Loving-Kindness Meditation 


  	Find a quiet comfortable place to sit, with your back gently supported, in a relaxed posture. Let your eyes close, fully or partially. Take a few easy, slow breaths, bring your awareness to your body and into the present moment.
  	Bring to mind a person or another living being who naturally makes you smile. This could be a child, a grandparent, a pet – whoever naturally brings happiness to your heart and a smile to your face. If you can’t think of a living being, think back to a memory of a place where you felt happy and at ease. Allow the feelings of what it is like to be in the company of that being to come into the present moment. Allow yourself to enjoy their company.
  	Now, recognize how vulnerable this loved one is. Just like you, vulnerable to sickness, aging, bad things happenings, death. And just like you and every other living being, your loved one wishes to be happy and healthy and free from suffering. Keeping the warm kind loving feelings you have for your loved one close to your heart, repeat to yourself, silently or out loud, slowly, softly, and gently, feeling the importance of your words:
  	May you be safe and free from harm
  	May you be healthy and free from suffering
  	May you have contentment and peace of mind
  	May you care for yourself with ease and well-being
  	When you notice that your mind has wandered, return to the words and the image of the loved one you have in mind. Return to the feelings of warmth, kindness, love, and compassion.
  	Now add yourself to your circle of warmth and good will. If it feels comfortable, place your hand over your heart, feel the warmth and comfort of your hand, and say, slowly and gently:
  	May you and I be safe and free from harm
  	May you and I be healthy and free from suffering
  	May you and I have contentm ent and peace of mind
  	May you and I care for ourselves with ease and well-being
  	Visualize your whole body in your mind’s eye, notice any tension, discomfort, stress, or uneasiness that may be lingering within you, and offer warmth, comfort, and kindness to yourself.
  	May I be safe and free from harm
  	May I be healthy and free from suffering
  	May I have contentment and peace of mind
  	May I care for myself with ease and well-being
  	Now bring your attention to your breath, take a few easy comfortable breaths, and just rest quietly in your own body, savoring the good will and compassion that flow naturally from your own heart. Know that you can return to the phrases and the feelings that come with them anytime you wish. Whenever you are ready, gently open your eyes.
  	There are many variations of the mett   phrases. If you or your clients wish for simpler phrases, here’s a good alternative:
  	May you be safe
  	May you be peaceful
  	May you be healthy
  	May you live with ease
  	When your client practices this meditation in the moment of need, she could wish for whatever it is she needs at that moment: “May I have comfort,” “May I be at ease,” “May I be kinder to myself,” “May I have peace”, and “May I be free from suffering.”
  	Please remember that the goal of the mett   practice is not to bring on specific feelings, or to change the present moment. The goal is to bring some kindness, warmth, good will, and compassion into the present moment, along with whatever else exists in that moment.
  	You practice mett   not in order to feel better, but because you feel bad.