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    Podcast episode

    Guided Loving-Kindness: Wish Others And Yourself Well

    May 21, 20268 minHosted by Sean Fargo

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    Mindfulness Exercises Podcast

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    About this episode

    This guided loving-kindness practice begins with a person who makes your heart sing. You imagine them well and happy, picture their smile, their laugh, and their kindness, and offer the simplest wishes: may they be well, may they be happy, may they live with ease. Then the attention turns inward. The care you just extended to a loved one is offered to yourself: may I be healthy, may I be safe, may I live with ease. The guidance describes this as the same care someone who loves you would offer you, now spoken in your own voice. The meditation opens by settling the body into a posture that is relaxed and alert and inviting ease into the belly, chest, and head. It describes this as a gift of presence and non-judgmental awareness. It closes by letting the offerings of kindness sink in, so that goodwill holds the heart and reaches the whole of one's being.

    Key takeaways

    • The wishes offered to a loved one become the wishes offered to oneself.
    • Picturing a person's smile, laugh, and kindness makes the wish for them concrete.
    • The meditation sets a posture that is relaxed and alert before any wishes begin.
    • It closes by letting the goodwill sink in and reach the whole of one's being.
    • It presents presence and non-judgmental awareness as a gift to offer.

    Reflection questions

    • Who makes your heart sing, and what wishes arise naturally when you picture them well and happy?
    • What shifts in the body when ease is invited into the belly, the chest, and the head?
    • What does it feel like to offer yourself the care that someone who loves you would offer?
    • Where does resistance appear when the phrases turn from "may they" to "may I"?
    • What would it be like to let kindness settle in your whole being?

    Show notes

    We guide a short loving‑kindness meditation that begins with softening the body and ends with offering yourself the same care you give others. Simple phrases and steady breath help shift tension into goodwill you can feel.

    • settling the body with relaxed, alert posture
    • softening shoulders, easing belly, limiting visual input
    • finding a natural breath rhythm
    • visualising loved ones and wishing them happiness
    • repeating phrases of kindness and ease
    • turning compassion inward with May I be well, safe, at ease
    • letting benevolence permeate the body and close with a deep breath

    Transcript

    Show transcript· 2 min read

    <a class="no-underline" href="#settling-the-body">Settling The Body</a>

    Mindfulness exercises dot com. Wishing ourselves and others well. Let's begin by taking a moment to settle your body in a comfortable position.

    <a class="no-underline" href="#softening-and-breath-awareness">Softening And Breath Awareness</a>

    Finding a posture that feels relaxed and alert. You can close your eyes or look downward just to limit visual distractions. As you invite a sense of ease into your belly, your chest, and your head. And allowing that sense of ease to just travel around your body. Feeling a sense of well-being, relaxation. As you give yourself this gift of presence, of non-judgmental awareness, sense of care. As you check in with the physical sensations of your body, as well as any emotions you may be experiencing right now. As you allow yourself to settle and relax. As you relax your belly and soften your shoulders. Now taking a full breath in through the nose and out through the mouth. And allowing your breath to relax into a natural rhythm.

    <a class="no-underline" href="#bringing-loved-ones-to-mind">Bringing Loved Ones To Mind</a>

    As you bring to mind someone who you care about. Someone who makes your heart sing. Imagine them well and happy. May they be happy. And whatever other wishes you have for them, say them now. Bring to mind someone else who you care about. Imagine them well and happy.

    <a class="no-underline" href="#extending-wishes-of-happiness">Extending Wishes Of Happiness</a>

    Imagine their smile, their laugh, their kindness, and say to yourself, May they be well, may they be happy. May they live with ease.

    <a class="no-underline" href="#turning-kindness-toward-yourself">Turning Kindness Toward Yourself</a>

    And with that same sense of care that you felt for these people, invite a sense of well-being for yourself. Invite a sense of care and compassion for yourself. Wishing yourself love and happiness. May I be healthy? May I be safe? May I live with ease. Wishing yourself the same sense of care that you'd wish for another. Same sense of care that someone who loves you would offer you.

    <a class="no-underline" href="#letting-the-care-sink-in">Letting The Care Sink In</a>

    And as you breathe in normally, just allow these offerings of kindness and goodwill to sink in, can hold your heart, allowing the sense of care to permeate throughout your being. May I be well. Finishing with a full deep breath.

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