So just taking a few moments now to settle into a comfortable position for this meditation. And aiming, if you care to, to sit more upright, rather than slouching. And supporting your intention to be awake and attentive during the practice. And placing the hands in a comfortable way. And allowing the eyes to gently close when you're ready.

And taking your awareness all the way down to the contact points between your body and the surface that you're sitting on. Just noticing any sensations at those contact points. And being aware of the sounds that are present around you in this moment. And noticing a feeling of the breath gently moving in your body. And as a way of settling in here a little more fully, just taking three deep, slow, full breaths.

Breathing in. And letting the breath go. And just taking two more breaths in the same way in your own time now. And with each exhale, just allowing your body and mind to settle and relax a little bit more fully into the here and now. And then just letting your breath return to its own natural rhythm and pace.

No need to try and control the breath in any way now. But just continuing to stay in touch with the feeling of the breath in your body. Just dropping your attention now right into the feeling of the breath in the belly. Just follow the sensations of the breath as it enters the body, and as it leaves the body. In and out.

Allowing this act of mindful breathing to be a support in coming home to the fullness and the aliveness of this moment. And knowing that there's nothing else that you need to do in this moment. Nothing you need to fix or solve or plan. Nowhere else you need to be. So allowing yourself to be fully here in this place, with this breath, in this moment.

Just letting your awareness rest in the wave-like movement of the breath. Like a raft might rest in a moving sea. And when you're ready, just bringing to mind someone that it feels easy to bring loving kindness towards. It can be someone from the past or the present. It could be a child or a pet.

Someone you have an easy, uncomplicated relationship with. And allowing yourself to hold this person in your awareness. Perhaps seeing them in your mind's eye or perhaps feeling a sense of them in your heart. Can you feel a sense of loving kindness towards them? You might even like to place a hand over your heart as you practice. And as you hold this person in your awareness, beginning to send wishes of loving kindness to them.

So mentally repeating the following phrases. Maybe you be safe and protected. And may you be free from suffering. May you be healthy and happy. And may you live with ease.

And may you feel my love now. May you accept yourself just as you are. And may your heart be at peace. And may you be filled with love and joy. So just resting here now with this feeling of open, unconditional love for a few moments.

Just letting yourself bask in the energy of loving kindness as you breathe in and breathe out. Inviting and enjoying feelings of peace, acceptance, and loving kindness. So now extending these words and this energy of loving kindness towards yourself. Mentally repeating the following phrases. May I be safe and protected.

May I be free from suffering. And may I be healthy and happy. And may I live with ease. May I accept myself just as I am. And may my heart be at peace.

And may I be filled with love and joy. And now, if you care to, just repeating again mentally some of these phrases, or you can create your own. Or you can just take some more time here, a few moments to just bathe in the energy of loving kindness. And now just inviting you to bring to mind a neutral person. So this is someone that you might see regularly, but you don't know well.

It might be a neighbor, the mailman, the checkout person at your grocery store. So just bringing a person to mind now. And see if you can have a sense of extending loving kindness towards them. As you mentally repeat the following phrases. May you be safe and protected.

May you be free from suffering. May you be healthy and happy. May you live with ease. And may feel my love now. And may you accept yourself just as you are.

And may your heart be at peace. And may you be filled with love and joy. And again, now just taking a few moments to just rest here in the feeling of loving kindness. Resting within it. And letting it feel your being.

And breathing with it gently. And now if it's possible for you, just bringing to mind someone with whom you've had a more difficult relationship, or maybe you have a feeling of animosity towards this person. Perhaps it's someone that you don't really like to feel compassion for. But in this moment, seeing if it's possible to let go of the feelings of resentment or dislike for this person. And can you remind yourself of your common humanity with this other person? Just like we all do, this person suffers, feels fear, experiences pain and confusion.

And just like all of us, they may have made mistakes. Unlike all of us, they too are deserving of love and kindness. So seeing if it's possible to soften and let go of resentment and extend to this person the following phrases of loving kindness. Just repeating them to yourself mentally, if that feels okay. May you be safe and protected.

May you be free from suffering. May you be healthy and happy. May you live with ease. May you feel my love now. And may you accept yourself just as you are.

And may your heart be at peace. And may you be filled with love and joy. And now just taking a moment to tune in to your body and your mind. And how it feels to generate the energy of loving kindness. And now allowing your awareness to open out in all directions, including yourself, your loved one, the neutral person and the more difficult person.

And all beings, humans, as well as all the creatures on this planet and all living beings everywhere. Aware of all the happiness and sorrows, gains and losses that we all share. So holding all beings in mind now. And seeing if you can have a sense of extending love and kindness towards them, as you mentally repeat the following phrases. May we all be safe and protected.

May we be free from suffering. May our hearts be at peace. And may we all be filled with loving kindness. May we all wake up to who we are. And may you all feel my love now.

And now for these last moments of the practice, just coming back to extend loving kindness towards yourself. Just sitting here for a while and basking in the energy of loving kindness that has been generated here. And then taking a deep breath in. As you exhale, begin to wriggle the fingers and the toes. And just noticing how you're feeling after practicing loving kindness meditation.

And when you're ready, just opening the eyes.