and now to provide all the support you need to fulfill your aspirations.
If doubts and objections pass through your mind,
Know that that's normal.
That's just what the mind does.
Let the thoughts come and let them go and return to this vision.
You having all the support you need to fulfill your aspirations.
Our bodies and minds are constantly changing day to day,
Moment to moment,
Whether we consciously choose those changes or not.
You can be intentional about the change.
So the second question is,
What kind of person do I want to become?
What personal qualities do I want to possess?
Envision all the changes you would like to experience as you evolve as a human being.
Imagine both the short and the long-term changes.
Picture that future self vividly.
And imagine that this transformation is taking place here and now.
Be brave.
Picture it with as much detail as you can.
See vividly the kind of person you want to become.
Feel the personal qualities you want to possess.
Feel them already within you.
We are deeply connected to those around us.
Our actions and our inactions affect each other.
Whether consciously or unconsciously,
We are making an impact on the world.
And so the last question is,
What would I like to offer the world to those around me,
To my surroundings?
What kind of mark would I love to make?
See the vision in your mind's eye.
Invite this vision into your field of consciousness with as much detail as you can.
Picture yourself offering this gift to the world.
See yourself making this mark.
Feel gratitude as if it has already happened.
Taking all the people,
The conditions and the circumstances and your own intention for letting this future unfold.
Just as we want happiness,
So does everyone in our households,
In our neighborhoods.
So now expand your field of awareness to embrace everyone around you.
Those you love and those you find difficult.
Those you know and those you don't know.
Extend your love to all beings within a mile around you.
Humans,
Animals,
Trees,
Birds.
Hold them for a moment in your awareness.
Make a saying,
May they be happy,
May they too be at peace,
May they like me be free.
And finally letting your field of awareness extend out as far as it wishes.
As many kilometers as it wishes to unfold.
Even to include the whole continent,
The world,
The universe.
Wishing that these beings too may be happy and at peace and free.
May all beings near and far be safe and free and protected from inner and outer harm.
May they be happy and contented.
May they be healthy and whole to whatever degree possible.
May they experience ease of well being.
May I be happy,
May I be at peace,
May I be free.
May all beings be happy,
May all beings be at peace,
May all beings be free.
May I be at peace,
May I be at peace,
May I be at peace.
