Cultivating Loving Kindness

Hi, and welcome to this loving kindness meditation, a practice that allows us to connect deeply to ourselves, others, and the world around us. So take a few moments to find a comfortable position. You can be seated or lying down, and just allowing your hands to rest, your shoulders to soften, and closing your eyes if that feels right for you. And we'll begin by taking a few deep breaths, inhaling gently and exhaling slowly, allowing the body to arrive and allowing the mind to settle. And then returning the breath back to its natural rhythm and pace. And we'll begin this practice by first turning inward, offering care and kindness to ourselves. So bringing to mind an image, or a sense of yourself, maybe as you are now or as a younger version of you, and silently offering these phrases of loving kindness to yourself. May I be happy and peaceful. May I be safe and protected. May I be healthy and strong. And may I live with joy, ease, and wellbeing. Just repeating these phrases gently in your mind, taking your time, pausing between each one, and feeling the warmth of loving kindness fill your mind and body. And if your mind wanders, that's okay. Gently coming back to the phrases, back to the feeling and intention behind the words. Now, bringing to mind someone you care about. Someone who's easy to love. It could be a friend, a family member, a mentor, or even a pet. Picturing them in your mind's eye, or even just feeling their presence and offering the same phrases to them. May you be happy and peaceful. May you be safe and protected. May you be healthy and strong. And may you live with joy, ease, and wellbeing. Repeating slowly, allowing the rhythm of the phrases to guide you. If emotions arise, seeing if we can let them move through gently with care. Now, thinking of someone neutral, maybe someone you see, but don't know too well. This could be a neighbor, a coworker, a barista, and offering the same kindness and care to them. May you be happy and peaceful. May you be safe and protected. May you be healthy and strong. And may you live with joy, ease, and wellbeing. Just imagining warmth and kindness flowing to them. Offering these phrases and repeating them silently to yourself. Now, if you feel ready, bringing to mind someone you find difficult, not someone who has caused harm, just someone you struggle with, and offering them the same phrases. May you be happy and peaceful. May you be safe and protected. May you be healthy and strong. And may you live with joy, ease, and wellbeing. And just noticing what arises as we offer them these phrases. Maybe seeing if we can ease any tension with the warmth and kindness of these words. And now imagine extending this kindness outward to all the people in your life, to your community, and to the...