Loving kindness meditation is about developing a love that is equal to all, not biased, non discriminatory. Just accepting and loving things and people-precisely as they are. Please put the attention on the breath for just a few moments. Now take a look into your inner household, and see whether there are any guests who's names are: worry, grief, rejection, doubt, fear. And if so ask them politely to leave the house. Because tonight you are going to celebrate with your friends: joy, compassion, and loving-kindness. So show them out, and let your friends, joy, compassion and loving-kindness enter your house. Fill and surround yourself with these supreme emotions. Now think of the person sitting next to you. Invite him or her to join this party to celebrate with you loving-kindness, joy and compassion. Now fill and surround all the people here with these feelings. Let all the people share in this celebration. Fill and surround each other with joy, with loving-kindness. Think of your parents whether they are alive or not. Show them your gratitude and invite them to this celebration, give them your compassion and let them participate in loving-kindness. Now think of the people dearest to you, open your heart, invite them to join this celebration. And don't ask anything in return. Share all the loving-kindness you have. Think of your friends, relatives, relations, your neighbours, people you work with, people you meet everyday . And let them all come to this party of celebration of joy, of loving-kindness. There might be a person whom you do not consider a friend at this moment, and thank him/her for being your teacher, who teaches you something about your reactions. Invite him/her too, to celebrate with you. Think of the people who are not as fortunate as we are at this moment, people in prisons, in hospitals, people who have to fight in wars, give them your compassion and fill and surround them with loving-kindness. Think of the people near and far, the people in this building, looking after us so well. People in the villages, the cities, invite them all to come and share joy and loving-kindness. Picture as many people as you can, on this continent, overseas, and make it a huge party. See the joy and the loving-kindness on the faces of all these people. Now put your attention back on yourself, feel the warmth, the loving-kindness still surrounding you. Feel it in your heart and keep it there. Keep it so that you can share it. May all beings have compassion for each other. I do hope this guided meditation has helped you gain a "sense" of what some forms of loving kindness meditations are about. For more exercises you the reader use, on any form of meditation-please feel free to contact me on my email. My email is listed on the "Who Are These People (Pictures) link on page one of this website! Deep bow to all of my friends in the Dharma!
