Beth Freschi Follow

With a loving heart as the background, all that we attempt, all that we encounter will open and flow more Loving Kindness. With a loving heart as the background, all that we attempt, all that we encounter will open and flow more easily. Loving kindness meditation uses phrases, images, and feelings to evoke a loving kindness and friendliness toward oneself and others.
Sit in a comfortable fashion. Let your body rest and be relaxed. Let your heart be soft, letting go of plans and preoccupations. Then begin to recite inwardly the following phrases I read directed to yourself. You begin with yourself because without loving yourself it is almost impossible to love others.
May I be safe and protected
May wisdom and compassion always live in my heart
May my body and mind be healthy and strong
May I be free from mental suffering
May I be free from Inner and Outer harm
May I be happy
May I live in this world with ease
May I be free from suffering
As you repeat these phrases, you can picture yourself as a young and beloved child, or sense yourself as you are now, held in a heart of loving kindness.
May I be safe and protected
May wisdom and compassion always live in my heart
May my body and mind be healthy and strong
May I be free from mental suffering
May I be free from Inner and Outer harm
May I be happy
May I live in this world with ease
May I be free from suffering
When you have established some sense of loving kindness for yourself, you can then expand your meditation to include others in the same meditation period. After focusing on yourself, choose two people in your life--one male, and one female-- who have truly cared for you. They may be alive or not with us anymore. Picture first the male person and repeat these phrases:
May he be safe and protected
May wisdom and compassion always live in his heart
May his body and mind be healthy and strong
May he be free from mental suffering
May he be free from Inner and Outer harm
May he be happy
May he live in this world with ease
May he be free from suffering
Now, picture the female who has truly cared for you and repeat these phrases:
May she be safe and protected
May wisdom and compassion always live in her heart
May her body and mind be healthy and strong
May she be free from mental suffering
May she be free from Inner and Outer harm
May she be happy
May she live in this world with ease
May she be free from suffering
Now you can begin to include others in this meditation: friends, community members, neighbors, people everywhere, animals, all beings, the whole earth.

May we all be safe and protected
May wisdom and compassion always live in our hearts
May our bodies and minds be healthy and strong
May we be free from mental suffering
May we be free from Inner and Outer harm
May we be happy
May we all live in this world with ease
May we be free from suffering
You can even include difficult people in your life, wishing that they too be filled with loving kindness and peace.
Loving kindness can be practiced anywhere. You can use this meditation in traffic jams, in buses, airports, grocery lines, at work, and while walking. As you silently practice this meditation among people, you will feel a wonderful connection with them--the power of loving kindness. It will calm your life and keep you connected to your heart.

By Jack Kornfield