We will journey inward to awaken one of the most profound qualities of the heart,
Compassion and loving-kindness.
These qualities are not something we need to create,
They are already within us,
Like a hidden spring,
Often covered by layers of stress and the baggage of overthinking.
But when we reconnect to these qualities,
Something very beautiful happens,
The heart opens up to love,
To give love and to receive love,
For ourselves,
For others and for all beings on the planet.
Compassion is not weakness,
It is strength with tenderness.
And here's a little secret to remember.
When we bless others,
We bless ourselves.
When we are compassionate towards others,
That same compassion flows back to us.
When we are kind to others,
We become the first to receive that fragrance of kindness.
When we send blessings outward,
Those blessings first caress our own heart.
So this meditation will guide you to awaken that inner well of love,
First towards ourselves and then towards others.
So as we begin,
Find a quiet,
Comfortable space,
Sit or lie down in a way that feels supportive and gently close your eyes and let the outer world fade.
For now,
Come home to your breath.
Let's begin.
Close your eyes gently and take a slow,
Deep breath in,
Again inhale deeply and exhale slowly,
Feel the rhythm of your breath,
Steady and calm and allow yourself to come to this present moment.
With every breath out,
Allow your body to soften and your shoulders to release.
With every breath out,
Allow your body to soften,
Your shoulders to release and your jaws to relax.
Let all tension melt away and with every breath,
Feel the stillness,
Experience yourself feeling softer with each breath.
Being in this moment makes us feel light and easy.
So let's begin by offering this loving kindness to ourselves.
So whisper these blessings inwardly with tenderness,
With a lot of compassion towards the self,
May I be full of love,
May I be full of peace,
May I live with ease,
May I be free.
Feel these words wrapping around you like a soft embrace.
Every blessing you give with kindness,
Compassion,
Nourishes you deeply.
Now on your screen of your mind,
Emerge someone you love dearly,
Picture them sitting before you feeling safe and happy and as you hold them in this space,
Silently offer these blessings,
May you be safe,
May you be full of love,
May you experience deep peace,
May you be free.
As you bless them,
Notice what happens inside of you,
When we bless others,
We bless ourselves.
Every wish we create for others happiness deepens our own joy.
Now imagine this loving kindness radiating outward,
Expanding to the entire universe,
To all the souls of this planet,
To all beings,
All life forms.
No one should be left out.
See the whole earth bathe in this light of compassion flowing from your heart and silently offer these blessings,
May all beings be safe,
May all beings be happy,
May all beings experience deep peace and may all beings be full of love,
May all beings be free,
May all beings safe,
May all beings experience deep peace,
May all beings be happy and may all beings be free.
Slowly bring your awareness back to your breath and notice your body resting in stillness and your heart filled with this quiet warmth.
So carry this feeling with you for the rest of your day and let all your thoughts,
Words and action flow from this space of compassion.
Thank you so much for practicing compassion for yourself and for all beings.
Thank you.
