Today’s practice
Loving Kindness
15 min, guided by Sean Fargo
Today is loving-kindness, metta, training the heart toward goodwill. It can feel natural, or awkward, or emotional. All of it is allowed.
In your day
Offering yourself one simple phrase today: may I be safe. May I be well.
From Sean
Something you do not hear much: loving-kindness does not have to start with you. You can reflect on a person or an animal who cares for you, a pet, someone no longer around, a figure you look up to, and let yourself feel being cared for. Let that in bit by bit. For a lot of people that is the easiest way to let love in. Receiving care is a practice.
A question to carry
What shows up when you offer yourself kindness? Ease, resistance, grief, numbness?
Saved on this device only, and kept for all 28 days.
A few lines, for whatever they are worth
Someone once looked at me
as if I were worth looking at.
I let that in
a little at a time,
like light
under a door.
If you want more today
- Script: Loving Kindness Visualization: The Spheres (PDF), to read aloud for yourself or someone else.
- Workshop: Fiona Brandon on mindful sensitivity and tonglen, about an hour, for when you have it.
- Podcast: Four Loving-Kindness Meditations in One, for the drive or the walk.
Read the practice as text
Transcription
Let’s begin by taking a moment to allow your body to settle. Find a comfortable position that allows your spine to be long but with a natural curve in the low back. For this practice you may want to close your eyes (2 seconds). Let the belly and the shoulders relax (2 seconds).
Today I’ll guide you through a loving kindness practice.In this practice we generate a wish for well being for ourselves and others.Before we start take a full breath in (2 seconds) and a long breath out (2 seconds).
Allow the breath to settle the body and settle the mind (2 seconds).To begin this practice, I’ll provide a few phrases that you can use to offer loving kindness to yourself.
You can repeat the phrases silently or just follow along.You can also replace these phrases with ones that work well for you (2 seconds).May I be well (2 seconds). May I be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May I be happy (15 seconds).
As you repeat these phases, see what it’s like to really let them in.If it’s uncomfortable to wish yourself well, try releasing a little bit of resistance,just letting the phrases be here around you (2 seconds).
May I be well (2 seconds).May I be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May I be happy (10 seconds).
Now bring to mind someone that you care about, a teacher, a mentor, or even a loyal pet is a good object of your love and kindness here.
Keep them in mind as you use the phrases to wish them well (2 seconds).May you be well (2 seconds).May you be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May you be happy (2 seconds).
Imagine them receiving your wishes for well being and the lighting in them (15 seconds).
Now bring to mind someone who is having a difficult time, who perhaps has experienced loss or illness or maybe having a hard time at work.Imagine that person sitting in front of you now and wish them well.
May you be well (2 seconds).May you be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May you be happy (2 seconds).
Share any words that express what you wish for them (10 seconds).Try extending now your wishes to everyone near you right now (2 seconds).
May they be well. May they be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May they be happy (5 seconds).Think of your friends and family.May they be well.
May they be safe and free from suffering.May they be happy (5 seconds).
Now if you’re able, extend your wishes beyond the place where you are,beyond the people you know to extend over the entire earth.All people, all animals, all life. May all beings be well (2 seconds).
May they be safe and free from suffering (2 seconds).May they be happy (10 seconds).Feel the sense of well wishing extending out from you in all directions.
How do you feel in this moment? (2 seconds)What are the sensations in your body? (2 seconds)What’s the quality of your mind? (10 seconds)
Now bring that large circle of loving kindness back towards yourself (2 seconds).
May I be well.May I be safe and free from suffering.May I be happy (10 seconds).Breathing in and breathing out.
Allow yourself to be fully present with whatever is here now (10 seconds).Lets finish this loving kindness now by taking a full breath in (2 seconds)and a full breath out (5 seconds) *ding* (15 seconds).
Integrated Practice:
Practice loving kindness at work, or with friends/family. Prior to a work meeting or a conversation with friends/family, take a silent moment to wish happiness for those you will be engaging with.
Reflection Questions:
What do you notice with regard to your mood or behavior as a result from this practice?
Your progress
Day by day. No streak to protect.
Kept on this device. A missed day is part of the practice: pick up where you are.
Daily by email
This is Day 16 of the 28-Day Mindfulness Challenge.
One short practice a day for four weeks, sent to your inbox each morning with the worksheet and a podcast episode to go with it. Free.