So just taking a few moments

now to settle into a comfortable

position for this meditation.

And aiming, if you care to, to sit

more upright, rather than slouching.

And supporting your intention to be

awake and attentive during the practice.

And placing the hands

in a comfortable way.

And allowing the eyes to

gently close when you're ready.

And taking your awareness all the way down

to the contact points between your body

and the surface that you're sitting on.

Just noticing any sensations

at those contact points.

And being aware of the sounds that

are present around you in this moment.

And noticing a feeling of the

breath gently moving in your body.

And as a way of settling in here

a little more fully, just taking

three deep, slow, full breaths.

Breathing in.

And letting the breath go.

And just taking two more breaths in

the same way in your own time now.

And with each exhale, just allowing your

body and mind to settle and relax a little

bit more fully into the here and now.

And then just letting your breath return

to its own natural rhythm and pace.

No need to try and control

the breath in any way now.

But just continuing to stay in touch with

the feeling of the breath in your body.

Just dropping your attention

now right into the feeling

of the breath in the belly.

Just follow the sensations of

the breath as it enters the

body, and as it leaves the body.

In and out.

Allowing this act of mindful breathing

to be a support in coming home to the

fullness and the aliveness of this moment.

And knowing that there's nothing else

that you need to do in this moment.

Nothing you need to fix or solve or plan.

Nowhere else you need to be.

So allowing yourself to be

fully here in this place, with

this breath, in this moment.

Just letting your awareness rest in

the wave-like movement of the breath.

Like a raft might rest in a moving sea.

And when you're ready, just bringing

to mind someone that it feels easy

to bring loving kindness towards.

It can be someone from

the past or the present.

It could be a child or a pet.

Someone you have an easy,

uncomplicated relationship with.

And allowing yourself to hold

this person in your awareness.

Perhaps seeing them in your

mind's eye or perhaps feeling

a sense of them in your heart.

Can you feel a sense of

loving kindness towards them?

You might even like to place a hand

over your heart as you practice.

And as you hold this person in

your awareness, beginning to send

wishes of loving kindness to them.

So mentally repeating

the following phrases.

Maybe you be safe and protected.

And may you be free from suffering.

May you be healthy and happy.

And may you live with ease.

And may you feel my love now.

May you accept yourself just as you are.

And may your heart be at peace.

And may you be filled with love and joy.

So just resting here now with this

feeling of open, unconditional

love for a few moments.

Just letting yourself bask in

the energy of loving kindness as

you breathe in and breathe out.

Inviting and enjoying feelings of

peace, acceptance, and loving kindness.

So now extending these words

and this energy of loving

kindness towards yourself.

Mentally repeating the following phrases.

May I be safe and protected.

May I be free from suffering.

And may I be healthy and happy.

And may I live with ease.

May I accept myself just as I am.

And may my heart be at peace.

And may I be filled with love and joy.

And now, if you care to, just

repeating again mentally some of these

phrases, or you can create your own.

Or you can just take some more time

here, a few moments to just bathe

in the energy of loving kindness.

And now just inviting you to

bring to mind a neutral person.

So this is someone that you might see

regularly, but you don't know well.

It might be a neighbor, the mailman, the

checkout person at your grocery store.

So just bringing a person to mind now.

And see if you can have a sense of

extending loving kindness towards them.

As you mentally repeat

the following phrases.

May you be safe and protected.

May you be free from suffering.

May you be healthy and happy.

May you live with ease.

And may feel my love now.

And may you accept

yourself just as you are.

And may your heart be at peace.

And may you be filled with love and joy.

And again, now just taking a

few moments to just rest here in

the feeling of loving kindness.

Resting within it.

And letting it feel your being.

And breathing with it gently.

And now if it's possible for you,

just bringing to mind someone with

whom you've had a more difficult

relationship, or maybe you have a

feeling of animosity towards this person.

Perhaps it's someone that you don't

really like to feel compassion for.

But in this moment, seeing if it's

possible to let go of the feelings of

resentment or dislike for this person.

And can you remind yourself of your

common humanity with this other person?

Just like we all do, this

person suffers, feels fear,

experiences pain and confusion.

And just like all of us,

they may have made mistakes.

Unlike all of us, they too are

deserving of love and kindness.

So seeing if it's possible to

soften and let go of resentment

and extend to this person the

following phrases of loving kindness.

Just repeating them to yourself

mentally, if that feels okay.

May you be safe and protected.

May you be free from suffering.

May you be healthy and happy.

May you live with ease.

May you feel my love now.

And may you accept

yourself just as you are.

And may your heart be at peace.

And may you be filled with love and joy.

And now just taking a moment to

tune in to your body and your mind.

And how it feels to generate

the energy of loving kindness.

And now allowing your awareness to

open out in all directions, including

yourself, your loved one, the neutral

person and the more difficult person.

And all beings, humans, as well as

all the creatures on this planet

and all living beings everywhere.

Aware of all the happiness and sorrows,

gains and losses that we all share.

So holding all beings in mind now.

And seeing if you can have a sense

of extending love and kindness

towards them, as you mentally

repeat the following phrases.

May we all be safe and protected.

May we be free from suffering.

May our hearts be at peace.

And may we all be filled

with loving kindness.

May we all wake up to who we are.

And may you all feel my love now.

And now for these last moments of the

practice, just coming back to extend

loving kindness towards yourself.

Just sitting here for a while and

basking in the energy of loving

kindness that has been generated here.

And then taking a deep breath in.

As you exhale, begin to wriggle

the fingers and the toes.

And just noticing how you're feeling after

practicing loving kindness meditation.

And when you're ready,

just opening the eyes.