Guided Meditation: Loving Kindness

Loving Kindness Meditation practices decrease negative emotions, quiet our inner critic, strengthen empathy and compassion, and enhances social and nature connectedness. Studies show loving-kindness can act quickly. In as little as 7 minutes, a person’s good feelings & sense of social connection increases, although temporarily. In as little as 8 hours of practice, a person shows brain changes toward more permanently increased compassion. Reductions in usually intractable unconscious bias emerge after just 16 hours of practice.

Our meditations are best practiced by listening to the podcast, which you can find here:

Here is the transcript, in case you like to read it first!

Sit with your back comfortably straight, head up, feet flat on the floor and your arms gently in your lap. Close your eyes or soften your gaze.

Simply sit and notice yourself in sitting. Breathe naturally. Notice your breath going in and your breath going out.

Now, place your attention on the area in the middle of your chest, around your heart.

Repeat to yourself gently and softly, feeling the resonance of the words: "Love. Love. May my heart be filled with love.”

As you say this, if you like, bring to mind something or someone that you feel caring and loving towards.

It may be an image of a soft, lovable dog, or the serene look on someone's face, or a baby, or the feeling of the soft fur as you stroke a kitten.

Experience this feeling of warmth and love through your whole body.

Feel the sense of caring, healing and soothing. Let it wash over you and through you while you gently repeat silently to yourself these phrases:

May I be well, healthy and strong.

May I be happy.

May I abide in peace.

May I feel safe and secure.

May I feel loved and cared for.

Now, bring into your mind someone you care about and respect.

Send them these feelings of warmth and caring, as you wish them well by repeating these phrases:

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you abide in peace.

May you feel safe and secure.

May you feel loved and cared for.

Do this with someone else who is equally important, that you like and respect. Choose someone that you find it very easy to spread loving-kindness to.

Send them these feelings of warmth and caring, as you wish them well:

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you abide in peace.

May you feel safe and secure.

May you feel loved and cared for.

Now bring to mind someone you barely know and feel neutral about. This may be someone you have seen in the street, who you see on the train, or pass in the corridor at work.

Send them these feelings of warmth and caring, as you wish them well:

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you abide in peace.

May you feel safe and secure.

May you feel loved and cared for.

Now see if you can think of someone who irritates you. It may be a difficult client, a slow driver, or someone at work you find irritating. This person has not caused you direct harm, but simply causes feelings of aversion.

Send them these feelings of warmth and caring, as you wish them well:

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you abide in peace.

May you feel safe and secure.

May you feel loved and cared for.

Now, only if you wish to, you can invoke a person who has caused you harm in some way.

You are not condoning or approving of what they have done. You are simply allowing yourself to let the pain and anger you carry towards them to go, as the pain and anger hurts you more than anyone else.

Send them these feelings of warmth and caring, as you wish them well:

May you be well.

May you be happy.

May you abide in peace.

May you feel safe and secure.

May you feel loved and cared for.

Now try to radiate warmth and love to everyone in your community.

May you all be well,

May you all be happy,

May you all abide in peace,

May you all feel safe and secure,

May you all feel loved and cared for.

Perhaps we could extend this love and warmth to all of humanity. Those we agree with and those that we do not. Repeat these phrases:

Just as I wish to, may you all be well.

Just as I wish to, may you all be happy.

Just as I wish to, may you all abide in peace.

Just as I wish to, may you all feel safe and secure.

Just as I wish to, may you all feel loved and cared for.

Focus once again on yourself, so the feeling of loving-kindness fills your whole being, breathing in peacefully, breathing out peacefully; at peace with yourself and the world.

Now slowly let the feelings of loving-kindness ease and return once again to focusing on just your breathing.

Return to once again noticing yourself sitting.

Now slowly return your attention to your surroundings, opening your eyes or focusing your gaze. Take in a deep, cleansing breath and sigh with relief.

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This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. We’d deeply appreciate your support at patreon.com/amindfulmoment. Our podcast is now available to view on our YouTube Channel, so be sure to follow us there and on Instagram @amindfulmomentpodcast. Visit our website, amindfulmoment.com to access podcasts, scripts and book recommendations.

A Mindful Moment is written and hosted by Teresa McKee and/or Melissa Sims. The Spanish version is translated and hosted by Paola Theil. Intro music, Retreat, by Jason Farnham. Outro music, Morning Stroll by Josh Kirsch, Media Right Productions. Thank you for tuning in! This podcast is produced by Work2Live Productions.