13.2 – Guided Meditation – Loving-Kindness

Maybe taking a few deep breaths, breathing in and breathing out.
Do one more deep breath at your own pace.

And then letting go of any tension in the body. Letting the body relax and be soft. Letting the shoulders hang heavy. Letting the arms rest in your lap or gently at your sides.

In this meditation we're going to be sending well wishes to others.
Going to be wishing well for the people in our lives.

So, first bringing to mind someone who has helped you out in life.
Someone who has made a difference and really cared for you in some way.
It might be a former coach or a teacher or a mentor.

Maybe an older relative who took care of you when you were young.
Just whoever comes to mind, someone that you know cares for you deeply.

You can imagine this person sitting here in front of the you just smiling down on you. And just feel the warmth coming from this person.
Knowing that this person cares deeply about you.

They don't care how successful you are or how much money you have.
They just want you to be happy.
And so feeling that warmth, imagining them smiling.

You can even imagine a beam of light coming from that person on to you.
Knowing that you are cared for and loved. And just as they care for you, you can also care for them.

Knowing that they also go through struggles in life, that they deal with sadness and frustration. And so in the same way that they wished you happiness, we can all wish that for them as well.

So again bringing them to mind, just imagining them sitting in front of you and smiling.

And then we can repeat the phrases of loving kindness.
So quietly in your mind repeating the phrase, “May you be happy and peaceful.”
And just imagine this person being happy and peaceful in life.

And silently repeating the phrase, “May you be healthy and strong.”
And imagine them being healthy and strong.

And then repeating the phrase, “May you feel safe and protected.”
Really picturing that coming true.

And then last repeating the phrase, “May you live with ease and well-being.”

Setting the intention for them to live a life that is full of ease and full of well-being.
And just imagining this person smiling, living a happy and peaceful life.

And feeling the well wishes coming from you and going towards this person like a beam of warm light shining on the person.

And just connect with that intention of wishing well for the other.
And then bringing to mind a neutral person, someone who you might see on a regular basis but you don't have strong feelings about one way or the other.

Maybe a clerk at the grocery store or a bus driver or someone that you just see around town.

And bringing them to mind.
And again, imagine them smiling that knowing also that they struggle sometimes and they also wish to be happy.

So, we can just send them that positivity as well.
“May you be happy and peaceful.”
“May you be healthy and strong.”
“May you feel safe and protected.”
“May you live with ease and well-being.”

Just imagining these coming true for this person.
Setting the intention to wish this upon the person.

And then finally bringing yourself to mind, understanding that you are just as deserving of this good will and this loving kindness and that often we don't treat ourselves so well.

Knowing that we can send the same good wishes to ourselves.
So now imagining yourself sitting in front of you. You can either imagine yourself as you are now or maybe a younger version of yourself, even as a young kid.

And bringing yourself to mind and again repeating the phrases, “May I be happy and peaceful.”

And imagine yourself being happy, living a peaceful life.
“May I be healthy and strong.”

And just sending this wish for yourself to be healthy.
“May I feel safe and protected.”

And just wishing yourself a life of safety and protection.
And finally, “May I live with ease and well-being.”

And just imagine yourself in this scenario where you feel perfectly at ease.
Imagining that smile on your face.

And knowing that we practice this loving kindness not just for our own benefit and not for just the benefit of those we love but for the benefit of all beings.

Just bringing all beings to mind.
All sentient life.

And we can repeat the phrases for all beings as well.
“May all beings be happy and peaceful.”
“May all beings be healthy and strong.”
“May all beings feel safe and protected.”
“May all beings live with ease and well-being.”

Bringing your awareness back to your body.
And to end this meditation, we can take a deep breath together.

So, breathing in deeply and breathing out slowly.
And really in your own time gently allowing your eyes to open.

And just feeling the warmth and goodness that has been cultivated from this practice.

So, great work today on day 13.
We've got just one more day left in the course.

Tomorrow we'll be bringing it all together.
So, I look forward to seeing you then on day 14.