Please credit Christina Feldman, author of “Boundless Heart.”
Guided loving kindness meditation with benefactor experience: transcript
Welcome to Lakeland Insight Meditation Group
This is Andy Quinn, and this is a guided loving kindness meditation.
We kindly accept donations to our non profit group through our website limg.org
We will be using a benefactor experience to activate feelings of friendliness or kindness towards ourselves and other beings.
A benefactor is a person in our lives, who has been an inspiration, such as a relative, a guide, perhaps a minister or teacher, or a spiritual leader. The benefactor could be a noted public figure.
We are using the image of the benefactor to encourage feelings of warmth and connection, and using this energy to deliver the intention of metta to self and all beings.
If you are unable to find a benefactor, you could use a situation where you felt some sort of connection with another. Or you could use an image of a beloved family pet.
Establishing an alert and relaxed posture. Having an attitude of gentleness and receptivity can be helpful in our meditation.
Metta, or lovingkindness is consistently aligning ourselves with an intention to love, to be kind, to be friendly. Establishing an intention of metta throughout this meditation period.. .
We begin with mindfulness of breathing. Bringing attention to the area just beneath the sternum, the heart center of the body. Having objective awareness of how the inhalation and exhalation is affecting this area.
If you are unable to notice any sensation in this area, just notice the rising and falling of the chest cavity.
With the breath in the background, bringing to mind the image of your benefactor. Having this image to play in your mind like a happy video. Considering the loving energy activated between you and your benefactor. We are attempting to activate feelings of warmth, joy and connection.
With the breathing pulsing in the background, and the image of your benefactor in the foreground, wish your benefactor well. Allowing the following phrases to linger and vibrate in consciousness.
May you be safe and well
Let this phrase linger and drop into the depths of our minds
May you be peaceful
Let this phrase linger and drop into the depths of our minds
May you live with ease and kindness
Allowing this phrase linger and drop into the depths of our minds
If the mind becomes distracted, gently come back to the breath.
It is not unusual for aversion to present itself. If aversion arises, keep wishing the benefactor well.
Scanning the body for any tension, if there is tension, letting it go.
We could shorten these phrases, keeping the benefactor in mind:
Safe and well, peaceful, ease and kindness
Allowing these phrases to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
After some time of wishing the benefactor well, be willing to offer metta towards yourself
May I be safe and well
Allowing this phrase to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
May I be peaceful
Allowing this phrase to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
May I live with ease and kindness
Allowing this phrase to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
And now wishing the space between us well
May we be safe and well
Allowing this phrase to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
May we be peaceful
Allowing this phrase to linger and drop into the depths of our minds
Finishing with attention and awareness of the breathing in the chest captivity.
Sadu, sadu, sadu.
Andy
