29 : Meditation - Compassion for India (A Loving Kindness Practice)

[00:00:00] 

Let's begin by finding a position that allows us to be both alert and relaxed at the same time,

 sitting with a tall, straight back, but not rigid  and resting your hands, wherever is comfortable for you.

 And let's begin with three deep breaths.

[00:01:00] Now I invite you to  turn your attention  inward  and just checking in  with how you're feeling right now. As you arrive here  for this meditation practice today.  Springing that open kind and curious attitude  of  loving awareness  to what it feels like in your body and your mind right here. Right now in this moment.

[00:02:00] Meeting yourself exactly. As you are  in this moment  right now,

 right now, it's like this.

 so just seeing if there are any areas of your body  that are holding [00:03:00] onto any tension,  stress, or tightness,  and then your next exhale, imagining that releasing.

 Each in breath, bringing a little more acceptance  and  each out breath a little bit more letting go and releasing more and more  into the peace of this moment.

 In breath,

 breath.

 [00:04:00] When you're ready, I'm by you now to find. The breath in the body, noticing wherever the breath sensations are most vivid for you right now.

And just resting your awareness. There had the same kind of loving awareness, ah, simply resting it  on the sensations of breathing in.

 And breathing out right now. There's nowhere that you need to go, nothing that you need to do trust resting in the simplicity and peace of this and wrath

and this how breath moment by moment by moment. [00:05:00] And breath, five breath, pipe, breath.

[00:06:00] Yeah.

And whenever you notice that your mind is drifted away into thought or distraction, no problem. Meeting, whatever you find the same kind, loving awareness of mindfulness. Just noticing what's on your mind in this small moment and then gently choose to come back to the breath and start again.

Each in breath is a new beginning.

[00:07:00] Each out-breath is a chance to let go.

Relaxing more and more into the peace and ease of this moment,  letting go of everything that has come before

 and everything that is yet to come and resting right here right now  with justice and breath.

 Justice hot breath.

[00:11:00] [00:10:00] [00:09:00] [00:08:00] And again, just noticing where your mind is in this moment. And if you find that it's drifted away, no problem. Simply noticing [00:12:00] with kindness and gently bringing your attention back to the breath and being again, beginning again.

Over and over again, returning to the breath and beginning a new

breathing in I'm aware that I'm breathing in,

breathing out. I'm aware that I'm breathing out. Uh,

[00:13:00] and now I invite you [00:14:00] to try me in practicing some compassion.

There are so many suffering in the world and we ourselves are suffering in big and small ways. And so this practice of love and kindness allows us to cultivate compassion for ourselves. And those who find themselves in difficult suffering and difficult situations. And so if you like placing a hand on your heart, on your belly, whatever's comfortable for you

and let's begin by sending some compassion to ourselves.

Repeating silently, may I be happy? And at ease

[00:15:00] May I be healthy and safe.

may I be free from illness, pain and suffering?

may I recognize my strength and my resilience?

may I feel loved and supported

and allowing whatever you wish to arise for yourself.

Whatever you [00:16:00] wish for yourself to arise in your mind and just taking it in,

taking a deep breath in.

And I imagine as you exhale that you're sending out this compassion. One more

and now bring to mind someone who you love dearly, imagining them in your mind's eye and repeating silently. Imagine sending these well-wishes to them. May they be happy and at ease,

[00:17:00] may they be healthy and safe?

May they be free from illness, pain, and suffering.

maybe they recognize their strength and their resilience.

may they feel loved and supported.

And imagining whatever you wish for this person, imagining it in your mind and sending it out to this person,

[00:18:00] taking a deep breath.

And,

and now bring to mind someone who you know, was suffering was going through a tough time, perhaps dealing with COVID or illness or fear, and let us send these well-wishes to that person.

May they be happy and at ease,

may they be healthy and safe?

[00:19:00] may they be free from illness, pain, and suffering.

maybe they recognize their strength and their resilience.

may they feel loved and supported.

now allowing wish to arise, whatever you wish for this person. And imagine as you repeat it in your mind, them receiving it.

[00:20:00] Taking a deep breath in and sending that compassion out one more.

And now I invite you to bring to mine. Billions of people in India who are suffering right now, either with the disease of COVID itself or the intense fear and anxiety for themselves and their loved ones. Let us send our compassion to them. Repeating sign only. The people of India be happy and at ease

[00:21:00] may the people of India be hell healthy and safe.

May the people of India be free from illness, pain, and suffering.

may the people of India be protected from Corona virus and COVID.

Hey, the people of India recognize their strength and their [00:22:00] resilience

and may the people of India field love and support. Coming from all over the globe

now, allowing whatever you wish for the people of India to arise in your mind and practice it a few times as you send it out, imagining it landing and providing some. Small relief,

alleviation of suffering,

[00:23:00] taking a deep breath in

and.

And let us extend these wishes to all beings everywhere. Repeating silently may all beings be happy and at ease

may all beings be healthy and safe.

may all beings be free from illness, pain, and suffering.

may all beings recognize their strength and their resilience.

[00:24:00] may all beings feel loved and supported

and allowing a wish to arise, whatever you wish for all beings.

and let us finish this practice together with three deep breaths, imagining as you breathe in, you're gathering up love and compassion. And as you breathe out, sending it out to all people and being everywhere in the world.

[00:25:00] and when you're ready, opening your eyes and coming back. Thank you very much for your attention. And for the compassion practice, you're just in.