Mindfulness Practice:
Loving Kindness

1.  Lying on the floor or sitting in a chair, find a comfortable posture that feels relaxed and alert, noticing how you adjust to find this feeling. Rest your hands on your lap. Close your eyes or soften your gaze. Take a few deep breathes, letting go of tension throughout the body.

2.  Take a few rounds of either the Complete Breath or Balanced Breath.

3.  Soften your focus away from your breath and bring to your attention someone you really love. This person should come to you easily. This can be anyone, a pet, a family member, a friend, etc. When you have that person in mind, imagine sending this person love and kindness. Breathe in these phrases and exhale them out, sending them to that person you love:

May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe.
May you be at peace.

4.  Soften your focus away from this loved one gently and bring yourself to your attention. Imagine sending yourself feelings of love and compassion. If this is difficult, it may help to imagine yourself from the perspective of someone who loves you. Breathe in these phrases and exhale them out, sending them to yourself:

May I be happy.
May I be well.
May I be safe.
May I be at peace.

5.  Now bring your attention to a neutral person. This can be someone you may see on a regular basis but do not know they name or anything personal about them, such as someone you see on a morning walk. Bring that person into your mind and focus on sending them feelings and wishes of love and compassion. Breathe in these phrases and exhale them out, sending them to this person:

May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe.
May you be at peace.

6.  Bring your attention now to a person you have a difficult relationship with right now. This can be anyone. Focus your attention on sending this person love and compassion. This may be difficult to do and may bring up a lot of strong and powerful feelings. It may be helpful to imagine this person as a baby to be able to see them as more vulnerable and in need of love and care. Breathe in these phrases and exhale them out, sending them to this person:

May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe.
May you be at peace.

7. Finally, soften your focus away from this person and focus your attention on a larger group of people. Imagine your family, your co-workers or classmates, your neighborhood as a collective of individuals, the state, the country, the world. Imagine as big as possible. Imagine sending love , kindness, and compassion to everyone. Breathe in these phrases and exhale them out, sending them to everyone:

May we be happy.
May we be well.
May we be safe.
May we be at peace.

8. Let go of your focus and return to noticing the breath in the body. Take three full and complete letting go breathes, breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth. When you are ready flutter your eyes open and notice any feelings, thoughts, or sensations that may be left after this practice.

Never overdo any breathing exercise or force your breath into a pattern that is uncomfortable. If you begin to feel anxious or lightheaded, stop practicing and breathe normally.

Practice with self-compassion and non-judgement.

Feel free to change the phrases to ones that feel more true to you and your practice, ensuring they are messages of love and compassion.

The Loving Kindness meditation can be done from a seated, standing, or reclining position.