To begin this practice
Let yourself be in a relaxed and comfortable position
We’re going to do the practice of cultivation positive emotion
In this case, loving kindness
Which is the desire for someone to be happy
Or yourself to be happy
It’s not dependent on something, it’s not conditional
It’s just a natural opening of the heart
To someone else or to yourself
So you can check in to your body and notice how you’re feeling right now
Letting whatever is here, be here
Now let yourself bring to mind
Someone whom, the moment you think of them, you feel happy
See if you can bring to mind
It could be a relative, a close friend
Some with not too complicated a relationship
Just a general sense, that when you think of them you feel happy
Can pick a child
Or you can always choose a pet
A dog or a cat
A creature it’s fairly easy to feel love for
So let them come to mind
Have them-- have a sense of them being in front of you
You can feel them, sense them, see them
And as you imagine them
Notice how you’re feeling inside
Maybe you feel some warmth
Or there’s some heat to your face
A smile, sense of expansiveness
This is a loving kindness
This is a natural feeling that’s accessible to all of us at any moment
So now having this loved one in front of you
Begin to wish them well
May you be safe and protected from danger
May you be happy and peaceful
May you be healthy and strong
May you have ease and wellbeing
And as I say these words, you can use my words or your own words
And have a sense of letting this loving kindness come from you
And begin to touch this loved one
Reaching out
You might think in images
You might have a sense of colour or light
You might just have a feeling
The words may continue to bring on more of this feeling
And I encourage you to say whatever feels meaningful to you
May you be free from stress and anxiety
May you be free from all fear
And so as you’re sending out these words and these feelings of loving kindness
Also check into yourself and see how you’re feeling inside
And now imagine that this loved one turns around
And begins to send it back to you
So see if you can receive the loving kindness
Take it in
And they’re wishing you well, may you be happy
Meaning you
May you be peaceful and at ease
May you be safe and protected from all danger
May you have joy, well being
Letting yourself take it in
Now if you’re not feeling anything at this point
Or before in the meditation
It’s not a problem
This is a practice that plants seeds
And if you’re feeling something else other than lovingkindness
Just check into that
What is it I’m feeling
There may be something to learn here
Now if it’s possible and it’s not always easy to do this
But see if you can send loving kindness to yourself
You can imagine it coming down your body from your heart
You can just have a sense of it
May I be safe and protected from danger
May I be healthy and strong
May I be happy and peaceful
May I accept myself just as I am
And as you ask yourself the question “what do I need to be happy?”
See what arrises
And offer that to yourself
May I have meaningful work
A joyful life
Close friends and family
And now checking into yourself
And noticing what it is you feel as you do this
And now let yourself bring to mind one person
Or a group of people that you wish to send the loving kindness to
Imagine them in front of you
Sense them, feel them
May you be happy and peaceful
May you be free from all stress and anxiety and fear
Worry
Grief
May you have joy and happiness
Wellbeing
And now let this loving kindness expand out
Spreading
Touching anyone that you want to touch right now
In all directions
People you know, people you don’t know
People you have difficulty with
People you love
Just imagine expanding and touching
And each person or animal
Whoever is touched by this loving kindness
Each person is changed
You can imagine that
So may everyone everywhere be happy and peaceful and at ease
May we all experience great joy
[bell rings]