Loving-Kindness Meditation to Boost Compassion

Loving Kindness Meditation Script

Close your eyes. Sit comfortably with your feet flat on the floor and your spine straight. Relax your whole body. Keep your eyes closed throughout the whole visualisation and bring your awareness inward. Without straining or concentrating, just relax and gently follow the instructions.

Take a deep breath in. And breathe out.

Cultivate the feeling of love

Keeping your eyes closed, think of a person close to you who loves you very much. It could be someone from the past or the present; someone still in life or who has passed. Imagine that person standing on your right side, sending you their love. That person is sending you wishes for your safety, for your well-being and happiness. Feel the warm wishes and love coming from that person towards you.

Now bring to mind the same person or another person who cherishes you deeply. Imagine that person standing on your left side, sending you wishes for your wellness, for your health and happiness. Feel the kindness and warmth coming to you from that person.

Now imagine that you are surrounded on all sides by all the people who love you and have loved you. Picture all of your friends and loved ones surrounding you. They are standing sending you wishes for your happiness, well-being, and health. Bask in the warm wishes and love coming from all sides. You are filled, and overflowing with warmth and love.

Send Loving-Kindness to Loved Ones

Now bring your awareness back to the person standing on your right side. Begin to send the love that you feel back to that person. You and this person are similar. Just like you, this person wishes to be happy. Send all your love and warm wishes to that person.
Repeat the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, May you be happy.
Just as I wish to, May you be well.
Just as I wish to, May you be safe.
Just as I wish to, May you be free from suffering.
Just as I wish to, May you live in peace.

Now focus your awareness on the person standing on your left side. Begin to direct the love within you to that person. Send all your love and warmth to that person. That person and you are alike. Just like you, that person wishes to have a good life.
Repeat the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, May you be happy.
Just as I wish to, May you be well.
Just as I wish to, May you be safe.
Just as I wish to, May you be free from suffering.
Just as I wish to, May you live in peace.

Now picture another person that you love, perhaps a relative or a friend. This person, like you, wishes to have a happy life. Send warm wishes to that person.

Repeat the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, May you be happy.
Just as I wish to, May you be well.
Just as I wish to, May you be safe.
Just as I wish to, May you be free from suffering.
Just as I wish to, May you live in peace.

Send Loving-Kindness to Neutral People

Now think of an acquaintance, someone you don’t know very well and toward whom you do not have any particular feeling. You and this person are alike in your wish to have a good life.

Send all your wishes for well-being to that person, repeating the following phrases, silently:

Just as I wish to, May you be happy.
Just as I wish to, May you be well.
Just as I wish to, May you be safe.
Just as I wish to, May you be free from suffering.
Just as I wish to, May you live in peace.

Send Loving-Kindness to All Living Beings

Now expand your awareness and picture your street, your town, your country, maybe even the whole world as a little ball.

Send warm wishes to all living beings who, like you, want to be happy, safe and well:

Just as I wish to, May you be happy.
Just as I wish to, May you be well.
Just as I wish to, May you be safe.
Just as I wish to, May you be free from suffering.
Just as I wish to, May you live in peace.

Take a deep breath in. And breathe out. And another deep breath in and let it go. Notice the state of your mind and how you feel after this meditation.

When you’re ready, you may open your eyes.