Today, I’m going to guide us through a loving kindness meditation. This is great to do if you’re feeling a need for self-comfort or community, something I think we can all use right now [during this coronavirus pandemic]. Below is a script if you’d like to follow along with the guided video.

You can do this meditation lying down or sitting in any way that is most comfortable for you. I’d recommend doing some gentle movement first to get out excess energy in the body, but if that’s not available for you, no worries, we can get started!

Whether you’re lying down or seated, get comfortable.

Drape a blanket over yourself, sit up on the edge of a pillow, maybe cover the eyes. Once you’re comfortable, find stillness. Connect with your breath. Feel each inhale travel into the belly and softly part the lips for every exhale. 

Continue to just focus on your breath for a couple cycles. 

Bring to mind a vision of yourself.

It can be you as a child or you today. Make it a clear vision, as detailed as you can. Breathe.

With this image in mind, repeat the following silently or out loud:

I am worthy of loving kindness.
I deserve loving kindness.
May I be filled with loving kindness.

May I be free from pain,
May I find peace,
May I be filled with ease.

May I be happy,
may I be safe,
may I be healthy,
may I be filled with loving kindness.

Now bring to mind someone you don’t know well or someone who brings you discomfort.

Though challenging, keep a clear vision of them as you repeat silently or out loud:

You are worthy of happiness.
You deserve happiness.
May you be filled with happiness.

You are worthy of feeling safe.
You deserve to feel safe.
May you be filled with feelings of safety. 

You are worthy of good health.
You deserve good health.
May you be filled with good health.

You are worthy of loving kindness.
You deserve loving kindness.
May you be filled with loving kindness.

May you be free from pain,
May you find peace,
May you be filled with ease.

May you be happy,
may you be safe,
may you be healthy,
may you be filled with loving kindness.

Next, bring to mind someone you cherish very much.

Imagine looking into their eyes as you repeat the following:

You are worthy of happiness.
You deserve happiness.
May you be filled with happiness.

You are worthy of feeling safe.
You deserve to feel safe.
May you be filled with feelings of safety. 

You are worthy of good health.
You deserve good health.
May you be filled with good health.

You are worthy of loving kindness.
You deserve loving kindness.
May you be filled with loving kindness.

May you be free from pain,
May you find peace,
May you be filled with ease.

May you be happy,
may you be safe,
may you be healthy,
may you be filled with loving kindness.

Imagine now a beam of light, planted as a seed in your heart, grows to hold you in a bubble.

Imagine that bubble of light expanding to your neighbors, to your city, your state, your country, your continent, across oceans. Imagine the entire world held by your bubble of light and repeat: 

All beings are worthy of happiness.
All beings deserve happiness.
May all beings be filled with happiness.

All beings are worthy of feeling safe.
All beings deserve to feel safe.
May all beings be filled with feelings of safety. 

All beings are worthy of good health.
All beings deserve good health.
May all beings be filled with good health.

All beings are worthy of loving kindness.
All beings deserve loving kindness.
May all beings be filled with loving kindness.

May all beings be free from pain,
May all beings find peace,
May all beings be filled with ease.

May all beings be happy,
may all beings be safe,
may all beings be healthy,
may all beings be filled with loving kindness.

You can stay here as long as you’d like.  Otherwise, if lying down, gently roll to one side and slowly push yourself up to seated. Reach your arms up and overhead, palms connecting, coming down to the heart. 

Lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu

This is sanskirt for “May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.”

May we all continue to look out for each other. Sending you love and feelings of safety during this difficult time.

Thanks for meditating with me! Namaste