Episode 67 - Loving Kindness Meditation

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[Music]

hey everybody

michael gunger here just a couple of

weeks to go

until season four launches and we are

really excited about what's in store for

this season we've got

some new co-hosts that we're going to be

excited about introducing to you

we've got topics that are explosive

and inspiring and heart opening

and uh can't wait before season four

launches though we just wanted to take

a second break the radio silence and say

hey and offer you this meditation

this is the most recent weekly

meditation we do weekly meditations for

our patrons on

patreon which you can check out as well

by the way

um but this particular one i heard it i

was on a retreat

this last week in japan and

this particular meditation mike did and

it really uh was beautiful it was a

beautiful experience for me

going through this meditation and so we

thought we would

drop it on the main feed for everybody

um

you know you patrons have probably

already seen it and hopefully most of

you have done it but these meditations

are really powerful for a lot of us

uh these weekly meditations that that

we're all

walking through together and so we just

wanted to you know it's been a minute

since we said hi

on the main feed so i wanted to give

this all to you

um also check out one of the new things

that's been going on since we've been

in radio silence mode over the holidays

is that we've got some videos

coming out some video courses about

meditation

and the enneagram deeper dives into both

of those things we've done podcasts on

both of those topics

and both of those topics have had a lot

of requests for more

to dive deeper into those subjects and

so the enneagram one is going to be kind

of more focused on

spiritual development spiritual

transitions maybe deconstruction

and how your enneagram number

uh plays within that and how

having an understanding of those ego

tendencies can

be helpful for you and then the

meditation course we dive

deep into all different sorts of

meditation

and different ways for different types

of people and different

beliefs people that are coming from all

from from other perspectives across the

spectrum

how they can all engage in this

discipline that is life

changing for so many of us

so do check those out just at the

liturgists.com

you'll be able to click and find a

special deal actually before they

release

uh you can get two for one pretty good

so today's meditation is on loving

kindness i hope that you enjoy it

and then it's as meaningful for you as

it was for me

we'll see you in a couple weeks much

love

[Music]

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this week our meditation together is a

loving

kindness meditation

this is a practice that originated in

the buddhist tradition

but secular people can engage it in a

mindful capacity

and the act of sending love and kindness

towards other people is very much in

line with the teachings and practice

of jesus christ so this is a practice

that people

all over the spectrum of spirituality

can participate in can enjoy

and can grow from

[Laughter]

[Music]

as always i recommend silencing your

phone

using its do not disturb function or

even airplane mode as you engage

in this practice find a place where you

won't be distracted

or disturbed sit comfortably

you may choose to sit with a straight

spine or in a more relaxed posture

sit however you are able to for an

extended period of time

this meditation will last about 20

minutes

[Laughter]

take some time to turn your attention

toward your breath gently rest your

focus

on your breathing

[Music]

feel it come in through your nose

notice if it is cool or warm

notice how it feels as it exits your

body

how it has changed

and as you focus on this breath

move your attention from your mouth and

nose deeper into your body

into your chest and your belly

how does it feel when you inhale

and when you exhale

[Music]

and now you've practiced placing your

awareness

on the sensation of your breath in your

nose and mouth as you breathe

and you've practiced placing your

awareness in your

chest and in your belly as you breathe

now see if you can place your attention

on

both your mouth and nose and your chest

and belly

simultaneously for several breaths

feel your awareness expand

feel it grow as you experience

more of yourself through careful

attention

and presence

[Music]

and now expand your awareness to your

entire body

from the tips of your toes to the tips

of your fingers

to the top of your head

become aware of your entire self

there's no need to judge the experience

there's no need to wonder if you are

doing it correctly

simply let your awareness rest on

[Music]

yourself

we are often kind to others

and yet critical with ourselves

but you have done great things for you

you make sure that you eat you make sure

that you have a place to live

you take great care of yourself despite

the distractions and troubles of daily

living

and so now we will practice

sending loving kindness towards

ourselves

repeat what i say to yourself

with sincerity you may do this out loud

or in your mind but make sure it is done

with sincerity

repeat after me

may i be well

may i be happy

may i be peaceful

[Music]

may i be loved

pay attention to any emotional response

you may have

to this wish for loving kindness for

yourself

how easily or difficult it is

to wish that you be well happy

peaceful and loved

[Music]

do you question your worthiness to be

well

or to be happy or to be peaceful

or to be loved

[Music]

[Laughter]

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now picture someone that you respect

sitting across from you

this could be a teacher

this could be a co-worker

someone in life who you admire

for their work or for

simply the way that they live life

i want you to visualize that person as

clearly as you can

sitting across from you

what posture do they hold

how are they sitting

what is the expression on their face as

they look upon you

now look them in the eye and say

with sincerity by repeating

after me

may you be well

may you be happy

may you be peaceful

may you be loved

reflect on how you felt saying those

words

was it easier to send loving kindness

to someone you respect than it was to

send loving-kindness to yourself

[Music]

[Music]

uh

[Music]

now imagine someone that you love

sitting across from you

a dear one who you simply

adore this could be a family member

this could be your significant other or

spouse

it could be a dear friend but imagine

someone

who you deeply love

how are they sitting

[Music]

what expression is on their face

as they look at you

and now speak to them with sincerity

by repeating after me

[Music]

[Laughter]

may you be well

may you be happy

[Laughter]

[Music]

may you be peaceful

[Music]

may you be loved

[Laughter]

[Music]

it's often easy to send loving kindness

to those whom we already love

[Music]

take a few moments to reflect on that

love

and the ease with which it may have

appeared for you

focus on the feelings of affection

and warmth that this person brings in

your life

and reflect those feelings back toward

this person

[Laughter]

[Music]

[Music]

[Laughter]

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foreign

[Music]

so

now imagine someone else sitting across

from you

someone who you feel neutral toward

perhaps an acquaintance or a co-worker

the person who bags your groceries

the cross guard at a nearby school

perhaps this is a person whose face you

can picture

but whose name you cannot recall

[Laughter]

do your best to imagine this person

sitting across from you

comfortably at ease

how does their face look as they look at

[Music]

you

[Music]

[Laughter]

[Music]

now speak to them with sincerity

imagining the sort of love you were able

to reflect

towards someone that you love reflecting

that same love

toward this person

speak to them by repeating after me

may you be well

may you be happy

may you be peaceful

may you be loved

[Music]

[Music]

oh

[Music]

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the last movement in our meditation may

be difficult

and so i want to remind you that you

have no obligation to continue

that you decide how much emotional

discomfort is healthy or appropriate

in your own life

with that in mind i want you to picture

someone

with whom you have trouble or difficulty

perhaps this is a friend with whom

you've had an argument

perhaps this is a family member with

whom

you have experienced some degree of

estrangement

perhaps even this is a person who has

hurt you deeply

that you have struggled to forgive

[Music]

imagine this person

[Music]

in the room sitting across from you

[Music]

what posture do they take

[Music]

what expression is on their face

as they look at you

[Music]

you may not feel like sending this

person

loving kindness and if that's the case

simply remain in their presence as we

continue the exercise

but if you are able find the same place

within you

that sent warmth and affection

to yourself and to someone

whom you love and respect

and felt neutral toward

foster that same love and speak

with sincerity to one

whom you've had difficulty with by

repeating after me

[Music]

may you be well

[Music]

may you be happy

may you be peaceful

[Laughter]

may you be loved

know that whatever you feel in this

moment is okay

and appropriate if there are tears then

there are tears

if there is anger then there is anger

if there is nothing then there is

nothing

give yourself space and permission

to experience whatever feelings come

about

and if you are able to introduce

loving kindness into that mix

and whether you're able to or not

reflect on what you're feeling and what

it can teach you

[Music]

about your relationship with this person

and your relationship with yourself

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

now focus on whatever loving kindness

you felt during this exercise

and know that i say to you

with sincerity and with that same

affection these words

may you be well

may you be happy

may you be peaceful

may you be loved